Chairman of the Supreme Council of the World Assembly of Rapprochement of Madhhabs Seyed Ali Gazi Askar visited the RBM RF
On 17th of August, on the territory of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque, a meeting was held between the acting chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation (RBM RF), Executive Secretary of the Muslim International Forum, Rector of the Moscow Islamic Institute, Damir Mukhetdinov, and Khojat ul-Islam wa'l-Muslim Seyed Ali Ghazi Askar, Chairman of the Supreme Council of the World Assembly for the Rapprochement of Islamic Madhhabs, a member of the Council of Experts on the election of the Supreme Leader of Iran.
On the part of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the representative of the administration of the Supreme Leader of Iran in Moscow, Saber Akbari Jiddi, and the Head of the Cultural Representation at the Embassy of Iran in the Russian Federation, Masoud Ahmadvand, were also present, on the part of the RBM RF – the head of the international department, Ildar Galeev, and the head of the international department of the Moscow Islamic Institute, Rinat Ibragimov.
Starting the meeting, Damir Mukhetdinov greeted the Iranian diplomats on behalf of the Chairman of the RBM RF Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin and stressed the relevance of Sunni-Shiite relations for Russia. The establishment of strong ties between Muslims is based on openness to everyone, regardless of the madhhab, the rector of the MII noted and expressed gratitude to the World Assembly for the Reconciliation of Madhhabs for their work in this direction. At the same time, close relations between the RBM RF and the Assembly were formed thanks to the productive work of its previous head, Damir Mukhetdinov remembered:
"We consider the late Ayatollah Ali Tashiri our teacher, mentor. He made a huge contribution to the rapprochement between the madhhabs, spreading knowledge about Islam not only among Russian Muslims, but also at meetings with representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, the governments of Russia and Moscow. We need such scientists, alimah."
Khojat ul-Islam wa-l-Muslimin Seyed Ali Gazi Askar, in turn, conveyed warm greetings and good wishes to the chairman of the RBM RF, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, and added that he had previously visited Russia as the head of the Hajj mission of Iran and the representative of the Supreme leader of Iran and together with the delegation of the RFM RF took part in a conference on Hajj issues. The late Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Tashiri, according to him, always remembered Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin with warmth.
"The leadership of the RBM RF has a high scientific view and a good intention in the rapprochement of all Muslims and makes every effort to ensure that the Muslim Ummah is united," the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the World Assembly for the Rapprochement of Islamic Madhhabs stressed and pointed to the similarity of views and goals of the Russian and Iranian sides, which are to respect the rights of people around the world. In this regard, the Iranian diplomat expressed hope for strengthening cooperation in the spheres of science, culture and religion, which, among other things, is facilitated by the membership of Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin in the Supreme Council of the Assembly. Close contacts between Russian and Iranian Muslims, Damir Mukhetdinov noted, were suspended only because of the pandemic, while before it they were developed at the highest organizational level. An example of this was the World Forum on the Rapprochement of Madhhabs "Unity of Islam – Unity of Muslims: the foundations of dialogue" held jointly with Ayatollah Muhsin Araki in Moscow, when a memorandum of understanding was signed between the World Association for the Rapprochement of Islamic Madhhabs and the RBM RF. Another joint project of the sides was the establishment of the Muslim International Forum (MIF) – the co-founders were the Head of the Department for Religious Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, Dr. Mehmet Hermez, Ayatollah Ali Tashiri and Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin-and the updating of the magazine "Minaret of Islam". Damir Mukhetdinov called on the Iranian side to continue the joint implementation of these projects and invited the Assembly to co-organize the upcoming meeting of the MIF in Rome, as well as to offer its representative to work in the editorial board of the journal. In addition, the Iranian guests were invited to take part in events dedicated to the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by the peoples of Volga Bulgaria, which will be held at the federal level in 2022 on the initiative of Mufti Gaynutdin.
The sides also discussed joint publishing projects. The Chairman of the Supreme Council of the World Assembly indicated his full readiness for cooperation and added that he had accumulated a lot of experience in publishing books on madhhabs and Hajj, and also created a museum of the Koran in the city of Qom, which he invited the Russian side to visit.
The acting Chairman of the RBM RF expressed hope that the Iranian leadership, together with President Ibrahim Raisi, will preserve the established course of relations between the Muslims of the two countries. In response, Khojat ul-Islam wa-l-Muslimin Seyed Ali Ghazi Askar assured that the new president has a positive attitude to the development of relations with Russia, as he considers their nature strategically important.
The sides also discussed the political situation in Afghanistan during the meeting. According to Khojat ul-Islam wa-l-Muslim Seyed Ali Ghazi Askar, Muslim countries should make great efforts to stabilize the situation in the region, while the Taliban should not follow the path of Daesh (an organization banned in the territory of the Russian Federation), but strive towards the unity of Muslims, while solving numerous internal problems of Afghanistan. These problems, Damir Mukhetdinov recalled, are largely caused by the intervention of foreign states, which has led to a sad picture today.
