NOTE: As reported last week (here and here) there was controversy over whether Dokku Umarov the Emir of the Caucasus Emirate was resigning as leader. It seems like there has been more fall out from this since below are two statements, which clarify matters. In the first statement, the Qāḍī (Legal Judge) of Wilāyah Dagestan, Sayfullah Gubdensk, declares that Dokku Umarov is the only legitimate Emir of the Caucasus Emirate. While in the second statement, Aslambek Vadalov resigned from his post of deputy Emir of the Caucasus Emirate after supposedly taking over last week. No doubt this was a way for Dokku Umarov to shore up his ranks and not to sow doubt within the organization.
UPDATE 2: Check out these two great analyses of the leadership controversy by Mairbek Vatchagaev over at the North Caucasus Analysis: “The Situation Inside the North Caucasus Rebel Leadership Remains Unclear” and ““Palace Coup” Reveals Split between Umarov and Rebel Commander Aslanbek Vadalov”
UPDATE: Kavkaz Center has translated the first message:
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings to the Emir of all Mujahideen Messenger of Allah, his family, companions, and all those who followed his path until the Day of Judgment. And then:
“O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 4. “The Women”, verse 59)
May the peace, the mercy, and the blessings of Allah be upon you!
I, the Qadi (Supreme Judge) of the Caucasus Emirate, Seyfullah of Gubden, appeal to the Muslims of the Caucasus, and particularly, to the chosen among Muslims, the Mujahideen of the Caucasus Emirate.
I’m making this statement in connection with the situation regarding our Emir Abu Usman. Since early days, there were numerous questions sent to me, but I did not take any hasty decisions, because any Sharia decision is based on specific facts and reliable information. Just yesterday, I received information about the event, sufficient to make a decision and for publication in the media.
I declare the following: The sole legitimate ruler of the Muslims of the Caucasus today is and remains the Emir Abu Usman.
The Mujahideen of the Caucasus swear allegiance to him, and nobody has the right to violate his Bayat, change his mind or not obey to him as long as he does not make a clear kufr (kufrunbavah).
And if Emir orders or acts against the Koran and the Sunnah, then scholars tell him about it and correct him.
Umar bin al-Khattab (r.a) asked his companions: “What will you do if I act against Sharia? They replied: “We will correct you by our swords”. On what Umar thanked Allah that there are such Muslims.
And I do not know any act or order given to Muslims by Emir Dokku Abu Usman, which contradicts the Koran and the Sunnah. And I urge all scholars of the world, if they know anything, then let them it present it to us and explain, based on the Koran and the Sunnah, what actions of Emir Dokku Abu Usman actually contradict the Koran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), as the companions of Prophet (pbuh) did, (AsSalyaf AsSalih).
We know our Emir as a humble servant of Allah, and he always asks scholars to correct him if he mistakenly violates the Sharia. And if Emir does not listen to scholars, and remains in his delusion, then there is a need to convene a shura, or council, of people of Ahlul Halli wal Akdi (i.e., people having knowledge in Sharia and military affairs – Military Emirs, or rulers, and scholars) from all the representatives of the provinces of the Caucasus and not just from one single province.
Praise be to Allah, the Shura of the Caucasus Emirate exists today, and it has not been convened on this issue. Each province of the Caucasus Emirate also should also have such a shura of the people of Ahlul Halli wal Akdi, to solve the problems of this province. And any single province of the Caucasus Emirate has no right, according to Sharia, to appoint or remove the Emir of the Caucasus Emirate, and if they try to do so, they become bugats and sinners.
We also ask our beloved brother Emir Abu Usman to remain at his post for the following reasons:
With all respect to our brothers Emirs, we do not know any more reputable and experienced Emir than our brother Abu Usman, who was the cause for the proclamation of the Islamic State of Caucasus Emirate, long-awaited by the unitarians of the whole Caucasus.
