Festive sermon by the Chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, Grand Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, on the day of Eid al-Adha – Kurban Bayram, May 27, 2026 (10 Dhul-Hijjah 1447 AH), at the Moscow Cathedral Mosque:

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ

Praise be to Almighty Allah – the Lord of the Worlds! Peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), his Companions, and all those who have followed and continue to follow the path of truth and faith.

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Peace be upon you, the mercy of Allah, and His blessings!

My dear fellow believers – brothers and sisters! Respected compatriots!

The great holiday of our pure religion of Islam has arrived – Eid al-Adha, or Kurban Bayram. From the Arabic, "Qurban" means "drawing closer to the Almighty."

Today, on the tenth day of the sacred month of Dhul-Hijjah, millions of our fellow believers in the holy lands of Islam have rushed to Mecca, to the House of Allah – the Sacred Kaaba. Gathering from all corners of the world, pilgrims of different skin colors, different languages, different means and stations, in a single impulse, perform the sevenfold circumambulation of the House of Allah and prostrate themselves to the One and Almighty Lord of the Worlds, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. The hearts of all pilgrims are united by: the unity of faith, the common goal of attaining the pleasure of the Almighty, and the equality of each before the Creator.

The Quranic affirmation:

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ
"Indeed, all believers are brothers" (49:10)

is vividly embodied in the rituals of Hajj. And it also resonates with the idea of the unity of peoples. With the global ummah we are united by the unity of faith, and with our compatriots – by a common love for our native land!

During these blessed hours of Eid al-Adha, following the pilgrims in Mecca, we direct all our aspirations, all our thoughts to Almighty Allah and, like the pilgrims, call out to Him with the words of Talbiyah:

لَبَّيْكَ اَللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ – لَبَّيْكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ – لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ

"Here I am before You, O Allah! Here I am before You! Here I am before You, and You have no partner! Here I am before You! Truly, praise and blessings are Yours, and dominion! You have no partner."

Having woken up early this morning, performed full ablution, purified our thoughts, donned the best and cleanest clothes, we have headed to the Houses of Allah – our mosques – to perform the festive prayer and proclaim the words of takbir – glorifying the Almighty Creator. During these sacred, blessed hours, my dear fellow believers, accept my most heartfelt and sincere congratulations on our blessed holiday: Eid al-Adha Mubarak!

The idea of unity is close to us not only in its religious, spiritual dimension but also in its civic expression. The President of our country, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, declared 2026 the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia. We are united by our shared Fatherland, the natural desire for peace, security, prosperity, and success for our homeland, readiness to defend the Fatherland in its difficult times, and the desire to work and create for its benefit.

The value of civic, national unity plays an important role in the life of any of the 190 different peoples and ethnicities inhabiting Russia.

Allow me to read to you the congratulations and good wishes addressed to the 25-million-strong ummah of Russian Muslims from the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin:

To the Muslims of Russia

I congratulate the Muslims of Russia on Eid al-Adha. Following the precepts and centuries-old traditions of their ancestors, you widely celebrate this ancient holiday, which turns believers to the origins of Islam. It calls for goodness and justice, mercy and piety. I note that Muslim organizations actively participate in the public and cultural life of our country, paying great attention to strengthening family values, educating the younger generation in a spirit of patriotism, and implementing socially significant educational and charitable initiatives. And, of course, your much-needed activities in support of the defenders of the Fatherland, their families and loved ones, deserve deep gratitude. I wish you health, success, and all the best.

President of the Russian Federation, V.V. Putin

We were also congratulated by the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Mishustin:

Respected Mufti! I congratulate you on one of the most revered Islamic holidays – Kurban Bayram. Eid al-Adha marks the end of the Hajj, the pilgrimage of thousands of Russian Muslims to Mecca and Medina. It is a symbol of peace and unity, mutual respect, and the continuity of generations. For many years, the Ummah of Russia has participated in all spheres of life in our country, developing interaction with government authorities. It contributes to the preservation and strengthening of spiritual and moral values, the upbringing of youth in a spirit of patriotism and love for the Fatherland. Thanks to you, significant initiatives and projects are being implemented, theological schools are being revived, Islamic education is being improved, and educational literature is being published. And, of course, the spiritual support and humanitarian assistance that Muslim organizations provide to participants of the Special Military Operation and their families deserve recognition. May the sacred Kurban Bayram bring success and good fortune in good endeavors. Good health, happiness, and well-being to you, your family, loved ones, and all believers.

Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, M.V. Mishustin

Traditionally, the Mayor of Moscow, Sergey Semyonovich Sobyanin, also congratulated us:

Respected Mufti! I congratulate you on the arrival of the holiday of Kurban Bayram, marking the completion of the pilgrimage to Mecca. This particularly revered holiday embodies the ideals of Islam: goodness, mercy, sincerity. The Muslim community of Moscow actively participates in the cultural, educational, and charitable life of the city and does much to develop interfaith dialogue and preserve traditional spiritual and moral values in our capital. I wish you, respected Ravil Hazrat, and all Muslims of Moscow a festive mood, health, and success in all good endeavors and deeds.

S.S. Sobyanin

During these days, we have received numerous congratulatory telegrams from leaders of the main branches of government in our country, heads of federal subjects, statesmen, representatives of science, art, sports, and the business community, from muftis and religious figures from the regions of Russia. Among them are the Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly, Valentina Ivanovna Matvienko; Chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin; Head of the Presidential Administration of Russia, Anton Eduardovich Vaino; Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Nurgalievich Minnikhanov; Head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Akhmatovich Kadyrov, and many others.

During these blessed festive days, the leaders of the Arab-Muslim countries, with which our country has friendly, partnership relations, out of fraternal feelings towards our country and the entire multinational people of Russia, are sending congratulatory telegrams with wishes of goodness, peace, and prosperity to our Fatherland. I have the honor to convey to you these warm congratulations from the presidents, kings, supreme muftis, ministers, and ambassadors of the states friendly to us.

From the main Russian mosque – the Moscow Cathedral Mosque – as well as via broadcast on the main Russian television channel – Russia 1 – we thank from the bottom of our hearts all those who have shown respect and expressed fraternal, friendly feelings towards Russian Muslims. In turn, we affirm the loyalty of Russia's Muslims to our common Fatherland, and our commitment to civil peace and harmony.

My dear fellow believers! Respected compatriots!

Today, alongside us, in the front rows of worshippers at the Moscow Cathedral Mosque, is our dear 100-year-old elder, Colonel Umid Sadykovich Gubaev, a participant in the Victory Parade of 1945.

Among us are also participants of the Special Military Operation, who are defending our Fatherland today. Also with us today are figures from culture, science, education, and sports. I particularly note our brother, Abdulrashid Bulachevich Sadulaev – two-time Olympic champion, six-time world champion. We welcome our dear guests in our ranks!

Dear brothers and sisters!

The word "Qurban" means drawing closer, closeness to the Almighty Creator. And this closeness to Allah is achieved not only in intimate prayers but also in real actions, good deeds, and warm interaction with those around us. When we share the meat of sacrificial animals with relatives and neighbors, with the destitute and needy, we are not just performing a ritual – we are strengthening the bonds that tie our society together.

Almighty Allah warns:

لَن يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَـٰكِن يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَىٰ مِنكُمْ
"Neither their meat nor their blood reaches Allah. Rather, it is your piety that reaches Him." (22:37)

This means that the Lord of the Worlds has no need of the shedding of blood, has no need of anything whatsoever.

Kurban Bayram is intended to revive faith in our hearts, to align our inner moral compass towards the Creator, to strengthen our intention to firmly and unwaveringly follow those high values that Allah has granted to humanity.

One such value is the striving for peace, for even the name of the religion of Allah – Islam – is etymologically related to the word "peace."

The Almighty Creator created all the diversity of humanity from one forefather and one foremother. All of us, despite differences in languages, cultures, and religions, are descendants of the same foreparents – Adam and Hawa (Eve). The striving for mutual respect, mutual love, and peace is a natural, innate quality of human morality.

The Almighty Himself calls us in His Scripture:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
"O you who have believed, enter into peace completely and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy." (2:208)

The religion of Allah spread throughout the world peacefully, based on the Quranic principle: لا إكراه في الدين "There is no compulsion in religion."

