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Issue 95
HISTORY, ARCHAEOLOGY, ETHNOGRAPHY
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THE STRUGGLE OF IDEAS IN DAGHESTAN: MECCAN SCHOLARS' RESPONSE (TAQRIRA) ON YUSUF AL-YAKHSAWI'S REQUEST (ISTIFTA') (MID-XIX CENTURY)
MUSAEV Makhach Abdulaevich
In the mid-XIX century, the Daghestani scholar and theologian Yusuf al-Yakhsawi, during his sojourn in Mecca, sought clarification from local religious authorities on several religious and legal matters regarding the Muslim Caucasus. These issues encompassed controversial aspects of Ghazi Muhammad’s doctrine, including the scope of the Imam’s authority, accusations of apostasy against Muslims, the imperative of emigration to Islamic lands, relations with non-Muslims, and the legitimacy of the continuous jihad. Apparently, al-Yakhsawi, an intellectual opponent of Imam Shamil and his adherents, anticipated receiving a legal pronouncement from Meccan theologians that could be deployed as a Sharia-based argument against his adversaries. However, the response diverged significantly from his expectations. The Meccan scholars provided comprehensive explications, articulating their stance on each question. They unequivocally endorsed the Sharia positions of Imam Shamil, thereby affirming the core tenets of Ghazi Muhammad’s politico-religious-legal doctrine. This doctrine underpinned the formation of the Caucasian Imamate and served as the ideological foundation for Muslim resistance against Russian imperial expansion. They concluded that Shamil held legitimate authority and warranted obedience, that his call for resettlement within his domain should be heeded by local Muslims, and that military action against dissenters was justified. Furthermore, they concluded the inherent enmity of non-Muslims, deeming amicable relations with them impossible under the prevailing circumstances and advocating armed struggle. The istifta? (request for a legal opinion) of Yusuf al-Yakhsawi and the taqrira (formal legal response) of the Meccan jurists are known in three versions, the earliest of which is the Russian translation from the Arabic original.
Pages: 59 - 68
Date: 23.12.2024