A representative of the Muslim Spiritual Board of Tatarstan supported the authorities of Bashkortostan, who opposed the introduction of the military industrial complex

Ramil Yunusov, Chairman of the Council of Ulema of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Tatarstan, imam-khatib of the Kul-Sharif mosque, who visited Ufa, supported the government officials of Bashkortostan who spoke out against teaching “Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture” in the schools of the republic. R. Yunusov believes that the society of both republics - Bashkortostan and Tatarstan - is not ready for the introduction of this subject.

“Today in Tatarstan we also adhere to the same position that it is premature to study subjects on the history or culture of the Orthodox Church at school,” he said. According to the representative of the Muslim Spiritual Board of Tatarstan, today there is no personnel, material, technical, ideological and political base for teaching the fundamentals of Orthodoxy. In addition, this subject can provoke interethnic and interreligious strife. In Tatarstan schools, R. Yunusov believes, religious education is possible only if a program and textbook are developed that includes the basics of Orthodox and Muslim culture.

Sources

• In Tatarstan and Bashkortostan, imams and politicians oppose the introduction of the military industrial complex // Blagovest-info. 2006. April 25.