In Makhachkala an all-Dagestani action known as “mavlid’ (an event which Muslims hold to express joy in the Prophet Muhammad) will be held today to protest against caricatures of the Prophet.
This is related to the Committee on Freedom of Conscience and Cooperation with Religious Organizations of Dagestan, a source at Dagestan’s Committee for freedom of conscience and interaction with public organizations said.
"The action is scheduled to take place outside the Central Jumah Mosque in Makachkala, the capital of Dagestan, after Friday prayers at 12:30 Moscow time on January 23. It is expected to be attended by more than 15,000 people, including the head of the Republic of Dagestan, representatives of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims and the Council of Alims of Dagestan, as well as the heads of the Council of Imams of cities and districts and prominent Islamic scholars from all parts of Dagestan," TASS cited a representative of the Committee.
According to Ramzan Abdulatipov, the head of Dagestan, the action should give an appropriate reply to provocations by destructive forces to tarnish Islam and its relics. The mass action initiated by the head of Dagestan has been organized by the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Dagestan with assistance from Dagestan’s Committee for freedom of conscience and interaction with public organizations.
