“We highly appreciate our close relations with the Russian Federation and the great Russian people and we value the experience of the Russian Federation in the peaceful coexistence of many religions, in preserving peace and stability in a multi-religious society,” said the Secretary General of the Muslim World League, Sheikh Mohammad Ibn Abdulkarim Alissa, stressing that this experience is worth learning for other states.
He particularly noted the credit of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, doing a lot for peace not only in his own country, but all over the world.
“We are focusing on peace and harmony. We will learn from the example of the Russian Federation, because Russia is an exemplary model. We also know that the Russian Federation, under the leadership of His Excellency the President of the Russian Federation, has made a lot and undertaken many initiatives aimed at establishing peace and reconciliation,” said the Secretary General of the Muslim World Muslim League.
“In the East, we call him wise, he has gained enormous popular support in eastern countries,” he noted.
Mohammad Ibn Abdulkarim Alissa also stressed that the State Duma has created effective legislation in the Russian Federation, especially with regard to countering any manifestations of racism and nationalism.
“I would like to emphasize that the law to live in harmony and peace is a universal law. And I confirmed that this very spirit is embodied in the national legislation of Russia,” he stressed, adding that “the State Duma is guided by the principle of balance” in the legislative activities.
Chairman of the State Duma Viacheslav Volodin
Vyacheslav Victorovich
The Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the eighth convocation. Elected in single mandate constituency № 163 (Saratov constituency - Saratov Oblast)
and the Secretary General of the Muslim World League
discussed issues of strengthening interreligious and inter-ethnic dialogue, Muslims
support and other traditional religions of our country.
Viacheslav Volodin stressed that dialogue with such organizations like the Muslim World League is very important for Russia for achieving peace and harmony.
“We are doing everything to protect the religious rights, to ensure the right of citizens to learn languages, their native language. And we believe it is right that other states would follow this way,” he said, recalling that “though our religion and confessions carry out their activities independently of state institutions and, in our legislation, as defined in the Constitution, the State, on the one hand, does everything to ensure the religious rights, and on the other hand, to help our major confessions.”
The Chairman of the State Duma recalled that mosques, temples, synagogues and religious centers for Buddhists are being built in the capital of Russia and in other cities, and that means that all four major confessions of our country are supported.
Viacheslav Volodin paid particular attention to the situation around Muslims in the Crimea after its reunion with Russia.
“As soon as the residents of Crimea made a decision to reunite with Russia, the President declared Russian, Ukrainian and Crimean-Tatar as three official languages on the territory of Crimea. And with the support of the President, a mosque is being built in Simferopol following the request of the Muslims living in Crimea,” the Chairman of the State Duma stressed.
He invited Mohammad Ibn Abdulkarim Alissa to visit other regions of Russia, in particular, Muslim educational institutions, adding that his opinion “as a recognized theologian” is very important for Russian Muslims.
“We can build relationships between different religions and confessions only on the basis of a tolerant approach, the future of our countries and nations can be built only on the basis of peace and goodwill,” said Viacheslav Volodin.
He also recalled that Russia and its President always support adherence to the principles of non-interference in the affairs of sovereign states, “because we see the results of violation of these principles in such previously prosperous countries like Libya, Iraq, Syria,” said the Chairman of the State Duma.
During the meeting, Viacheslav Volodin conveyed words of gratitude to the King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for providing assistance to Russian people for their performance of the Hajj pilgrimage: the number of pilgrims was increased, and now 22,000 people have the opportunity to go to Mecca.
