Mufti of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of European Russia (DUMER), Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia, 1st Imam-Khatib of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque.
Born on August 25, 1959 in the village of Shali, Tatar AS, Tatar. father worked in the regional consumer union system, mother was a seamstress,
Graduated with honors from the Kazan Theater School. He has a higher spiritual education (he studied at the Mir-Arab madrasah in Bukhara, which he entered in 1979 and graduated in 1984). Graduated in absentia from the Faculty of Directing at the Leningrad State Institute of Theatre, Music and Cinematography. In 2001 he graduated from the Academy of Civil Service (2001). Candidate of Philosophical Sciences.
Until 1979, he worked at Kazan television, including as a production editor of information programs.
After the madrasah, he served as the first imam-khatib in the Second Kazan Nur Islam Mosque.
In 1985 he was transferred to Ufa to the Spiritual Administration of Muslims to the Supreme Mufti, Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the European Part of the USSR and Siberia (DUMES, centered in Ufa). He worked as an assistant to the mufti on organizational issues.
Since 1986 - executive secretary of DUMES.
In November 1987 he was transferred to Moscow; in 1987-88 - third, then second imam-khatib of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque.
Since 1987 - Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Moscow City Voluntary Society of Tatar Culture "Tugan Tel".
In the summer of 1988, he was elected the first imam-khatib of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque.
In April 1991, with the support of the Saudi Arabian Embassy, he created the Islamic Cultural Center at the Moscow Cathedral Mosque; elected president of the Islamic Cultural Center (ICC).
In 1992, during R. Gainutdin’s trip to Helsinki, the general director of the ICC, Abdul-Wahed Niyazov Niyazov, tried to carry out a coup in the Moscow Muftiate. After R. Gainutdin returned, he expelled A.-V. Niyazov and his supporters from the Cathedral Mosque and created a new Ilam cultural center at the mosque.
In December 1991, he accompanied Vice President of the Russian Federation Alexander Rutsky during a trip to Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan for negotiations with the leadership of the Mujahideen on the release of captured Russian citizens.
He was an opponent of the creation of the Supreme Coordination Council of the Spiritual Administrations of Muslims of Russia (VCC SAMR), which in 1992 included the Kazan Mufti Gabdulla Galliullin, the Mufti of Bashkiria Nurmuhammed Nigmatullin, the Saratov imam M. Bibarsov, Nafigulla Ashirov and A.-V. Niyazov, who separated from the DUMES.
At the beginning of November 1992, by the decision of the VI Extraordinary Congress of Muslims, DUMES was renamed the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims (CDUM) of Russia and the European CIS countries, T. Tajutdin was appointed Supreme Mufti of the CDUM.
In December 1993, R. Gainutdin proclaimed the creation of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Central European Region (DUMTSER) of Russia (initially as part of the CDUM), which included Muslim parishes of the Nizhny Novgorod, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Tver regions, as well as the Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories; became imam-mukhtasib (leader) of DUMTSER. At the founding Majlis in Jan. 1994 elected Imam-Muhtasib (Mufti), Chairman of the DUMTsER.
In 1993-94 he created the Higher Islamic College in Moscow (began work in 1994).
In March 1994, he made a statement regarding accusations against A.V. Niyazov of homosexuality and his attitude towards the ICC at the Cathedral Mosque (“...for repeated violations of the Charter, as well as for exceeding his powers and actions that led to a split Muslim community not only in Moscow, but also in Russia, A. Niyazov was removed from his post. From that time on, his activities in this post ceased and were not recognized by either me or the Council of the ICC, which was formed by the Moscow Cathedral Mosque. We consider this a violation. their high demands of Muslim morality, which led to such disastrous consequences, do not give Mr. A. Niyazov the right to continue speaking on behalf of Muslims and Muslim organizations of the capital and, moreover, of Russia."(www.flb.ru/Nyjas/abdul.html//) .
He often accompanied Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev on his trips to the countries of the Islamic world: Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iran, Turkey.
In September 1994, the Supreme Mufti T. Tajutdin attempted to remove R. Gainutdin from the leadership of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque immediately at the time of Gainutdin’s sermon. As a result, at the Friday prayer on September 23, 1994, the presidium of the DUMTsER made a “unanimous decision on the canonical withdrawal of the DUMTsER from the composition of the Central Spiritual Spiritual Directorate.”
DUMTsER established connections with the All-Russian Cultural Center of the DUMR, but did not become a member of it.
At the Congress of Muslims of Russia and European CIS countries organized by T. Tadzhutdin on January 17, 1995 in Ufa, R. Gainutdin was declared removed from his duties as a clergyman “for supporting the schismatic actions of Arab organizations, for violating the canons of traditional Islam.”
During the 1996 presidential election campaign, he held a one-day international conference “Islam and Democracy” (with the participation of diplomats from Arab countries) within the walls of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque. The speakers agreed that these concepts do not contradict each other and thus spoke “for Yeltsin.”
In July 1996, on the initiative of R. Gainutdin, the Council of Muftis of Russia was created, of which he was elected chairman.
In December 1998, he supported the initiative of the Moscow Patriarchate to create the Interreligious Council of Russia (IRC), which included the DECR MP, the IMR, the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia and the Congress of Jewish Religious Associations of Russia (KEROR). Co-chairman of the Interreligious Council of Russia.
On January 18, 1999, he renamed the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Central European Region (DUMTSER) of Russia into the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of European Russia (DUMER).
On March 16, 2000, at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he presented him with a dagger, noting that according to Muslim customs, such a gift is a sign of the highest respect for the interlocutor.
On March 22, 2000, at the fourth meeting, the ICJ came into conflict with T. Tajutdin, who had been invited to the ICJ, and left the meeting with a scandal.
In September 2001, he signed an open letter to deputies of the State Council of Tatarstan from Tatars living outside the republic, asking them to refuse to transfer the national script from Cyrillic to Latin (Rossiyskaya Gazeta, September 14, 2001).
In October 2001, he called on government authorities to provide assistance in solving the problems of Muslims. According to Gainutdin, the threat of the emergence of radical sentiments among the Muslim part of the population in Russia is very real. The point is that over the past ten years, many young people from among the believers, not having the opportunity to receive religious education in Russia, have gone and continue to go to Islamic countries to study. “After studying in these countries for seven or eight years, young people come to Russia, where they will begin to demand for our Muslims the same living conditions that exist in purely Muslim countries, and such cases have already happened.” Gainutdin expressed the conviction that it is the state that should provide Muslims with support, including financial support, and allocate buildings for the creation of Islamic institutes and universities so that young Muslims can study in Russia. (NG, October 6, 2001)
In April 2003, in response to Talgat Tajuddin's call for a declaration of jihad by the United States in connection with aggression in Iraq, Gainutdin said that the declaration of jihad "has no theological, legal or moral force" and therefore cannot be implemented. (Vedomosti, April 15, 2003).
