Islamic Renaissance which began in the XX century in the Muslim countries gradually moves ahead and draws to the orbit of its influence new countries, regions and peoples. After centuries of decline and depression the Islamic civilization returns the lost positions and influence in the world society. Any revival does not pass easy and without serious consequences. We have possibility to observe various processes and phenomena in the Muslim society: from certainly positive to extremely negative and even such that do not correspond to the spirit of Islam.
ISMAGILOV S.V., the Mufti of the SMMU "Ummah"
The process of revival of Islam in Ukraine began in the 90th of the last century and passes its own, in many respects unique way. The first feature of formation of the Muslim Ummah is the presence in the country of dissenting neoreligious Muslim trends which have influence on the highest authorities, but which are not accepted by the majority of Muslims of the country. The second feature is dissociation of Muslim communities owing to activity of aforementioned trends.
Today started the process of active consolidation of Muslim independent communities and their association into spiritual centers and spiritual managements. Absence of the uniform Sunni spiritual centre, capable to conduct active consolidation of Muslims, led to appearance of several spiritual managements registered by the state.
On September, 11th, 2008, the State Committee of Ukraine on Affairs of Nationalities and Religions registered new Muslim association - the Spiritual Management of Muslims of Ukraine "Ummah". Independent Muslim communities from ten regions of Ukraine became initiators of creation the SMMU "Ummah": Kiev, Donetsk, Zaporozhye, Odessa, Simferopol, Chernovtsy, Vinnitsa, Poltava, Kharkov and Stakhanov (Lugansk area).
The overall objective of the Spiritual Management is coordination of actions and maintenance of necessary conditions for belief and preaching of Sunni Islam.
"And from among you there should be a party who invite to good and enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong, and these it is that shall be successful", is emphasized in the Holy Quran. As the overall objective of the new organization completely coincides with the given Quranic appeal, it was decided to name it "Ummah".
The word "Ummah" in Islamic tradition means "a Muslim society" without division into national, class and other groups. The term underlines national essence of Islam where in the foreground there is religious unity and brotherhood. While the majority of Muslim associations are concentrated on the work with certain ethnic groups, the SMMU "Ummah" proclaimed its purpose as work with the whole Muslim Ummah of the country. Special attention will be given to associations of believers on Islamic principles of equality and brotherhood.
The Management is independent non-profitable religious organization which has the right to co-operate with all spiritual centers and associations of Muslims in Ukraine and behind its limits, to contact and deal with them freely, accordingly to Islamic doctrine. The SMMU "Ummah" carries out its activity according to Islamic Sunni doctrine, according to the constitution of Ukraine, the law of Ukraine "About freedom of worship and religious organizations", with the Charter of Management and other acts of Ukraine.
Among the purposes of the SMMU "Ummah" should be noted the following:
-Association of Muslim communities for joint practicing of religious rituals and needs;
Revival of cultural and historical Islamic values and traditions;-
-Organization of conferences and seminars for the purpose of acquaintance of the Ukrainian society with the doctrine, culture, history and tendencies in Islam;
-Organization of charitable actions;
-Creation of conditions for practicing of Muslim religious practices (building of mosques, Islamic Cultural Centers, etc);
The pilgrimage organization;-
-Edition of newspapers, magazines, books, audio- and a video production;
-Establishment of friendly communications with communities and separate representatives of other faiths from Ukraine and abroad;
-Organization of care of Muslim cemeteries and sites on cemeteries, help in organization of burials according to Muslim ceremony;
-Organization of training of citizens in spiritual educational institutions abroad; in the plans of the Management is opening of spiritual educational institutions for training of Imams and opening of other establishments for studying of culture, history and religious doctrine of Islam.
Religious meetings are held every Friday, on the days of Muslim holidays and in other days by definition of the SMMU "Ummah" in mosques, houses of worship and other premises which are used by the religious communities which are part of the Management.
The higher supervising body of the Management is the General Meeting on which is elected the Mufti and the Board (council of Imams) in number of 7 persons (6 Imams + 1 Mufti). The Mufti and the Board are selected for the term of 2 years.
On January, 25th, 2009, in Kiev took place the first meeting on which the delegates of communities elected the Mufti of the SMMU "Ummah" Said Ismagilov which earlier held the post of the Imam of the Donetsk Muslim community "Duslik" ("Commonwealth"). Said-hazrat Ismagilov got the higher religious education in theological faculty of the Moscow Higher Spiritual Islamic College (nowadays — the Moscow Islamic University). Having worked one year in the Ukrainian Islamic University (Donetsk), Said-hazrat entered the State University of Computer Science and Artificial Intellect on the faculty of philosophy and religious studies where he received scientific degree of Master.
The chairman of the Board of the SMMU "Ummah" is Igor Karpishin; the vice-president is Islam Gimadutin - both of them are representatives of the Kiev religious community "Islamic centre".
On the first general meeting in the structure of the SMMU "Ummah" were accepted four new religious communities from Lugansk, Dnepropetrovsk, Snezhnoe and Kostantinovka. Thus the total number of communities of the SMMU "Ummah" already makes fourteen. Also on the meeting was supported the offer to sign the friendship treaty and cooperation with the AUASO "Alraid".
The SMMU "Ummah" plans to carry vigorous activity on consolidation of all Muslims of the country. For this purpose it is necessary to adjust dialogue and cooperation with all communities and spiritual managements of Muslims which practice Sunni Islam.
Islamic revival in our country already endured a starting stage and separate groups of Muslims already grouped round several spiritual centers. Consolidation of these spiritual centers for the further development of Islamic tradition in Ukraine should become the following stage.
By the materials of the press-service of "Ummah"
Related Links:
New Spiritual Management of Muslims "Ummah" is Registered in Ukraine
Islam only in Congregation (Interview with Head of SMMU "Ummah" S.Ismagilov)
