Meeting in the name of strengthening the dialogue of religions
On 24th of November, the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation (RBM RF) hosted a meeting of the religious leader of Russian Muslims, General Secretary of the Muslim International Forum Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin with the Chairman of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Gixot.
Welcoming the distinguished guests, Mufti Gaynutdin familiarized with the history of relations between the RBM RF and the Roman Catholic Church, which began in 1994, when a delegation of the RBM RF headed by Chairman Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin took part in the VI World Assembly of the International Conference "Religion and Peace".
Within the framework of the Assembly, delegates met with Pope John Paul II in the Vatican. Talking about the Islamic-Catholic relations in modern Russia, Mufti Gaynutdin noted the first joint conference in the history of Russia "Islam and Christianity: on the way to dialogue", which took place on 24th of November 2005 in the Religious Board of Muslims and was timed to the 40th anniversary of the adoption by the Second Vatican Council of the Declaration on the Attitude of the Church to Non-Christian Religions "Nostra Aetate". At that time, the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, took part in the conference. Referring to the current stage, the religious leader of Russian Muslims focused on the translation and publication in Russian of the encyclical of Pope Francis "All Brothers".
«We proudly say that Muslims first translated and published in Russian the encyclical of Pope Francis «On brotherhood and social friendship», - said the mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin. Also he noted, that the document translated jointly is a continuation of the Declaration on Human Brotherhood for World Peace and Life Together, signed in Abu Dhabi in February 2019 by Pope Francis and the Supreme Imam of the University of Al-Azhar Ahmad al-Tayyeb is in the interest of all mankind. He pointed out the importance of the joint efforts made in the preparation and delivery of the encyclical for representatives of different faiths in Russia and the society of the country as a whole. According to Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, the entire Islamic world perceived the text of the encyclical as corresponding to the Islamic message and the call to brotherhood.
Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin thanked the Vatican delegation for participating in the Mus International Forum, as well as Cardinal Gixot personally for the video message addressed to the participants of the XVI Muslim International Forum which held online in 2020.
In his reply, Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Gixot conveyed the greetings of Pope Francis and stressed that thanks to the translation carried out by Russian Muslims, the meaning of the pope's encyclical and the concept of brotherhood reached a large number of people. "The pontificate of Pope Francis is marked by special attention to the topic of universal brotherhood," he said, noting that the Holy See highly appreciates the efforts of Russian Muslims to develop interreligious dialogue.
The Chairman of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue shared his concern about the loss of basic moral values in human society and stressed that religious leaders are responsible for communicating the ideas of brotherhood and mutual support to people. According to him, it is important for religious figures to meet face to face, but it is equally important to stand shoulder to shoulder and reflect together on the problems facing humanity.
Mufti Gaynutdin informed the guests about the upcoming celebration of the 1100th anniversary of the official adoption of Islam by the peoples of the Volga Bulgaria in 2022 and invited the guests to take part in the celebrations, told about the World Conference on Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue being prepared in May 2022 in St. Petersburg.
At the end of the meeting, which was held in an atmosphere of brotherhood and mutual respect, the Chairman of the RBM RF presented the guests with memorable gifts and literature. Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Gixot presented Mufti Gaynutdin with a Commemorative medal of the 7th year of the pontificate of Pope Francis.
The meeting was also attended by Lucio Sembrano, an employee of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Peter Tarnavsky, an adviser to the apostolic nunciature, an employee of the nunciature, etc. On the part of the RBM RF: First Deputy Chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, Executive Secretary of the Muslim International Forum Professor Damir Mukhetdinov and Chairman of the Ulema Council of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation Shamil Alyautdinov.
Welcoming the distinguished guests, Mufti Gaynutdin familiarized with the history of relations between the RBM RF and the Roman Catholic Church, which began in 1994, when a delegation of the RBM RF headed by Chairman Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin took part in the VI World Assembly of the International Conference "Religion and Peace".
Within the framework of the Assembly, delegates met with Pope John Paul II in the Vatican. Talking about the Islamic-Catholic relations in modern Russia, Mufti Gaynutdin noted the first joint conference in the history of Russia "Islam and Christianity: on the way to dialogue", which took place on 24th of November 2005 in the Religious Board of Muslims and was timed to the 40th anniversary of the adoption by the Second Vatican Council of the Declaration on the Attitude of the Church to Non-Christian Religions "Nostra Aetate". At that time, the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, took part in the conference. Referring to the current stage, the religious leader of Russian Muslims focused on the translation and publication in Russian of the encyclical of Pope Francis "All Brothers".
«We proudly say that Muslims first translated and published in Russian the encyclical of Pope Francis «On brotherhood and social friendship», - said the mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin. Also he noted, that the document translated jointly is a continuation of the Declaration on Human Brotherhood for World Peace and Life Together, signed in Abu Dhabi in February 2019 by Pope Francis and the Supreme Imam of the University of Al-Azhar Ahmad al-Tayyeb is in the interest of all mankind. He pointed out the importance of the joint efforts made in the preparation and delivery of the encyclical for representatives of different faiths in Russia and the society of the country as a whole. According to Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, the entire Islamic world perceived the text of the encyclical as corresponding to the Islamic message and the call to brotherhood.
Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin thanked the Vatican delegation for participating in the Mus International Forum, as well as Cardinal Gixot personally for the video message addressed to the participants of the XVI Muslim International Forum which held online in 2020.
In his reply, Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Gixot conveyed the greetings of Pope Francis and stressed that thanks to the translation carried out by Russian Muslims, the meaning of the pope's encyclical and the concept of brotherhood reached a large number of people. "The pontificate of Pope Francis is marked by special attention to the topic of universal brotherhood," he said, noting that the Holy See highly appreciates the efforts of Russian Muslims to develop interreligious dialogue.
The Chairman of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue shared his concern about the loss of basic moral values in human society and stressed that religious leaders are responsible for communicating the ideas of brotherhood and mutual support to people. According to him, it is important for religious figures to meet face to face, but it is equally important to stand shoulder to shoulder and reflect together on the problems facing humanity.
Mufti Gaynutdin informed the guests about the upcoming celebration of the 1100th anniversary of the official adoption of Islam by the peoples of the Volga Bulgaria in 2022 and invited the guests to take part in the celebrations, told about the World Conference on Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue being prepared in May 2022 in St. Petersburg.
At the end of the meeting, which was held in an atmosphere of brotherhood and mutual respect, the Chairman of the RBM RF presented the guests with memorable gifts and literature. Cardinal Miguel Angel Ayuso Gixot presented Mufti Gaynutdin with a Commemorative medal of the 7th year of the pontificate of Pope Francis.
The meeting was also attended by Lucio Sembrano, an employee of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Peter Tarnavsky, an adviser to the apostolic nunciature, an employee of the nunciature, etc. On the part of the RBM RF: First Deputy Chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, Executive Secretary of the Muslim International Forum Professor Damir Mukhetdinov and Chairman of the Ulema Council of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation Shamil Alyautdinov.