Member of the Council for Interaction with Religious Associations under the President, co-chairman of the Interregional Council of Russia.
He believes that “Russian Muslims profess moderate Islam, which does not oppose themselves to the authorities” (Moskovsky Komsomolets, March 12, 2001). He stated that the 1997 Law “On Freedom of Conscience” completely suits him.
Member of the Council for Interaction of Religious Organizations under the President of Russia.
Maintains good relations with a number of Arab foundations (including the Saudi Arabian Ibrahim al-Ibrahim Foundation), as well as, according to some reports, with sponsors from Turkey. Relies on the support of some enterprises created in Russia by Tatar entrepreneurs. Sheikh. Member of the Executive Committee of the World Tatar Congress.
Awarded the Orders of Friendship and Honor.
In any country there are individuals whose activities leave an imprint on society and push it towards positive changes. In Russia, fortunately, there are many of these. Gainutdin Ravil is rightfully considered one of them. This man has been leading the country’s Council of Muftis for more than twenty-five years. What has he managed to do over the years? Let's figure it out.
Ravil Gainutdin: biography
Our hero was born and raised in the small village of Shali (08/25/1959). His parents were ordinary workers. Gainutdin Ravil first learned about Islam from his grandmother. She lived with a family and, as usual, devoted a lot of time to raising children. Grandma told little Ravil about the basics of religion, revealed the essence and meaning of traditions, and taught him to pray. The grandson was very interested in all this. Over time, he decided to devote himself to serving Allah. After graduating from school, the current Ravil Gainutdin went to Bukhara. There he entered the Mir-Arab religious madrasah. Studying was easy for him. He completed the seven-year course in just four years, passing the required tests as an external student. His first place of service was assigned to the Kazan Cathedral Mosque “Nur Islam”. The position was called the first imam-khatib. In 1987 he moved to Moscow. Gainutdin Ravil, who by that time had already been elected executive secretary of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the European Part of the USSR and Siberia in Ufa, was appointed imam-khatib
Years of the collapse of the USSR
Today, the older generation is surprised and horrified, remembering what trials former Soviet citizens had to go through. Many starved, could not earn enough to earn bread, lost their professions, and buried loved ones. But that wasn't the worst thing. Spiritual emptiness reigned in the society of that time. Mufti Ravil Gainutdin was one of the few who managed to understand the state of the people. He made efforts to revive the religious consciousness of society.
Revival of Islam
In Moscow, he organized courses on People and talked about the traditions of Islam and ritual practice. It was very timely. Disappointed, immersed in problems, and despairing, citizens flocked to the mosque, where they received much-needed spiritual support. Both small children and elderly pensioners wanted to learn more about their religion. People, realizing that their familiar world was collapsing, sought solace in eternal values. And religion is the first among them. Many felt the need to gain knowledge that had previously been impossible to obtain. Muslims wanted to read the Koran in Arabic. All this was clear to the mufti. He constantly expanded his activities so that not a single person was left unattended.
International activities
The Muslim world is quite wide. Gainutdin Ravil does not limit his work only to the life of the ummah. He is a member of several reputable international organizations. Takes part in the activities of the Eurasian Islamic Council. He considers it necessary to promote the rapprochement of believers and strengthen ties between people and states. In addition, he takes part in the work of the World Islamic League (WIL). Several books were published from the pen of the mufti. His first known work is considered to be his dissertation. The topic and at the same time its name is “Islam in Russia”. As he himself admits, it was an experience of philosophical analysis. It is clear that the efforts of Muslim spiritual leaders are in demand today. After all, there are very dangerous trends in the world. Believers face evil masquerading as true religiosity. This refers to the IS organization banned in Russia. Clergy of all faiths are facing previously unknown challenges. People must be protected from deception worse than death. This is a complete spiritual rebirth into real animals, mercilessly killing their own kind.
"Allah tests the one he truly loves"
Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin works very hard. With the saying of the Prophet Muhammad in the title of the paragraph, believers characterize his varied activities. In addition to direct responsibilities, the organization of mass events and large spiritual celebrations often falls on his shoulders. More communication with the Russian government, government officials of the Muslim world. In his busy schedule there is always time to receive ordinary citizens. People come to the mufti from all over the vast country. It is important for people to hear his wise advice. After all, their requests are not simple ones. People ask very difficult questions and expect a balanced answer and assistance. The year 2015 was marked by the opening of a reconstructed and expanded Moscow mosque. The work also went on under the close attention of Hazrat Ravil. More than thirty Muslim peoples live in the country. In this difficult time, they should be united and not only conflicts, but also attempts at disunity should not be allowed to arise. Ravil Hazarat itself considers this direction to be the main one, putting a lot of effort into its most complete implementation.
Peaceful life and development are our main goals
The Mufti consistently defends the principles of civilized dialogue between people of different faiths and confessions. Ravil Gainutdin's sermons, as a rule, are based on a wise approach to conflict situations, the confidence that any problem can be solved without weapons. He calls peace on the planet, calm cooperation and development the only path for humanity. Ravil Hazarat actively cooperates with representatives of the clergy of countries where civil conflicts are taking place. His calls to them are filled with humanity and compassion. He strives to understand different points of view. However, he fundamentally advocates the negotiation process in cases of tension. Society should exist in harmony and conduct civil dialogue, the mufti believes. Under his direct leadership, Muslim Moscow becomes the center of gravity for the entire Islamic world. Interaction with the leaders of the Russian Federation only contributes to this process.
Strengthening Islam and spiritual education of the younger generation
Ravil Hazarat pays considerable attention to organizing the activities of Muslim educational institutions. On his initiative, two special universities were opened in the Russian Federation (1998 - Kazan, 1999 - Moscow). Young people need to be educated from the cradle so that later they do not have to urgently correct mistakes when trouble knocks on the door. At the end of the last century, Ravil Khazarat proposed to His Serene Highness the Patriarch to organize interaction between different faiths. For this purpose, the Interreligious Council of Russia was established. Such a diverse and huge country cannot allow conflicts on its territory. Moreover, the international situation demonstrates constant instability. It is very easy to start a fire if people are disunited.
