Muslims make a gift to Moscow

By Vestnik Kavkaza

On June 30th the opening ceremony of the Ramazan Pavilion took place in Moscow near the Memorial Mosque on Poklonnaya Hill. The charity project is devoted to the beginning of the sacred Muslim month of fasting – Ramazan. During the month it is forbidden to eat, drink or have fun during the day-time. This is the ninth year that the Muslim Ummah has invited everybody to share its joy and meal. This time for the first time in its history the pavilion will operate all month long. Republics of the North Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, and other countries will present their culture and cuisines to visitors.

“Each day will be unique,” Ildar Khazrat Alyatudinov, chairman of the organization committee of Ramazan Pavilion, promises. “It will be interesting for the cuisines, sweets, shows and guests. We are an integral whole. We should be divided, according to appearance, nationalities, religions. We are united. Our beauty is based on our differences.”

Almaz Faizullin, the deputy head of the department for cooperation with religious entities of the Directorate of Internal Policy of the Presidential Administration, continues Alyatudinov’s thought: “Today we all rely on our own strengths, traditions, positions and spiritual principles and look ahead confidently. We are a great country, people are our main treasure, as well as our faith.”

Dmitry Kiselev, the head of the information agency “Russia Today”, who visited the pavilion, stated that he “was happy to visit the pavilion and felt a surge of energy on the first day of Ramazan. Even though I am Orthodox, 1/10 of my blood is Crimean Tatar. And I believe it supports me. As for Russia, I think Russia should learn how to appreciate this. We underestimated our own treasures for a long time and neglected it. I think this time has passed.”

Film director Yegor Konchalovsky said that the project “serves the most important thing on Earth. It serves mutual understanding, for people to listen to each other and be friendly to each other, and there is a place for everybody on the Earth.”

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Jewish, Protestant and Orthodox Communities, and ambassadors of foreign states.

Faed Mustafa, the Palestinian ambassador to Russia, expressed his view that “Russian Muslims live an active life and work hard, which plays a big role in the country. As Palestinians we are proud that our President Mahmud Abbas has many times visited the Muslims of Russia. He has visited Bashkyria, Tatarstan, Dagestan, Chechnya, Karachay-Cherkessia. We are proud of relations with our brother-Muslims of Russia.”

Speaking about Ramazan itself, Khadis Sabiyev, nashid singer, said: “It is a very important month. At other times we can be emotional at home, but now we try to create peace and calmness in families to pray. During Ramazan the number of Muslims in mosques is great. I think it would be great if the month lasted for a year, as it unites Muslims. It is a real festival of souls.”

Rustam Arifdzhanov, journalist, publicist, thinks that the Ramazan Pavilion is a gift to Moscow: “Not only Muslims come here these days, but representatives of other religions, Muslims of different nationalities who come from various countries. It is a great opportunity for communication. All month long we gather and talk to each other, express our impressions, help each other and give recommendations. Ramazan is also a month of joy and warm meetings.”