It is no coincidence that when, in 922 CE, in the state of Volga Bulgaria, on the territory of modern-day Russia, Islam was proclaimed the state religion, this happened on a strictly peaceful, voluntary basis. Peace, coexistence, mutual respect with people of other ethnicities and faiths has been embedded in the cultural code of Russian Muslims from the very beginning. Our centuries-old traditions of brotherhood are admired worldwide, including in the Muslim world, which for the first time in history recognized the Russian city of Kazan as the cultural capital of the Islamic world in 2026. Islam is one of the traditional religions, one of the spiritual pillars of the modern Russian Federation, alongside Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism. Islam and Muslims within the Russian state are a source of goodness, a source of peaceful, constructive labor, and readiness to sacrifice themselves for the Fatherland.

Muslims, answering the call of the Motherland, are ready to step forward to defend our country. This year, on June 22, 85 years will have passed since the start of the most destructive war in Russia's history, when fascist invaders treacherously invaded our lands. Millions of our compatriots, including Muslims, rose to defend the Fatherland, and for this very reason this tragic page of history is called the Great Patriotic War.

Our Muslims, along with other peoples of the country, spared neither their lives at the front nor in the rear. This is a true manifestation of sacrifice; this was the most courageous "Qurban" ever performed for the sake of peace in the whole world.

At the heart of the unity of the peoples of Russia lie our good neighborliness, the desire to maintain peace, and a shared sense of responsibility for our common native land. As the head of the Russian state, President Putin, emphasized: "Every people, every ethnic group within the fraternal family of the peoples of Russia is our common asset."

For Muslims, preserving brotherhood, unity, peace, and tranquility in their country means following a direct command of the Creator, who said:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
"O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted." (49:13)

The unity of hearts, characters, and deeds is manifested in simple but important things: in joint labor, in caring for the needy, in the ability to place the common good above personal interests.

Recently, the whole world witnessed such unity when the entire country came to the aid of Dagestan, which had suffered from a natural disaster. In these days, we mourn the innocent victims – children killed at their place of study in Starobelsk, Luhansk People's Republic. There are no words that can convey the pain and despair of parents who are forced to bury their children at the very dawn of their adult, conscious lives, when everything that is most interesting, best, and brightest lies ahead. We, the Muslims of Russia, deeply sympathize with this tragedy and pray to the Almighty to protect our people, our children, from the crimes of the neo-Nazi regime.

Dear brothers and sisters!

Each of us goes through trials decreed for us by the Lord of the Worlds.

Especially severe trials are undergone by those who are currently in the Special Military Operation, as well as their families, their loved ones. We pray for them.

One of the temptations, one of the false paths, is the path of discord and sedition. You may encounter such people on your path – those who insult their neighbor's religion, trample on moral values and religious feelings, pit the peoples of our country against each other, and sow discord.

To counter such provocateurs, remember the prophetic words of Isti'adha and say:

أَعُوذُ بِٱللَّٰهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ
"I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed."

Always remember that the Almighty is on the side of the virtuous, the just, the generous, the magnanimous. Our purpose is to affirm the truth of Islam through our character, pure thoughts, noble deeds, and loyalty and safety for all those around us.

Dear brothers and sisters!

During these blessed, precious moments before the festive prayer, we raise our supplications to Almighty Allah for peace, unity, and prosperity of our dear Fatherland, for its comprehensive development and the overcoming of all trials that have befallen our Homeland!

We pray to Allah to preserve the lives and grant healing to all defenders of the Fatherland who are bravely fulfilling their duty in the Special Military Operation today! We pray to the Almighty to protect our land, our cities from natural disasters and all sorts of adversities, so that our peoples, living in peace and harmony, may work together, raise offspring, and build our future. We pray to Almighty Allah to grant salvation and relief from pain to all our brothers and sisters who need it today.

We pray for peace in Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, Sudan, Libya – everywhere where blood is being shed. Ya Rabbi, accept our sincere supplications, our sacrifices, and all our deeds performed to earn Your pleasure! Amin, ya Rabbal Alamin.

Eid Mubarak, dear fellow believers!

May 27, 2026, Moscow Cathedral Mosque