Dialogue of Civilizations
The Russian Federation proposed a similar initiative to the world ten years ago. The “Dialogue of Civilizations” forum is now a platform for discussing the problems of interfaith cooperation and coexistence. Gainutdin is translated from Arabic as “eye of religion.” This is symbolic. Under the supervision of Hazrat Ravil, Islam is developing, restoring and introducing into the lives of its followers the love of peace and tolerance that distant ancestors developed and bequeathed to preserve forever. Such activities, hand in hand with leaders of other faiths, contribute to the establishment of interreligious harmony in Russia and beyond its borders.
Date of birth: August 25, 1959 Country: Russia Biography:Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin - Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia, Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the European Part of Russia.
Ravil Gainutdin (Gainutdinov Ravil Ismagilovich) was born on August 25, 1959 in Tatarstan. He studied at the Shali rural Tatar school and completed his secondary education at a school in Kazan.
In 1979, Ravil Gainutdinov entered the Mir-Arab Islamic Madrasah in Bukhara. As an external student, he completed the seven-year course of this madrasah with honors in 4 years and was appointed the first imam-khatib of the Kazan Cathedral Mosque “Nur Islam”.
In 1985, he was elected executive secretary of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the European Part of the USSR and Siberia in Ufa. In 1987, Ravil Gainutdin was approved for the post of imam-khatib of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque, and already in 1988 he became the main imam-khatib - rector of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque.
In 1991, Ravil Gainutdin was elected President of the Islamic Center of Moscow and the Moscow Region.
In 1994, at the founding Mejlis of Muslim religious associations and communities of the European part of Russia, Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin was elected Mufti, as well as Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Central European Region, transformed in 1998 into the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the European Part of Russia.
In 1996, at the 1st Majlis of the leaders of the Spiritual Administrations of Muslims of Russia, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin was elected Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia.
Mufti Ravil Gainutdin participated in many International forums and conferences, represented Muslims of the Russian Federation in Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Italy, USA, Malaysia, etc. As part of official government delegations of the Russian Federation, he took part in interstate negotiations and personal meetings with top leadership of Iran, Pakistan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Azerbaijan.
Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin Candidate of Philosophy, author of many scientific works on Muslim theology, Muslim dogma and law. He is a professor at the Moscow Higher Theological Islamic College, an academician of the International Academy of Eurasian Sciences, the International Slavic Academy of Science, Education, Culture and Religion, and the International Academy of Informatization.
Mufti Ravil Gainutdin is a member of the Council for Interaction with Religious Associations under the President of the Russian Federation, a member of the Presidium and Co-Chairman of the Interreligious Council of Russia.
In his sermons and daily religious activities, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin consistently defends the ideas of civilized interfaith dialogue and fraternal cooperation between all peoples, and takes an active peacekeeping position for the establishment of civil peace and harmony in society. He is a signatory to the Treaty “On Public Harmony” proposed by the President of the Russian Federation.
In 1997, under the patronage of Moscow Mayor Yu.M. Luzhkov and Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, the construction of the Shuhada Memorial Mosque (Memory) in Moscow on Poklonnaya Hill was completed in honor of the fallen Muslim soldiers in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. , which became a notable milestone in the spiritual and cultural life of Russian Muslims and one of the pearls of the capital’s religious architecture.
In 1998, Mufti Ravil Gainutdin became one of the main founders of the Interreligious Council of Russia, which included all the Heads of traditional faiths of the Russian Federation. He is one of the initiators and Co-Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the Second Peacemaking Forum on the interaction of traditional religions and cultures, which will take place in Moscow on March 2-3, 2004 at the St. Daniel Monastery and is held with the benevolent participation of Patriarch of All Rus' Alexy II on the initiative of the Heads of Religious confessions of the CIS countries.
Mufti Ravil Gainutdin is the author of the conceptual idea for the development and the leader of the creative team of scientists who created the fundamental work - “Basic provisions of the social program of Russian Muslims”, which became the basic program for the relationship of Muslims with society and the secular state on a number of important social problems, which was published in 2001 and immediately received the most positive response and approval not only among the Russian public, but also abroad.
In 2001, Mufti Ravil Gainutdin graduated from the Russian Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation with a specialization in “State and Municipal Administration”, and in 2003, at the Department of Religious Studies of the Russian Academy of Civil Art, he defended a scientific dissertation on the topic: “Islam in Russia (experience of philosophical analysis).”
Based on materials from Muslim.ru
Place of work: Council of Muftis of Russia (Chairman) Place of work: Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the European Part of Russia (Chairman) Awards:Mufti Ravil Gainutdin was awarded many government awards, including: in 1997. was awarded the Order of Friendship, and in 2004 by Decree of the President of Russia V.V. Putin, he was awarded the highest state distinction - the Order of Honor for his great contribution to strengthening interfaith peace and harmony, national unity and spiritual revival of the peoples of the Russian Federation.
Website:The Chairman of the Russian Muslim Spiritual Board on where to build the main mosque in Kazan and why Allah saved the life of Suleiman Kerimov
“There are only four mosques in Moscow, but, for example, in communist Beijing there are 80!” - says Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, discussing the needs of the capital's two million ummah. In an interview with BUSINESS Online, the chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia discusses the teaching of native languages in schools, the problems of the Bulgarian Academy, the battles around Asadullaev’s house and the origins of disrespect for the Muslim clergy.
At the opening of the reconstructed Moscow Cathedral Mosque. From right to left – Suleiman Kerimov, Ravil Gainutdin and Mahmoud Abbas, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan Photo: Alexey Druzhinin, RIA Novosti
“SORRY, I CAN’T NAME THE TATAR BILLIONAIRE WHO WOULD HELP US”
— Ravil hazrat, we are located on the territory of the most beautiful Cathedral Mosque in Moscow. Billionaire Suleiman Kerimov was a key sponsor of its construction, investing $170 million. Is his significant contribution due to the fact that he miraculously survived a car accident?
