The Chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, Grand Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, held a meeting with H.E. Sami bin Muhammad Abdullah Al-Sadhan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Russian Federation.

The meeting was attended by Mufti Rushan Abbyasov, Deputy Chairman of the RBM for International Affairs and Hajj; Ildar Galeev, Deputy Chairman of the RBM and Head of the International Department; as well as staff of the Embassy.

During the conversation, Grand Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin highly commended the efforts of the Saudi leadership in comprehensively developing infrastructure in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The spiritual leader emphasized that the organization of Umrah and Hajj continues to improve, providing pilgrims with increasingly comfortable, safe, and dignified conditions for performing the rituals. He also noted that the Russian Hajj Mission, Russian Hajj operators, and pilgrims enjoy well-deserved trust from the relevant ministries and agencies of the Kingdom, as they strictly adhere to established requirements and conscientiously fulfill all obligations.

The head of the RBM informed the Ambassador about the fruitful and stable relationships built with the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, the Muslim World League, and a number of other international Islamic organizations based in the Kingdom. Particular attention was paid to the systematic development of academic cooperation between the Moscow Islamic Institute and the Islamic University of Medina under the existing Memorandum of Cooperation.

The spiritual leader of Russian Muslims also noted that imams of the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque ﷺ in Medina regularly participate in significant international events organized by the RBM, contributing to the strengthening of spiritual and fraternal ties between Muslims in Russia and Saudi Arabia.

For his part, H.E. Sami Al-Sadhan expressed readiness to provide comprehensive support for the development of the RBM’s interaction with relevant state structures and international organizations of the Kingdom. He particularly emphasized that Grand Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin enjoys well-deserved high authority and deep respect in Saudi Arabia.