MOSCOW, Mar 20: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday greeted his country’s millions of Muslims on Eid ul-Fitr as more than 200,000 people gathered for Namaz at four different mosques in Moscow.
“For centuries, this holiday has embodied the aspirations of believers for moral improvement, mercy, and compassion, turning them to the enduring values of Islam. I note that Russian Muslims deeply respect the historical and spiritual traditions of their ancestors and widely celebrate this holiday in their communities and family circles. It has become a good custom to hold large-scale charitable, cultural, educational, and children’s events during the holy month,” Putin said in his message to Russian Muslims who celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr as “Oraza Bairam” (Roza Festival).
The president noted the role of Muslim organisations who make a creative contribution to strengthening the institution of the family, educating youth, developing a constructive dialogue with government and public structures, and paying tireless attention to the implementation of patriotic, educational, and humanitarian initiatives.
“And, of course, special words of gratitude go to the followers of Islam who, shoulder to shoulder with their comrades in arms, fight for the freedom and independence of the Motherland, and provide support to the families and friends of the heroes,” Putin said lauding their role in the military campaign in Ukraine.
Islamic spiritual heads in the main Muslim majority republics of Russian Federation Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Chechnya and Daghestan also prayed for the fighters in the ranks of Russian military forces in Ukraine, where Eid-ul-Fitr is a gazetted holiday since the Soviet collapse.
There are about 25 million Muslims in Russia, including a large number of migrants from former Soviet Central Asian republics.( PTI)
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