Islam in Russia In the 1980s, Islam was the second most widespread religion in the Soviet Union. In that period, the number of Soviet citizens identifying themselves as Muslims generally totaled between 45-50 million. The majority of the Muslims resided in the Central Asian republics of the Soviet Union, which now are independent countries. In 1996 the Muslim population of Russia was estimated at 19 percent of all citizens professing belief in a religion. Major Islamic communities are concentrated among the minority nationalities residing between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea: the Adyghs, Balkars, Bashkirs, Chechens, Cherkess, Ingush, Kabardins, Karachay, and numerous Dagestani nationalities. In the middle Volga Basin are large populations of Tatars, Udmurts, and Chuvash, most of whom are Muslims. Many Muslims also reside in Ul'yanovsk, Samara, Nizhniy Novgorod, Moscow, Perm', and Leningrad oblasts. There is much evidence of official conciliation toward Islam in Russia in the 1990s. The number of Muslims allowed to make pilgrimages to Makkah increased sharply after the virtual embargo of the Soviet era ended in 1990. Copies of the Holy Qur'an are readily available, and many mosques are being built in regions with large Muslim populations. In 1995 the newly established Union of Muslims of Russia, led by Imam Khatyb Mukaddas of Tatarstan, began organizing a movement aimed at improving interethnic understanding and ending Russians' lingering misconception of Islam as an extremist religion. Ramadan Russia's 20 million Muslims join the month of fasting and religious rituals as a way of making family ties stronger. “Ramadan is a very good month for us because it teaches us patience. We observe fasting from dawn till sunset. All Muslims fast at this time, and that unites us, because we all do it for the Allah and nobody else,” says Guzel Yakupova. The Yakupov family are among an estimated two million Muslims living in Moscow. Their population has significantly increased throughout the whole of Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union, as has the number of mosques – from 300 in 1991 to over 8,000 today. The main mosque in Moscow will greet thousands of worshippers over the next 30 days. “Here, people have to make real efforts in order not to lose the sense of goodness. In the Arab world people feed on this from everywhere around them, while in Russia we have to make more effort,” says Ildar Alyautdinov, the First Imam of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque. For the first time in 2007, the Gallup Poll provided a rare look at Russia's estimated 15 to 20 million Muslims. Gallup asked respondents in Russia: “do you consider yourself to be religious, or not?” Those responding affirmatively were then asked for their religious affiliation. In addition to the national sample, supplementary interviews were conducted in two regions, Dagestan and Tatarstan, with high concentrations of Muslim residents. Muslims across Russia flock to mosques for the night prayers and for Taraweeh. Leaflets and books on when fasting begins and when it ends as well as a detailed calendar of prayer times for the whole month are circulated among worshippers. Muslims in European Russia usually have their Suhoor (the last meal before the beginning of the fast) at 3:10 A.M. and refrain from eating or drinking by 5:11 A.M. before the call for the Fajr (dawn). The call for the Maghreb prayer (time to break the fast) is usually around 4:04 P.M, coming down a minute every day until it eventually reaches 3:13 P.M. by the end of Ramadan. The most important meal at Muslims' banquets in Ramadan, whether Suhoor or Iftar, is soup cooked with meat, potatoes, onion and vegetables, with almost 30 other possible variations. Non-Russians always wonder why Russian Muslims do not go for simple meals such as milk and jam. The answer is rather very simple. First, Russian Muslims wake up at 6:30 A.M for work. They do not benefit from the lunch break granted by all institutions and work places at 12:00, because they are not to eat before the Maghreb prayer. They finish work at 4:00 P.M. and rush home to fix the fast-breaking meal. Second, in a country like Russia where temperatures are usually below zero, milk or jam would not give Muslims enough calories for a tough working day. Only a strong meal would help them survive such temperatures and hard work conditions. Russian Muslims usually break their fast with milked dates. Every Muslim is keen on performing Taraweeh prayer with other fellow Muslims in mosques or courtyards. Ramadan in Moscow Marat Arshabayev, Imam of Moscow Cathedral Mosque said in a statement on the eve of 1st Ramadan: “The holy month of Ramadan is a long-awaited month for every Muslim including those from Russia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Malaysia and other parts of the world. Remembering the words of the Prophet at least on these days is considered to be a great advantage for our businesses, deeds and actions.” In the middle of the holy month, a charitable “Ramadan tent” will be established near the main memorial mosque in downtown Moscow. After sunset, Muslims and guests will be able to try hot dishes prepared by cooks from Turkey and Iran.” A student from Ghana, who visited Moscow during the last Ramadan and spent one week there, narrates: Moscow is home to about two million Muslims. The atmosphere of Ramadan here is well experienced in and around the Masajid. In the Masajids dates, water and food are provided for all visitors. Among the foreign students too, who live in hostels, collective Iftaars are organized. In these Iftaars, students from in and out of the hostel are also invited, even non-Muslims also share. In the mosques after Isha taraweeh prayers are organized. In some hostels too students offer prayers in congregation. Most people prefer iftaars with their family members at their houses. Special light dishes along with dates, fruits and tea, etc. are common. Here fasting period is longer than 16 ½ hours. (On 30th August, Fajr time falls before 4 A.M. and Iftaar at 8.36 P.M.) In northern regions it is even longer. But the climate is cold and more and more people observe fast and offer Salat. Last year more than 15 thousand Muslims along with the Minister Louis Farrakhan, offered Eidul Fitr prayer at Cathedral Mosque of Moscow. Many of them have to use their coats as Prayer Rugs. After Eid Prayer and Sermon, the Minister offered Eid Greetings in his brief address. The new regime of President Dmitry Medvedev is sympathetic towards Muslims and wants their cooperation in nation building. Barely 20 days after Obama's famous address to the Muslims in Cairo, President Dimity Medvedev, addressed the Arab League Conference on June 24 in the same city and insisted: “Islam is an inalienable part of Russian history and culture, given that more than 20 million Russian citizens are among the faithful.” Consequently, “Russia does not need to seek friendship with the Muslim world as our country is an organic part of this world.” __