"We, as believers, urge you to pray for peace, harmony and the triumph of justice in this country," concluded the first Deputy Chairman of the RBM RF.
On the part of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the representative of the administration of the Supreme Leader of Iran in Moscow, Saber Akbari Jiddi, and the Head of the Cultural Representation at the Embassy of Iran in the Russian Federation, Masoud Ahmadvand, were also present, on the part of the RBM RF – the head of the international department, Ildar Galeev, and the head of the international department of the Moscow Islamic Institute, Rinat Ibragimov.
Starting the meeting, Damir Mukhetdinov greeted the Iranian diplomats on behalf of the Chairman of the RBM RF Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin and stressed the relevance of Sunni-Shiite relations for Russia. The establishment of strong ties between Muslims is based on openness to everyone, regardless of the madhhab, the rector of the MII noted and expressed gratitude to the World Assembly for the Reconciliation of Madhhabs for their work in this direction. At the same time, close relations between the RBM RF and the Assembly were formed thanks to the productive work of its previous head, Damir Mukhetdinov remembered:
"We consider the late Ayatollah Ali Tashiri our teacher, mentor. He made a huge contribution to the rapprochement between the madhhabs, spreading knowledge about Islam not only among Russian Muslims, but also at meetings with representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, the governments of Russia and Moscow. We need such scientists, alimah."
Khojat ul-Islam wa-l-Muslimin Seyed Ali Gazi Askar, in turn, conveyed warm greetings and good wishes to the chairman of the RBM RF, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, and added that he had previously visited Russia as the head of the Hajj mission of Iran and the representative of the Supreme leader of Iran and together with the delegation of the RFM RF took part in a conference on Hajj issues. The late Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Tashiri, according to him, always remembered Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin with warmth.
"The leadership of the RBM RF has a high scientific view and a good intention in the rapprochement of all Muslims and makes every effort to ensure that the Muslim Ummah is united," the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the World Assembly for the Rapprochement of Islamic Madhhabs stressed and pointed to the similarity of views and goals of the Russian and Iranian sides, which are to respect the rights of people around the world. In this regard, the Iranian diplomat expressed hope for strengthening cooperation in the spheres of science, culture and religion, which, among other things, is facilitated by the membership of Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin in the Supreme Council of the Assembly. Close contacts between Russian and Iranian Muslims, Damir Mukhetdinov noted, were suspended only because of the pandemic, while before it they were developed at the highest organizational level. An example of this was the World Forum on the Rapprochement of Madhhabs "Unity of Islam – Unity of Muslims: the foundations of dialogue" held jointly with Ayatollah Muhsin Araki in Moscow, when a memorandum of understanding was signed between the World Association for the Rapprochement of Islamic Madhhabs and the RBM RF. Another joint project of the sides was the establishment of the Muslim International Forum (MIF) – the co-founders were the Head of the Department for Religious Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, Dr. Mehmet Hermez, Ayatollah Ali Tashiri and Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin-and the updating of the magazine "Minaret of Islam". Damir Mukhetdinov called on the Iranian side to continue the joint implementation of these projects and invited the Assembly to co-organize the upcoming meeting of the MIF in Rome, as well as to offer its representative to work in the editorial board of the journal. In addition, the Iranian guests were invited to take part in events dedicated to the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by the peoples of Volga Bulgaria, which will be held at the federal level in 2022 on the initiative of Mufti Gaynutdin.
The sides also discussed joint publishing projects. The Chairman of the Supreme Council of the World Assembly indicated his full readiness for cooperation and added that he had accumulated a lot of experience in publishing books on madhhabs and Hajj, and also created a museum of the Koran in the city of Qom, which he invited the Russian side to visit.
The acting Chairman of the RBM RF expressed hope that the Iranian leadership, together with President Ibrahim Raisi, will preserve the established course of relations between the Muslims of the two countries. In response, Khojat ul-Islam wa-l-Muslimin Seyed Ali Ghazi Askar assured that the new president has a positive attitude to the development of relations with Russia, as he considers their nature strategically important.
The sides also discussed the political situation in Afghanistan during the meeting. According to Khojat ul-Islam wa-l-Muslim Seyed Ali Ghazi Askar, Muslim countries should make great efforts to stabilize the situation in the region, while the Taliban should not follow the path of Daesh (an organization banned in the territory of the Russian Federation), but strive towards the unity of Muslims, while solving numerous internal problems of Afghanistan. These problems, Damir Mukhetdinov recalled, are largely caused by the intervention of foreign states, which has led to a sad picture today.
"We, as believers, urge you to pray for peace, harmony and the triumph of justice in this country," concluded the first Deputy Chairman of the RBM RF.