I personally wrote to Emir Abu Usman in 2007, before the proclamation of the Caucasus Emirate, a few months before that. I sent him a request to abolish the presidency of Ichkeria and the flag, because we, thousands and thousands soldiers of Allah from different peoples of the Caucasus, did not fight for Ichkeria, for the president, for democracy and parliaments, and especially under the flag of the wolf.
Allah said in his Koran:
“Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah (tumult) and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allah”.
(The Holy Quran, Surah 2. “The Cow”, verse 193)
If the reason for Emir’s leaving is his health, then this leaving is not necessary, we need his head, experience, wisdom and his authority. Regarding those two video clips, where, in the first one, our Emir Abu Usman resigns from the post of the Emir, and in the second, where he cancels the first statement, I would say the following:
Even if both video clips are authentic, then I would say this: Even if there are two hadiths which contradict each other, and they are both authentic – we look at tarih (sequence), and the later cancels the previous (nasih wal mansuh) – the cancelled one, even if it was authentic, has no force .
I, Emir of the Mujahideen of Dagestan Province, on behalf of all Mujahideen of Dagestan, say that we are still faithful to oath given to Emir Abu Usman, Emir all the Mujahideen of the Caucasus Emirate, as long as he remains Muslim and follows the Koran and the Sunnah.
And the claims of infidels and hypocrites in the person of Zakayev, Kafyrov (AKA Kadyrov), Yevkurov and other devils that Abu Usman supposedly lost credibility and trust among the Mujahideen – it’s just a dog’s barking.
Dogs bark, but the caravan goes. Praise be to Allah, the Jihad continues!
I say more, our respect to Emir of the Caucasus Emirate multiplied and his credibility rose even higher among believing Muslims.
May Allah make it easy for our Emir of the Caucasus Emirate, strengthen his iman and health, give forces and patience.
I urge all of my brothers in Islam in the Caucasus to obey the Caucasus Emirate Emir Dokku Abu Usman. Be faithful to him in your oath to the end and do not to succumb to seditions of hypocrites. And may Allah help us, strengthen our foot against the unfaithful people.
Victory or Paradise! Allah Akbar!
Qadi of the Caucasus Emirate
Emir of the Dagestani Front
Seyfullah of Gubden
—
First Statement: Jāma’at Shari’at: Statement from the Qāḍī of the Wilāyah Dagestan, Sayfullah Gubdensk
Заявление Къадия Имарата Кавказ – Амира Дагестанского Фронта Сайфуллах Губденского
12.08.10 20:45
altХвала Аллаху, Господу миров. Мир и благословение амиру всех муджахидов посланнику Аллаха, его семье, сподвижникам, и всем тем, кто последовал его пути до Судного Дня. А затем:
“О те, которые уверовали! Подчиняйтесь Аллаху, и подчиняйтесь Посланнику и обладающим влиянием среди вас, если же вы станете препираться о чем-нибудь, то обратитесь с этим к Аллаху и Посланнику, если вы веруете в Аллаха и Последний день.” (АнНиса 59)
Ассаламу алайкум ва рах1матуллах1и ва баракатух1.
Я, Къадий Имарата Кавказ Сайфуллах Губденский, обращаюсь к мусульманам Кавказа, и особо, к избранным среди мусульман – к муджахидам Имарата Кавказ. Я делаю это заявление в связи с сложившейся ситуацией по поводу нашего Амира Абу Усмана. С первых же дней ко мне поступали многочисленные вопросы, но я не принимал никаких поспешных решений, так как любое шариатское решение основывается на конкретных фактах и на достоверной информации. Буквально вчера, я получил информацию о произошедшем, достаточную для принятия решения и публикации в СМИ.
Я заявляю следующее: На сегодняшний день единственным законным правителем мусульман Кавказа есть и остается Амир Абу Усман.
Муджахиды всего Кавказа присягнули ему на верность, и никто не имеет права нарушать данный ими байат, передумать или же не подчиняться ему до тех пор, пока он не