Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Mufti, chairman of the Regional Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Ulyanovsk region (RDUM UA) Ildar haji Safiullin and the Simbirsk diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church sharply condemned the mockery of an Egyptian citizen over the Koran in the Ulyanovsk region.
According to media reports, on July 1, the Egyptian Said Abu Mustafa , who moved to Russia , defiled the holy Muslim scripture on one of the streets of Ulyanovsk and filmed it on a video that he posted on the Web. The incident caused a wide public outcry. According to the governor of the Ulyanovsk region Alexei Russkikh, the attacker has already been detained.
Ildar Haji Safiullin called the desecration of the Koran a blatant and wild case. He doubted that a man of sound mind could do such an act.
âApparently, this hot weather, which is now standing, has affected him. God bless him! He will be given a legal opinion. It will not be possible to kindle any inter-ethnic, inter-confessional strife, because we live in peace and harmony. We are in friendship and creation with all the peoples who live with us in the Ulyanovsk region, â the mufti said in an interview with IA Regnum.
At the same time, the mufti noted that many foreign students are studying in Ulyanovsk today, including those from the Arab world and Egypt. Russian representatives of the spiritual Muslim community have collaborated with the followers of Islam in Cairo, where the oldest Muslim university, Al-Azhar, is located, and they know the locals as deeply religious and moral people.
Ildar Haji Safiullin admitted that the Egyptian who staged the provocation could be involved in any sects.
âWe know that we need to protect our eyes, soul and heart. If this man (detained in Ulyanovsk - ed.) were a God-fearing person, then he would not look at sites and pages that are not needed, would not litter his brains and heart. Maybe he was a member of some sectarian formations on the Internet,â he said, commenting on the possible connection between Abu Mustafa and the Swedish provocateur who arranged the burning of the Koran in front of a mosque in Stockholm.
The actions of the Egyptian were also criticized in the Russian Orthodox Church. The Simbirsk diocese, after a request from IA Regnum , issued an official commentary in which it indicated that the Orthodox Church does not accept any actions and statements aimed at insulting the faith, desecrating sacred books and religious symbols.
âThe video recording of the event that took place the other day in Ulyanovsk - mockery of the holy book of Muslims the Koran - cannot be perceived otherwise than with bitterness and indignation ... We express our sympathy to everyone who was offended by this trick. It is bitter that such events took place on Ulyanovsk land, â the statement says.
In addition, the diocese reacted to the fact that Abu Mustafa, a man suspected of desecrating the Koran, posted his photos in Orthodox churches on the Internet.
Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church emphasized that there are many foreign students in Ulyanovsk - Christians of various denominations, many of them often visit the Savior-Ascension Cathedral in Ulyanovsk. These students often go to the cathedral, pray, take pictures in the temple.
âAs you can see from the photographs of Said Abu Mustafa, he also went to the cathedral and other Orthodox churches. But he was not a permanent parishioner of any church in the dioceseâthat is, he did not attend church regularly, and did not participate in liturgical and parish life. The diocese does not know for certain about his belonging to any Christian communities, the fact of baptism, etc., â they emphasized.
As emphasized in the diocese, the video recording of the provocation in Ulyanovsk raises doubts not only about the religiosity, but also about the adequacy of the person who committed such an act.
The general director of the Assembly of the Peoples of Russia, Alexander Darkovich , also made a call not to focus on the religion of the detained Egyptian . In his Telegram channel, he drew attention to the fact that the provocation could be aimed at creating interethnic and interfaith differences.
âHistory convincingly proves that an extremist, whatever nationality and whatever religion he may be, does not act in the interests and on behalf of his religion or people. He acts because of his personal weaknesses and sins: mental illness, pride, vanity or greed,â wrote Darkovich.
The Governor of the Ulyanovsk Region, Alexei Russkikh, expressed confidence that the actions of the offender would be given the most stringent legal assessment.
âWe respect each other, honor traditions, customs and are very sensitive to the religious feelings of believers. This is a crime against us all. Terrorism and extremism have no nationality and no religion... We will stand. Our strength is in unity! â Russkikh wrote in his Telegram channel.
The police of the Ulyanovsk region have now confirmed that Said Abu Mustafa has been detained, and an investigation is underway.
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