- This is directly related. It so happened that as soon as Suleiman Kerimov returned from a foreign clinic to Russia, I invited businessmen to a meeting, and also invited representatives of the presidential administration, the then mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov. Some entrepreneurs came, some did not, including Kerimov. But a few days later Suleiman called me and said: “I couldn’t come, I’m not going out publicly yet. But I would like to meet you." I came to him, showed him our project, he was interested in how much money we had for such a grandiose construction, where we could raise funds. I painted the picture for him as it was. Then Suleiman says: “I make a decision - don’t walk with your hand outstretched. Probably, the Almighty saved my life so that I could participate in the construction of the main mosque in Russia.” Thus, we came to an agreement with him. He kept his word, without any delay we built the mosque and opened it. In the presence of the presidents of Russia, Turkey and Palestine, I announced how much Suleiman Kerimov invested in construction. It was shown to the whole world that a person is grateful to the Almighty and can make donations for the pleasure of Allah.
— You probably have a whole pool of businessmen - Muslim, Tatar - who help you implement such large projects?
- Of course there is. We work with some of our business leaders, the business elite, who provide assistance in the construction of mosques and the maintenance of spiritual structures. This includes the reconstruction of a mosque in Chita, and the construction of the White Mosque in Bolgar, and the Copper Mosque in the Sverdlovsk region, and assistance in the construction of mosques in Kostroma and Arkhangelsk.
— Name these Muslim entrepreneurs and philanthropists besides Kerimov.
— Alisher Usmanov, Mikhail Gutseriev, Musa Bazhaev, God Nisanov, Iskander Makhmudov and others. But, unfortunately, I cannot name Tatar billionaires who would help us.
“In the presence of the presidents of Russia, Turkey and Palestine, he announced how much Suleiman Kerimov invested in the construction of the Cathedral Mosque. It was shown to the whole world that man is grateful to the Almighty.” Photo: kremlin.ru
— Probably, Tatar billionaires prefer to sponsor the construction of mosques in Tatarstan. They are also planning to build a Cathedral Mosque in Kazan, but they have not yet decided on the exact location. As a Kazan person, by the way, what place would you choose? In general, is a large Cathedral Mosque needed in Kazan?
— Of course, we need a large Cathedral Mosque, which is not yet in Kazan, but this city is the capital of all Tatars. But this mosque should not be somewhere in the area or on the outskirts of the city. It needs to be placed in the center of Kazan, so that everyone coming to the capital of Tatarstan can see that the republic was created on the basis of the Kazan Khanate, and before that, Great Bulgaria. We need to find a suitable place for this. For example, we have Kazanka. Maybe it would be worth building a magnificent mosque on the banks of this river, so that even from behind the fortress walls of the Kazan Kremlin you can admire its beauty.
I remember the incident in Astana when I presented Nursultan Nazarbayev with the highest order of Muslims in Russia. I arrived when it was still dark, and upon meeting Nursultan Abishevich asked: “How do you like the lighting? What does the mosque look like? At the entrance to the city there is a white marble mosque with four minarets, golden domes and a crescent. Nazarbayev says: “Kazakhstan was a republic where there were fewer Kazakhs than other peoples. But this is the land where Muslims lived, who created the Kazakh Khanate. Let them know that the Kazakhs have not lost their spirituality and religion.” But then they also built a mosque so that from all the embassies they could see what kind of land they were working on.
Photo: dumrf.ru
“I AM A EURASIAN MYSELF”
— Since you are talking about our neighbors, how are the relations between Russian Muslims and the global Muslim Ummah? Do the leaders of Russian Muslims have a well-thought-out policy towards the former Soviet republics professing Islam - Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan?
— I am a Eurasian myself. My Eurasian policy is to maintain all kinds of ties with Turkic-speaking Muslims, starting from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russian regions and ending with Finland and Sweden. We strive to get closer along the “Silk Road”, relying on our traditional foundations, to carry out our activities in a common vector, together. Historically, Muslims from China to Sweden mainly profess Hanafi Sunnism - the traditional madhhab of our Tatars, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, Uyghurs, etc.
We hold the “Spiritual Silk Road” conference every year. For example, the first one was held in 2016 in Urumqi. I would like to note that back in 2015, during a visit to China, I proposed creating such a platform for us Muslims. Then the Chinese side (despite the fact that it is a communist power, which perhaps looks at Islam with some caution, sometimes seeing calls for religious radicalism) said that they wanted to host the first conference. This was the first such joint conference in the history of Chinese Muslims.
The second “Spiritual Silk Road” was held on the opening day of the Bulgarian Islamic Academy in Bolgar and Kazan, that is, in Russia. The third conference was held in Kyrgyzstan, and in 2019 - in Kazakhstan. In 2020, the Mufti of Uzbekistan asks to hold our conference in Tashkent.
You probably ask why the Silk Road unites Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, Ukraine... For example, in the Scandinavian countries, after the Tatars moved there, a Muslim community appeared. So today the Tatars play a dominant role in the Muslim communities of Finland and Sweden. In Estonia, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine, Muslim communities are also headed by Tatar muftis. Praise be to the Almighty, they do not lose close ties with us.
We also have a second platform - the international Muslim forum. On its basis, we hold conferences in Europe, inviting Muslim leaders from no less than 21 countries of the European Union. At first, the event was held in Russia, but at the 10th forum, three foreign delegates - the then Minister of Religious Affairs of Turkey Mehmet Görmez, the head of the International Assembly for the Rapprochement of the Madhhabs of Islam Iranian Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Taskhiri, as well as the late Uzbek Sheikh Muhammad Sadiq Muhammad Yusuf - proposed transform it into an international Muslim forum. These famous Islamic leaders joined the council of our forum. As a result, in 2015 our forum was held at the legendary Savoy Hotel in London, where the young Queen Elizabeth II once danced in the ballroom. The forum was attended by the assistant to the head of the Anglican Church, the Bishop of Canterbury, leaders of other faiths and, of course, Muslim leaders of European countries such as France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Poland, etc.
Finally, in December 2018, a forum was held in Paris. We invited Kamil Iskhakov there to present our Bulgarian Islamic Academy to the Europeans, tell them what we had in mind and what goals we set. And this year it will be held in Berlin at the invitation of Muslims in Germany.
Photo: dumrf.ru
— What is the ideological basis of the forums?
— Do you remember how 10–15 years ago many Russians treated their compatriots who profess Islam? Some even called all Muslims collectively terrorists and extremists. The same story is being repeated today in the European Union. It is now difficult for European Muslims to find a common language, because the actions of terrorists in the Middle East, and in Europe itself, immediately affect them. When hotbeds of terrorism are destroyed in the Middle East, terrorists, if they came there to fight from European countries, flee back to Europe and return there in different ways. These are carriers of ideology that calls for committing crimes against humanity.
