The Converts to Islam – Al-Shia The al-Shia Scientific, Cultural, and Doctrinal Website Mon, 16 Jan 2023 13:06:10 +0000 en-US The Converts to Islam – Al-Shia 32 32 Father Viacheslav’s Conversion to Islam Viacheslav Polosin, a former priest of the Russian Orthodox Church and chairman of the Committee of the Supreme Soviet on Freedom of Conscience, recently announced his conversion from Orthodoxy to Islam. This unprecedented event of the adoption of the religion of the Prophet by a prominent Orthodox clergyman was a surprise for many. The former archpriest is suspected of psychological illness or of subtle political calculation. But he himself speaks of his own free, spiritual, philosophical choice: As far as I know, this is the second time in your life when you have officially announced a change in your worldview. From childhood, I believed in God, in my spirit. Later, when I was in the university, I came across Orthodox literature and went to the church and found there something that I had not seen in philosophy classes. I do not regret that; I learned a lot there. I submitted my documents to the ecclesiastical seminary in 1979 and have now, after twenty years, given an interview to the journal “Musulmane;” these are two stages in the development of my life. Interview with Musulmane “Several years of intense work have brought me to the conclusion that the Koran does not contain assimilation of the Creator God to his creation, humanity, which is anthropomorphism, the essence of paganism. There is no basis for the ritual practice of appeasing God like some kind of human ruler…. I have decided to bring my social status into conformity with my convictions and to bear public testimony that I consider myself a follower of the great tradition of the correct belief and of the prophets of monotheism, beginning with Abraham, and thus I do not consider myself any longer either a clergyman or a member of any Orthodox church… As regards possible penalties, we all are mortal and all sooner or later will depart from this life, so it is better to depart from it abiding in the Truth and not in spiritual ambivalence or in the delusions of human fantasy. With regard to the practical difficulties, including the Arabic language, I must place my hopes on help and cooperation from my new brethren. My will fully shares this worldview choice.” How Did your Clerical Path Evolve? Within the church circles of Moscow, I was not “my own person.” There also were family circumstances which forced me to request ministry in Central Asia. I served briefly in Frunze and somewhat longer in Dushanbe. There I dealt with Islamic culture and the eastern mentality for the first time, which made a deep impression on my soul. After half a year I was ignominiously deprived of my registration for disobedience to secular authorities, that is, to the commissioner for religious affairs. For three years, I was not accepted anywhere and was in complete disgrace. In 1988, when perestroika began, I was offered a half-destroyed church near Obninsk. From there I was elected in 1990 as a member of the soviet of the RSFSR. The position of the Moscow Patriarchate For the Moscow patriarchate, the announcement by Archpriest Viacheslav Polosin of his conversion to another faith came as a complete surprise. In the Department of External Church Relations, his move is explained as instability of character and convictions and a quick “subsequent change” of religious views is predicted. In the patriarchate there is an inclination to let the matter drop, relying on the decision of Fr Viacheslav’s ruling bishop, Archbishop Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk. Were You Suspected of Conversion to Protestantism? American protestants, who in 1991 arrived in Russia in abundance and whom I received, proposed that we begin our meeting with prayer. But I categorically objected, saying that this was a secular institution and that I protected freedom of conscience and thus there must not be any prayer here. I was cordial with protestants, but where this rumour that I wanted to adopt Protestantism came from, I don’t know. *For many, it is a puzzle what your real position on the new law on freedom of conscience of 1997 is? Some consider you as its author and some recall that you have frequently criticized the law itself. As long as I am a state employee, I cannot discuss the whole truth about this law. I participated in the writing of this law as one of fifteen members of the working group and I had very little influence. Then the law was presented to the Duma where work on it went forward. I can consider myself a coauthor of what resulted from this work. But the demonization of the law was necessary to those circles and forces who figured on being able to make a name and money for themselves on the basis of the negative events that arose around the country. Actually, the law upheld the principles of a secular state and maintained the situation. Was Your Religious Quest Provoked by Your Displeasure with Formal Orthodoxy? While I was working in the state apparatus, I began to see more clearly how various activities within the church or politics affect the life of the people. Some people try to interpret Christianity so as to justify the irresponsibility of the government, giving it an image of divine ordination. There are similar examples in the history of the Islamic world: khans, Turkish sultans, and palace intrigues of the Sublime Porte. In the Koran, viewing the government as “God’s anointed” is strictly forbidden. It is said that if someone usurps power and a Muslim tolerates this, then he is an accessory to this sin. In the Ottoman empire, there was a stagnation of Muslim culture–the cult of the military, violence, and slavery. Islam degenerated there. The Revelation itself is a different matter. What has been the reaction of your new Muslim brethren to your decision? My interview with the journal Musulmane provoked lively interest, so much so that it was necessary to put out another printing. What has been the reaction on the part of your leadership in the Duma? Some naturally will be unhappy, but I don’t care to please everyone. I think that nothing will change in my work in the duma. I do not intend to criticize Christianity. When I was within Orthodoxy, I criticized it rather harshly. Now I don’t. Islam, as it is presented in the Quran, is the most democratic religion because it contains prohibition of tyranny. There are no mediators of a priestly caste or anointed monarchs in the Koran. Viacheslav Polosin’s office In the State Duma, he occupies one office along with Murad Zaprishiev, a former deputy and now an employee of the staff of the Duma Committee for Relations with Public Associations and Religious Organizations. In a prominent place in the office, there is the Koran and the walls are decorated with Arabic inscriptions. In this office, Polosin and his colleague sometimes perform their prayers, for which they use a special rug. At the same time, Viacheslav Sergeevich opposes making a demonstrative profession of Islam in his secular work and especially in governmental service. Do you Have Plans to Return to a More Political Life? For the time being, no. I would prefer to use my profession and knowledge for socially useful activities within the bounds of Islam. I see myself as a public and academic Islamic leader, but not a politician. But what the future will bring, only God knows. In 1990 my election as a deputy also was une