A meeting between Chairman of Russia Muftis Council mufti sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin and the Chairman of Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Crimea mufti hajji Emirali Ablaev took place in Simferopol (Aqmescit) yesterday. The delegation of Russia Muftis Council familiarized with staff and activity of Crimean muftiate, and a collective prayer was held in Kebir-Jami mosque, where the congregation prayed for peace in Crimea.
Greeting the Russian delegation, Crimean mufti hajji Emirali Ablaev stressed that modern Muslim religious leaders have been serving Crimea for about 25 years, and during all this time they cared not only about religious affairs, but also universal human values, friendship and mutual understanding between peoples.
Head of Crimean spiritual administration familiarized his guests with the history and modern life of the Muslim community of Crimean peninsula. Saying that the history of Islam in Crimea dates 12 centuries back, he also stressed that Crimean Muslims have never been known for fanaticism or extremism, staying loyal to their moderate Hanafi madhab.
Speaking of the current situation, hajji Emirali Ablaev informed his guest that Crimea hosts 350 religious communities that serve three hundred thousand Crimean Tatar Muslims, while several hundred communities work under spiritual guidance of Crimean muftiate without official registration. Mufti also emphasized that the religion of Islam serves Crimean Muslims as an impenetrable sanctuary in the times of historical challenges and hardships.
Thanking hajji Emirali Ablaev for the invitation and speaking on behalf of all Russia Muftis Council, mufti sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin expressed his respect towards the activity of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Crimea and its head, and reminded that relations between Russian and Crimean Muslims have been steadily developing since the fall of the USSR.
Once again he stressed that the goal of the delegates' visit to Crimea is to get acquainted with the work of Crimean muftiate, to hear out Crimean Tatar people, their hopes and aspirations, to offer them help in this fate-changing time in Crimean history.
As mufti Ravil Gaynutdin said, Allah has ruled Crimea to become part of Russia, and Crimean Tatar nation joined Russia's twenty million-strong Ummah. Both spiritual leaders called for wisdom and rationality, unity and solidarity, and expressed their commitment to protecting the interests of the Muslim community.
RMC delegation included first deputy chairman of Russia Muftis Council Damir hazrat Muhetdinov, SAMER deputy chairman, imam khatib of Moscow Memorial Mosque Shamil Alyautdinov, head of SAMER internal affairs department Ildar Nurimanov and others. The host party was represented by deputy muftis Ayder Ismailov and Esadullah Bairov, members of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Narimen Dzhelyal and Ayder Adzhimambetov, Moscow businessman and philanthropist Lenur Islyamov and others.
SAMER press service