We, Russian Muslims, who have lived for centuries in the Eurasian space next to representatives of different religions - Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Judaism, Buddhism - have vast experience of peaceful coexistence with the traditions of other peoples and religions. We are an example for Europeans. Therefore, leaders of European Muslim communities often ask us to come to them and tell them how to build such relationships.
— That is, the Russian experience of religious tolerance is in demand?
- Very in demand. You and I remember how Ismail Gasprinsky ( Crimean Tatarpublic figureand educator —approx. ed.) called on us Muslims: “We, Russian Muslims, must take our rightful place in the multinational Russian state. We must be enlightened, we must not only create madrassas where our children study Islam and Islamic sciences. We must create multidisciplinary educational institutions for our children so that they can also study secular sciences.” He said that our children should know the Russian language and Russian culture, because we are Eurasians, since we have both European and Asian blood. Therefore, when I go to Europe, I say: “I am a European, I was born on the territory of the European continent.”
— So, are all Tatars Europeans?
- Yes, Europeans. Our Tatar capital is Kazan. But we know not only our religion, culture, language and traditions, but also the Russian language and Russian-language cultural heritage. We are brought up to do this. We are Europeans, but partly Asians too. That is why our experience of peaceful coexistence and knowledge of our place in a multinational and multireligious state are so in demand in Europe. We will continue to help our fellow believers living there. Moreover, now there is migration and opposition to it from old Europe.
Photo: Sergey Stroitelev, RIA Novosti
— Will Muslim migrants be able to integrate into European countries?
“We see with our own eyes how they behave, what their mentality is. Do they know the mentality and culture of Europeans? Of course not. And this is objective. Migrants cannot be blamed for this, because they were brought up in their own environment, their own culture, have their own mentality and their own Eastern traditions.
But, in our opinion, if there is democracy, then it is for everyone. Democracy is, first of all, respect by the majority for the rights of the minority. You remember that at one time the United States wanted to officially adopt and disseminate the “Eastern doctrine”, according to which the Eastern mentality and culture should be replaced with Western ones. That is, Arabs, Persians, Turks and others had to forget their culture and traditions, they had to become liberals, democrats, “civilized” people. It was believed that Western democracy is civilization, and the East is barbarians. But, glory to the Almighty, our country, the president and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs supported the Middle East, the Arab and Islamic world. The position was this: every nation has the right to preserve its culture, religion, and traditions. Only then will there be democracy.
Based on this, we say: “Europeans, you yourself invited Arabs from North Africa. You needed workers. These hands created your factories and worked for them. They became your compatriots in the third to fifth generation. You invited them. They built mosques, they raise their children, they are adapted.” But now new migrants are coming there. What is the reason? Who wants to leave their warm home, warm blanket and hearth and become a refugee, a forced migrant? You started bombing, you started fighting, you, in fact, created these terrorist organizations!
— Some special services also contributed.
“The intelligence services don’t hide this today—their employees give interviews and say themselves: “Yes, we are.” Against the Soviet Union, in order to push it out of Afghanistan, we trained, financed and sent them.” This is where the phenomenon of Al-Qaeda came from, and then Daesh ( Arabic name for the group banned in the Russian Federation "ISIS" — approx. ed.). They themselves forced Muslims to fight and migrants to flee. Therefore, if today you cannot stop the bloodshed and those terrorists that you yourself have created, accept those who are fleeing from them. This is a difficult situation. On the other hand, our co-religionists need to be helped so that they understand where they are going, understand and respect the traditions of their host peoples.
“We have vast experience of peaceful coexistence with the traditions of other peoples and religions” (with Patriarch Kirill, Chief Rabbi Berl Lazar and Grand Mufti Talgat Tajuddin (from left to right) Photo: Mikhail Klimentyev, RIA Novosti
“ISLAM IN OUR COUNTRY SHOULD HAVE A SINGLE VERTICAL OF POWER”
— Your work in Asia and Europe is respectful. What is the situation with respect for the Muslim clergy in Russia?
— Unfortunately, in Russian regions I do not see the same attitude and respect for the Muslim clergy.
— Is it because, as the Christian brothers wrote, “there is no prophet in his own country”?
“We, especially the Tatars, are not used to treating our Muslim clergy with respect. Although we see how much respect the authorities show the Orthodox clergy. We see this when, for example, the Russian Orthodox Church convenes a world Russian people's council or the president, prime minister or minister of foreign affairs seats a local metropolitan or patriarch on the presidium. And when we, Tatars, hold our congress, what is our attitude towards the Muslim clergy? Not only were they sent to the presidium, they were also sent to the balcony. Even if there are no Orthodox Christians in the hall, they then see through the media how disdainful the leadership is towards their spiritual leaders. The question is: what kind of respect do you expect from them for our clergy? If we ourselves do not respect our clergy, then why are we offended when others do not respect us?
— Perhaps the Muslim Ummah of Russia needs a unified spiritual administration? Maybe Muslim leaders have all their problems because of fragmentation?
— Islam is a religion of democracy, unlike other religions, by the way. Our Prophet Muhammad was included in the list of 100 famous people who left their mark on history, and he himself topped this list. But he was noted not only as a Prophet who brought the Holy Scriptures, but also as a builder of a state, a political system, and not just a religion given by God. Therefore, I am 100 percent sure that Islam in our country should have a single vertical of power and control. After all, after the Prophet there was always a caliph for all Muslims.
If Islam in Russia were represented by an integral, centralized structure, then there would be a unified policy and position on all issues. It would be easier even for the state to interact with this structure and (reasoning soberly) to implement through it a reasonable state policy towards the Muslim population. But there are forces that oppose this.
It would seem, why? In post-Soviet times, a spiritual revival began on the wave of democratization. Agree, since we are building a democratic state, it gives us the right to freedom of conscience, speech, and religion. But democracy is not anarchy. Islam is a democracy, but Islam has commandments, laws, requirements - so be kind enough to comply. But we were told that since there is democracy, let them create any structures. Who benefits from this? To others. There is no integrity, so they can say: “You raise this question, but there is another figure who is silent, or does not agree and has a different opinion.” We can definitely say that building a strict vertical corresponds to the long-term strategic interests of Russian Muslims - and indeed the entire Russian state. But today we see how many people do not want a strict vertical structure to be built in Islam.
— Who doesn't want to?
- And some representatives of the authorities, and certain forces in the Russian Orthodox Church, we will not hide this.
