Ravil Gainutdin: “We must have common interests”

On January 31, 2007, Ravil Gainutdin, chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia, gave an interview to the Islam in Nizhny Novgorod website, in which, in particular, he criticized the activities of the country's Interreligious Council for supporting "one confession."

The Interreligious Council of Russia, according to R. Gainutdin, was created at the initiative of the Council of Muftis of Russia, but today it "acts as if the body that pursues the line of the DECR", while its other founders "act as support for the initiatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, and it shouldn't be."

"We must have common interests, we must discuss those issues that concern us all, and a common point of view of the religious organizations of Russia, various confessions must be developed," the mufti noted.

R. Gainutdin also commented on the situation with the teaching of "Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture" in certain regions of Russia. He noted the inevitability of "inter-religious conflict" "if the school will pursue a religious subject only in terms of the superiority of one religion and culture."

In addition, the mufti once again opposed the introduction of the institution of military priests. "...soldiers, servicemen spiritually need today to satisfy their religious needs, and imams, Orthodox, Jewish, and other priests can spiritually nourish our servicemen, but not as officers..." he said.

Sources

• R. Gainutdin: Teaching only one religion in schools is the path to a clash of civilizations // Islam in Nizhny Novgorod. 2007. January 31.
• Mufti Gainutdin criticized the activities of the Interreligious Council of Russia // Interfax-Religion. 2007. February 1.