The image of Islam will be raised through animations and social networks

Muslim animated films, intended to influence the creation of a positive image of Islam, will soon appear in Russia.
"In the field of Public Education, we are planning to create a series of Muslim animated films, programs for radio and television, as well as a variety of applications for use in smartphones," announced the recently re-elected chairman of the Russian Council of Muftis, Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, ITAR-TASS reports.

In addition, regular informal meetings with representatives of the federal media are planned in order to "develop contacts with the media to create an objective image of Islam and Muslims in the Russian information space." With the same purpose, the Council had intensified its presence in social networks.

"Today, on the social network "V Kontakte" alone, there are more than 35 thousand people in the groups which we moderate," Gainutdin said. An updated website of the Russian Council of Muftis was also introduced today. Apart from this, according to the mufti, there are "more than a dozen sites on this topic - on Islamic economics, on social and charitable activities and on international relations."

As "Vestnik Kavkaza" reported earlier, at the Congress of the Council there was also presented a "memo for journalists on how not to insult religious feelings of Muslims." "This is the first time such a document has been developed in our country. It will help the media to distinguish between true and  false concepts of Islam. This is just a draft. It will be considered by the government, particularly by the Presidential Council on International Relations," the deputy chairman of the Russian Mufti Council Rushan Abbyasov explained. The brochure of 40 sheets explains Islamic terms and provides information about Muslim dress codes and common mistakes of journalists. From the memo one can particularly learn about the differences between Sunnis, Salafists, Shafiists, Shias, Sufis, Hanafis, Hanabalites and Wahhabis.