Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, chairman of the Russian Muftis Council and the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, paid an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and visited the headquarters of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, where he met with Yousef Ahmad al-Othaimeen, Secretary General of the OIC.

The meeting was attended by the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Ramazan Abdulatipov, deputies of Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin Rushan Abbyasov, Damir Mukhetdinov and Rafik Fattakhetdinov, head of the department Dinar Gainetdinov, head of the International Department of RMC Ildar Galeyev.

At the beginning of the meeting, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin conveyed greetings from the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I managed to inform Vladimir Putin about our upcoming trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as the meetings at the OIC and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. The President asked me me to convey the warmest wishes and praised the strengthening of ties between Russia and the Islamic world, ”said Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin.

The parties noted the importance of the last visit of Vladimir Putin to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, when about 30 cooperation agreements were signed between the two states. Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin emphasized that there was positive dynamics in the development of relations between Russia and Arab Muslim countries. He also added that Russian Muslims fully supported and participated in the development of cooperation between Russia and the Islamic world.

“The Muslim Ummah of Russia has been playing an important role in establishing contacts with Muslim countries and communities around the world,” he said, noting that the Russian Muftis Council and the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation have a years-long history of bilateral cooperation with the OIC.

During the conversation, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin and General Secretary Yousef Al-Othaimeen drew attention to the fact that the concept of citizenship, obtaining civil rights, fulfilment of his civil duties, respect for the rights and freedoms of others were in perfect harmony with the Muslims' religious identity.

“At the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, we highly appreciate the efforts of the Russian Muslim community in spreading Islamic values, where there is no place for extremism and aggression,” said OIC Secretary General Yussef Al-Othaimeen.

The religious leader of Russian Muslims, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, noted the OIC leadership should consider Moscow as a platform for holding events aimed at developing inter-civilizational and interfaith dialogues, promoting the principles of tolerance,  moderation and respect in our societies to followers of various religions.

The parties discussed some issues related to the cooperation in the academic and theological sphere, strengthening ties between the Council of Ulama of the RMC and the Islamic Fiqh Academy at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin noted that "normalizing the process of issuing fatwas, establishing the correct mechanism for their issuance was one of the most important points of the international Islamic agenda."

At the end of the meeting, the parties exchanged souvenirs and agreed on further mutually beneficial cooperation.