“I don’t regret that when creating the federal structure of a religious organization, I did not transfer it to Kazan. Everything is decided in the center, in Moscow” (pictured with Mintimer Shaimiev) Photo: Maxim Bogodvid, RIA Novosti
— In the 1990s, Mintimer Shaimiev discussed with a number of Russian influential figures where the center of Islam should be. They say that you were offered to move to Kazan and create a unified muftiate there. Do you regret not moving? Maybe then it would be possible to create a vertical structure through Kazan?
- Yes, it happened. I do not regret that, when creating the federal structure of the religious organization, I did not transfer it to Kazan. Whether we like it or not, the Caucasus will remain the Caucasus, the Caucasian republics will have their own spiritual governance, their own vision and their own mentality. In turn, in Ufa they say that since tsarist times they have had the main spiritual administration. But this is understandable: a small merchant town, surrounded mainly by Russians, and the Bashkirs and Tatars live in the villages. It was very convenient to manage them. Why give the muftiate capital status? Let it be regional.
And I thought that if there are 36 Arab embassies in Moscow, the heads of state come to negotiate with the head of state from Arab and Muslim countries, leaders of international Islamic organizations, etc., and they have no time to go to Chechnya, Dagestan or Tatarstan. They limit themselves to one or two days of negotiations in Moscow and go home.
Moscow has capital status. After all, why does Patriarch Kirill sit not in the center of Orthodoxy - Sergiev Posad, but in the capital? Or we have the Jewish Autonomous Region, but two chief rabbis sit in Moscow. There is a certain logic to this. Everything is decided in the center, in the capital.
When I give sermons, people in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan listen to me on the Internet: “Our mufti said so. What will the mufti from Moscow say?” We must not forget that “Moscow says and shows.” This is where our Islamic policy comes from. We direct impulses: this is how we see Islam, this is how it is developing, Islam is such a religion, and not what our brothers present with blood and hatred.
— Or maybe the political immaturity of Muslims and the Muslim clergy of Russia itself is to blame for the fragmentation?
— Muslim peoples in our country live on their historical land. They are not migrants, the number of Russian Muslims is from 20 million to 25 million people, as our President Vladimir Putin said. But 25 million is an entire country, a huge force. If this force unites and turns into the party of Allah and the Prophet, then it will have to be taken into account. And when everyone is separated, then you don’t have to pay attention. That is why they do not allow us to build a single vertical of Islam, artificially creating centralized organizations here and there. And the authorities invite these impostors to their meetings and seat them in a place of honor.
— Do you mean that different spiritual administrations are artificially created?
— Spiritual administrations, some meetings and associations. All this is due to myopia and lack of understanding of what it can ultimately lead to.
Today we are seeing protests in different regions against the construction of Orthodox churches. To light a fire, all you need is a spark. We saw this in Yekaterinburg, and immediately the movement spread to other regions. At the same time, all the protesters in the Ural capital turned out to be not visitors or sent from Moscow and St. Petersburg, but locals who said: “I don’t want a church here, because this place is not the site of the temple that was destroyed. You have already built a chapel at this place. Why should we give away places where we go for walks with our children? The city is suffocating. Why are you cutting down our park, our square?” Thus, without thinking about the consequences, they resolve the issue and create conflict situations out of nowhere.
Photo: BUSINESS Online
“IN MOSCOW THERE ARE ONLY FOUR MOSQUES, BUT IN COMMUNIST BEIJING THERE ARE 80!”
— By the way, in the situation in Yekaterinburg, whose side are you on?
— I am not against the construction of a temple. But there is no need to deceive the population. The temple must be built in its original place - desecrated and destroyed. But if you have already built it, but want to take away the park as well, then no. If the decision to build is made, then place it in another place so that it does not cause conflict on the part of local residents.
Why am I talking about this? We are suffocating in the Cathedral Mosque. On Fridays, 18 thousand believers come here alone. Everyone can’t fit in, so many remain on the street. And because of this, law enforcement agencies are forced to block the road. And during Ramadan, up to 45 thousand people come on Fridays. In other mosques in Moscow, from 15 thousand to 20 thousand believers also gather. By the way, there are only four mosques in Moscow, and, for example, in communist Beijing there are 80 of them!
— What do the Moscow authorities answer you?
— I propose to build at least one mosque in each administrative district. Then, including Zelenograd, we will have 11 mosques. The authorities were cooperative and even allocated a plot of land in the industrial zone at the end of Volzhsky Boulevard. But immediately local residents organized a rally, and signs appeared near the Kuzminki metro station: “Tatars - to Kazan! No to mosques!” So they don’t allow us to build new mosques, explaining that people are against it. Moreover, a year has passed since places were allocated on the same boulevard for the construction of two Orthodox churches at once.
I am still an experienced person, I have been leading the Muslims of Moscow for 32 years, I know both Moscow and federal authorities. I, as a clergyman, do not want there to be hostility or interfaith conflict. I am obliged to maintain peace, stability and tranquility in our capital. I tell our Muslims: “Calm down. Do “sabr” ( in the Islamic tradition - patience, perseverance in faith — approx. ed.). There is no need to organize rallies.” But a plot in the industrial zone was taken away from us, and the Orthodox were allocated two in the green zone. This is a humiliation and insult to the religious feelings of two million Muslims in Moscow.
— Do you think that the politics of certain individuals are behind this?
- You are smart people, and we are not fools.
— Where is the solution other than “Sabra”?
- Let's make sabr. But they must understand that 25 million Russian Muslims have honor and respect for themselves. The situation in Yekaterinburg is still nonsense. But if, God forbid, interfaith confrontation breaks out, that’s scary. Political wars are ended by the signing of a treaty, and inter-religious wars have been going on for centuries. We must always remember this.
Let me give you another example. I went to Kaliningrad, where we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Muslim community. A two-story mosque was built there. Everything went according to plan: decree of the regional government, approval of the project and construction work. But suddenly the authorities decided that there could not be a mosque on this site. They immediately approved a law stating that the mosque should not be located near any buildings. Based on it, they filed a lawsuit and said: “Muslims, you invested your money, built it, and now destroy the temple with your own hands.” Muslims answer: “We built the house of Allah with our money and we will not destroy this mosque with our own hands. We are not destroyers, but creators." Why do we act this way in our state and treat our believers this way?
— How did the Kaliningrad story end?
