Grand mufti of Tajikistan Saidmukarram Abdulqodirzoda was attacked at Dushanbe’s central mosque yesterday evening.

The Interior Ministry’s press center said the attacker injured the mufti “with a bladed article out of a sense of hooliganism”.  The incident reportedly took place after prayer at the city’s central mosque at 5:20 pm. 

The 61-year-old Saidmukarram Abdulqodirzoda is the state-elected head of Tajikistan’s Muslims.  He has been the chairman of the Shuroi Ulamo (Council of Scholars) of the Islamic Center, the only fatwa-issuing body in Tajikistan, since 2010.