Putin congratulates Russian Muslims, highlights Ukraine War effort

Moscow, Jun 28 (EFE).- Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Russian Muslims on Wednesday for Aid al Adha, the most important in the Islamic calendar, and highlighted the courage displayed by fighters of this creed in the military campaign in Ukraine and the country’s defense.

“Today, Muslim fighters, relying on the historical, spiritual and patriotic traditions of their ancestors, are demonstrating selflessness, courage and bravery in the course of the special military operation (in Ukraine),” he said in his congratulations, published on the Kremlin website.

The president added that Muslim fighters are “defending Russia shoulder to shoulder with their fellow soldiers.”

Putin said the holiday, which marks the culmination of the pilgrimage to the great Islamic shrines, “holds deep moral and spiritual significance” and “serves to reinforce the ideals of kindness, charity and justice in society.”

This Muslim celebration, known in Russia as “Kurban Bairam” after its Tatar name, remembers the occasion when, according to the Quran, Prophet Ibrahim was ready to sacrifice his son Ishmael to prove his loyalty to Allah.

This is similar to the biblical passage described in Genesis about the sacrifice of Abraham’s son Isaac.

Although there are no official statistics on the number of Muslims in Russia, it is estimated at about 20 million.

In the Russian capital and Moscow province alone, it is calculated that 500,000 Muslims live there. EFE

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