“I went to the site of the mosque, which was banned, and said that we will not destroy it, that a compromise must be found. Moreover, they wanted to build the mosque in the forest, not even visible from the road. How did she interfere? But two months later, a synagogue with a huge dome was opened in the city center. It turns out that some can do it, others can, but aren’t others taxpayers, defenders of the state? But the first commandant of Koenigsberg after its capture by Soviet troops during the Great Patriotic War was Hakim Biktiev - ours, a Tatar. Hakim Agha is both the founder and first chairman of the Muslim community of Kaliningrad. So far, the issue has not been finally resolved in Kaliningrad. But we hope that we will save the mosque.
— But maybe Muslims themselves are to blame due to disunity and lack of normal lobbying structures?
— I believe that a state, politically competent approach is needed here. Everyone must be aware of their responsibility to their Fatherland and not allow conflicts out of nowhere. Those who think that they can stop the spiritual revival of their neighbor are mistaken: it is still impossible to stop the process of spiritual development of Islam in Russia.
However, you are also right in some ways. Our Muslim peoples, unfortunately, are divided, and religious leaders, despite their average age, are immature.
Photo: BUSINESS Online
“YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO SERVE HERE AND CREATE OUR ISLAMIC THEOLOGY”
— Are you satisfied with the way the Bulgarian Islamic Academy, of which you are one of the founders, is developing? Have you managed to resolve the issues with recruiting professional teachers at the academy?
- This leaves much to be desired. I would like the leadership of Tatarstan, the Muslim Spiritual Directorate of the Republic of Tatarstan, the Central Muslim Spiritual Directorate and the administration to understand their full responsibility. The president of the country agreed that Muslims in Russia should have their own academy, which would contribute to the creation of a Muslim elite and theology in modern Russia. Unfortunately, there are no personnel or adequate quality of education. It's not just about financing. The most important thing is academic science and academic knowledge, which the teachers who are invited there must have. The Academy should not train imams, not even masters, but select the most talented and promising Islamic personnel with higher education and send them to scientific, theological, intellectual activities, only then will we have our own theologians who, over time, will be able to defend candidate and doctoral dissertations on theology.
“My policy is this: when electing a mufti or rector, do not go against the will of the leadership of the country and the republic” (in the photo - Rafik Mukhametshin (left) and Kamil Iskhakov) Photo: BUSINESS Online
— This is exactly what the Russian ummah does not have now.
- Yes. There was one who officially received a theological doctorate, and then he was forced to leave Russia. I won't mention his name.
We need to prepare our own doctors of divinity and theology. We initially raised the question of the need to create a system of Islamic education at home, so that our youth could study here without dreaming of leaving somewhere, so that educational institutions would be competitive. It is necessary for young people to serve here and create our Islamic theology.
— What went wrong? How do you feel about the change in the tandem of Kamil Iskhakov and Rafik Mukhametshin? Agreed with you?
- Of course, we agreed. My policy is this: when electing a mufti or rector, do not go against the will of the leadership of the country and the republic. Therefore, I agreed on the candidacy of a new person without knowing him at all. I don’t go into conflict with the authorities on such issues, because we have to work with this government.
Photo: Alexey Belkin
“I AM A TRUE NATIONAL PERSON”
— Currently, a Strategy for the Development of the Tatar People is being developed in Tatarstan. Is it necessary? The document places an emphasis on the cultural and social component, and Islam comes in strokes and is obscured as much as possible at this stage. Do you think Islam should play a key role in the fate of the people?
— Islam should occupy a key place among the peoples who profess it. For example, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' often says that the Russian Federation is Orthodox and the salvation of Russia lies only in Orthodoxy. It turns out that for the Russian people Orthodoxy is salvation.
Why then can’t Muslims think the same about Islam? Of course, the role of religion in preserving national identity should be key. For example, for 600 years the Tatars of Belarus, Lithuania, Poland have not lost their nationality, identity and proudly say: “We are Tatars.” Yes, they have lost their language, our traditions. I went to Lithuania to the village of Forty Tatars near Vilnius for the opening of a mosque. There, the imam in the early 1990s wore the clothes of a Catholic priest and said: “Now I will sing the Koran.” So their mentality, clothes, behavior changed, but at the same time they considered themselves Tatars. Islam preserved them.
— What is your attitude towards the reform of teaching mother tongues in schools? Did you want to react somehow when prosecutors went to schools in Tatarstan, prohibiting the “imposition” of learning the Tatar language?
“It’s strange to me when officials give an awkward explanation that parents themselves take their children out of Tatar classes, wanting them to be taught only in Russian. I myself am a truly national cadre. I graduated from school in the village of Shali, Pestrechinsky district, then with honors from the Tatar department of the Kazan Theater School, I am an actor by profession. Being a Tatar cadre, I was able to enroll in Russian at the Leningrad Institute of Music and Cinematography to become a director. But then I had to leave there, since I went to study at a madrasah in Bukhara. I spoke Uzbek, Tatar, Old Turkic, and studied Arabic. I returned to Kazan and became the first imam-khatib of the second mosque. And only then I was taken to serve in Ufa. Therefore, I believe that after graduating from the Tatar school, an Islamic educational institution, I was able to reach a certain level in Moscow, the federal center. The sermons I read are listened to by Russians, Jews, and representatives of other nations. Often at events they come up and note that I speak the right words in an accessible language. Since artists, native speakers of the language of art tell me about this, it means that I speak Russian quite well, and not just my native Tatar language.
At the same time, I do not need an interpreter at meetings with the President, Minister of Foreign Affairs, or Minister of Religious Affairs of Turkey. So the children of the Tatars will not become poorer, but, on the contrary, they will gain wealth if they study their native Tatar language. I would like to note that Tatar is considered one of the 14 languages of small peoples of the world, which are included in the documents of the UN and UNESCO. If children know and study the Tatar language, they will go to Saudi Arabia, Mecca and Medina, and will not get lost. There are Turks, Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Kyrgyz and others who speak the language of the Turkic peoples. The Tatar will not disappear anywhere! So knowing a language is wealth.
But two hours a week of study is not enough for such a rich language as Tatar. There is grammar, and there is literature. Without language, a person will not be able to read Tatar authors, will not understand a Tatar performance or song, will not be able to read the poems of our poets. This means forcing your nation to become impoverished. Therefore, I believe that the school curriculum should have two compulsory subjects: Tatar language and literature. At least two lessons of each, then it will be four hours a week. Even outside the school curriculum, serious efforts are needed to support the language, develop culture, and increase the attractiveness of the native language.
