To: goldsnow who wrote (15106 ) 10/28/1999 2:35:00 PM From: Yaacov Respond to of 17770
I find it shameful a "thug" such as Boris Yeltsin brands Chechnians as Islamic terrorist and Fundementalists Islamic Fundementalism is too far away from free spirit of people of North Caucasus. To Russians, the entire population of Caucasus are Tatars, regardless the Chechens, Avars, Ossets, Tushins, Kulumuks, Ingushtians or Azaris! They are Moslems, and enemy, they are the last of what remains of the Godlen Horde!! The truth is different. To understand Chechnians we should understand their way of understanding Islam. The brand of Islam that was first introduced in Caucasus is Muridism, or Sufism. It was first introduced by Arab conqueres in 8th century A.D. Sufism divides the ISlam in three levels. Shariat (the common Islamic law, practiced by all Moslems.), Tarikat, (the search for the truth) and Hakikat(the truth.) Tarikat and Hakikat are for chosen few. Those who achieve Hakikat, are one step away from devine spirit, and could achieve unity with it, and state that is called Ka'al, or Maarafit. The person who achieves this state is called called Morshed. His followers are called Murids(the followers) Over the centuries, the Muridism was almost forgotten by the Caucasians and Shariaat was not even enforced. Living in Isolated A•uls high above the mountains, and in villages islated from the world, they practiced a waterd-down version of Islam, if one may call that. They drank, danced, rubbed, kidnapped, and practiced Kanly, or vendetta. A far cry from teachings of Shariaat! In early 1800's, Ismail Effendi of Shirvan revived the Murdism. He established the Naghsbandi Sect that was soon took hold and was spread throughout Caucasus. In early 1800's, by the Treaties of Golestan and Turmanchai Perisans had lost the Caucasus to Russians, who feeling uneasy in their new aquired territory, couldn't tolerate Ismail Effendi. They packed him away to Turkey. However, it was too late. The Muridism was spread like a wild fire through the mountains and the valleys of Caucasus.One of the lesser followers of Ismail Effendi, Mollah Mohammed of Yargol intorduced Murdism to Daghestan. Among the first converts to the sect were Ghazi Mollah, Hamzad Beg, and Shamil, the three men who would be leading the resistance to the Russian armies for the next thirty years. For centuries these simple mountaineers were subjects of the Persian kings, or Ottoman Sultans, who left them alone to live thier own lives. But now, without their approval, they had became sujects of Russians Tsars, a Christian, a "Gauir!" They used a peacefull Sufism to bring "Gezavat" or punishment to their conquerers. What followed was over thrity years of war, known to Russians as Murid Wars.