Today Muslims of Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and many other countries celebrate Eid al-Adha. On the eve of the holiday, the Cathedral Mosque was opened in Moscow. This is a great event for the Russian Ummah, the number of which is now over 20 million people. For a long time, the mosque on Vypolzov Alley was the only constantly operating Muslim church in the Central European part of Russia. After 8 years of reconstruction, the area of the mosque has increased by 20 times, to 19 thousand square meters, and now it has become the largest in Europe. 10 thousand believers can gather there on Salah at the same time. The six-storey temple is equipped with seven elevators and everything necessary for the parishioners. Several halls have large flat screens, which will show what is happening in the central hall. The height of the main dome is 46 meters, the diameter is 27 meters. Two minarets were built, each of them is 78 meters in height.
The Cathedral Mosque was opened by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of the Council of Muftis of Russia Ravil Gainutdin.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas spoke at the ceremony.
Many believers have donated personal funds to build this mosque. The senator from Dagestan Suleyman Kerimov fully financed the construction. The Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Turkey made a significant contribution to the construction of the mosque. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has personally donated 25 thousand dollars.
Prominent public and political figures of Russia, regional leaders and foreign ambassadors were guests of honor of the ceremony.
“In the Islamic world, Russia has always held a very big place and was of great importance. Muslim countries have always treated it with sympathy, because Russia is a tolerant country. And in its policy the country always chosen the right direction, the peaceful coexistence of different religions. And that is why the whole world knows Russia as a tolerant state,” Polad Bulbuloglu, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia, said.
Heads of subjects of the North Caucasus came to see the renewed mosque. “It is important for religion to consistently be on the side of culture, on the side of spirituality. Let these prayers be accepted by the Almighty. Especially since in front of worshippers there will be a very respectable man, who has held a consistent position in the toughest situations. He is Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin. I congratulate him, because it happened due to his efforts and the efforts of many Dagestanis, who have helped to build this mosque. This is our common home,” Ramazan Abdullatipov, Head of Dagestan, said.
Ramazan Abdullatipov
“It is a long-awaited event not only for the Muslims of Moscow and Russia, but for the whole country in general. This is the Central Cathedral Mosque, one of the most beautiful, I even think that it is the most beautiful not only in Russia. I believe that this is a very important event. And the fact that today so many people of different nationalities, different faiths are present at this event,” Rashid Temrezov, Head of Karachay-Cherkessia, says.
Rashid Temrezov
Head of Ingushetia Yunus-bek Yevkurov, head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov and Deputy Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the North Caucasus Mikhail Vedernikov also attended the event. The Cathedral Mosque will not just be a mosque in the conventional sense, but a whole Islamic complex, which includes a conference room, library, museum, art gallery, press-center and accommodation facilities.
“Today, there is an active offensive attack on traditional Islam, and without a doubt, the new Cathedral Mosque of Moscow will become a powerful center of opposition to this attack,” Igor Barinov, Head of Federal Agency for Nationality Affairs, said.
Igor Barinov
“This mosque represents not only the perfection of architectural forms, but also, most importantly, it represents the spiritual union of all representatives of the Russian peoples, different confessions, it is a symbol of great multi-ethnic, multi-religious Russia,” Ilyas Umakhanov, the Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council, thinks.