“The school curriculum must have two compulsory subjects: Tatar language and literature. At least two lessons of each. And even outside the school curriculum, serious efforts are needed to support the language.” Photo: BUSINESS Online
— Should Russian-speaking children learn Tatar?
— For Russians and representatives of other nations, the study should be on a voluntary basis. But, humanly speaking, those of our compatriots who voluntarily study the languages of their neighbors, fellow citizens, command great respect. They are engaged in a huge task to protect the integrity of the state, the unity of the people, and not those who “protect” the interests of Russia by attacking its peoples.
— Why didn't you speak on this topic when everyone was discussing it?
— There were no direct appeals to me on this matter. However, I very closely followed the discussion, the degree of which almost reached the point of interethnic conflict. I believe that the comments made by members of my team, including First Deputy Damir Mukhetdinov ( in a conversation with BUSINESS Online at the height of the language conflict, Mukhetdinov: “The Russian language is studied in all regions of our country. We study both the national languages of the republics and Russian as state languages. This is written down in the Constitution...” At the same time, he denied the statement attributed to him in the media that the Muslim Spiritual Board of the Russian Federation allegedly considers the study of the Russian language in Tatarstan schools unnecessary — approx. ed.), were correct and relevant.
— How did you feel about the decision of the Muslim Spiritual Directorate of the Republic of Tatarstan to conduct Friday sermons only in the Tatar language?
— On the territory of the republic, in Tatar villages, in regional centers, where Tatars come to mosques, this is probably correct. And in cities there should be sermons in both Tatar and Russian, because Islam was created not only for the Tatar, Uzbek or Tajik people, but for all humanity. The Qur'an was revealed as the last holy scripture. We call it the last testament of the Most High. There is the Old Testament, the New Testament, and this is the last testament. Therefore, Islam can be practiced by Russians and other peoples. If there are Caucasians living in Kazan and Tatarstan who do not understand the Tatar language, they will sit and wait until the time for prayer comes. And people should come and receive instructions, education, and the morality of Islam in an understandable language.
“For us, Asadullayev’s house is a center of enlightenment, culture, and education. I think that if they try to take this building away from the Tatars, it will cause a very big scandal. I don’t think the authorities will agree to this.” Photo: BUSINESS Online
— Are you following the situation around Asadullayev’s house? Is there a danger that the Tatar community in Moscow will lose the building?
— The state has a law on the return of religious and religious historical monuments to their owners. For us, Asadullayev’s house is a center of enlightenment, culture, and education. It is a historical monument. There was a Tatar school, a theater, newspapers, Musa Jalil, Sara Sadykova, Galia Kaybitskaya worked there - those who raised the art of Tatarstan. All this happened in Asadullayev’s house. Therefore, I believe that if they try to take this building away from the Tatars, it will cause a very big scandal. I think the authorities will not agree to this. Tatarstan must seriously support our national cultural autonomy so that it is in its home, in its center. This is ours, Tatar, Moscow.
— Today we celebrate Eid al-Adha. Anything you would like to say to the believers?
— I appeal not only to the people of Kazan and Tatarstan, but to all my fellow believers and compatriots. A blessed holiday is coming, which ends Lent. Believers have become cleansed. They understand that only with a clear conscience and sincere faith do they approach the Almighty with their good deeds, which they did during the month, expecting his mercy and mercy. Grace and mercy are the forgiveness of sins, this means earning heaven. The month of Ramadan is about protecting our body, our spirit from the fire of hell. Having passed this month, we must understand that not only during it we had to live, obeying the Almighty, his Messenger and doing good deeds, cleansing ourselves from sin. The Koran calls for all your life to do good, not to do evil. The verse of the Koran tells us: “Do not sow evil on earth after its improvement.” Allah has made it well, do not destroy the earth, do not sow evil between people, nations, religions, but respect each other. Help, cooperate in goodness and piety, but do not cooperate in evil and sin. This is our credo. Our further life until our last earthly day must obey precisely this call. I congratulate all our brothers and sisters on a blessed holiday!
Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin (Gainutdinov Ravil Ismagilovich) was born on August 25, 1959 in the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. He studied at a rural Tatar school in Shali and completed his secondary education at a school in Kazan.
In 1979, Gainutdinov entered the world-famous Islamic madrasah “Mir-Arab” in Bukhara. As an external student, he completed the seven-year course of this madrasah with honors in four years and was appointed the first imam-khatib of the Kazan Cathedral Mosque “Nur Islam”.
In 1985, he was elected executive secretary of the spiritual administration of Muslims of the European part of the USSR and Siberia in Ufa.
In 1987, Ravil Gainutdin was approved for the post of imam-khatib of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque and already in 1988 he became the main imam-khatib - rector of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque.
In 1991, Ravil Gainutdin was elected president of the Islamic center of Moscow and the Moscow region.
In 1994, at the founding Majlis of Muslim religious associations and communities of the European part of Russia, Ravil Gainutdin was elected mufti, as well as chairman of the spiritual administration of Muslims of the Central European region, transformed in 1998 into the spiritual administration of Muslims of the European part of Russia.
In 1996, at the 1st Majlis of the heads of the spiritual administrations of Muslims of Russia, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin was elected chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia.
In 1997, under the patronage of the Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, construction was completed in Moscow on Poklonnaya Hill of the Memorial Mosque “Shuhada” (“Memory”) in honor of the fallen Muslim soldiers in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945, which became a notable milestone in the spiritual and cultural life of Russian Muslims and one of pearls of the capital's iconic architecture.
In 2001, Mufti Ravil Gainutdin graduated from the Russian Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation with a specialization in “state and municipal administration,” and in 2003, at the Department of Religious Studies of the Russian Academy of Civil Art, he defended a scientific dissertation on the topic “Islam in Russia (an experience in philosophical analysis).”
Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin is a candidate of philosophical sciences, the author of many scientific works on Muslim theology, Muslim dogma and law. Mufti Ravil Gainutdin is a member of the Council for Cooperation with Religious Associations under the President of the Russian Federation, a member of the presidium and co-chairman of the Interreligious Council of Russia.
He is the author of the conceptual idea for the development and the leader of the creative team of scientists who created the fundamental work “Basic provisions of the social program of Russian Muslims,” which has become the basic program for the relationship of Muslims with society and the secular state on a number of important social problems.
Have you kept your spirits up?
16% Yes, I do this all the time
4% This year I held it for the first time
59% No, I'm not a Muslim
21% Your answer (in the comments)
Voting for the poll is closed
