"Arraid" newspaper, 3 (118) 2009
On January, 25th, at the I congress of the Spiritual Management of Muslims of Ukraine "Ummah" as its Mufti was elected the graduate of Moscow Islamic University, Imam-Khatyb of Donetsk Muslim Community "Duslyk" ("Spivdruzhnist") Said Ismagilov, who kindly agreed to give interview to the newspaper "Arraid".
Interview was held by Grigory GRISHKO.
Аssalamu aleykum, Sheikh Said!
Wa aleykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh!
Please tell about yourself: where you were born, where you studied and worked?
I was born in 1978 in Donetsk. I am from the Tatar origin: my father is the Kazan Tatar; my mother is the Penza Tatar. Certainly, we knew that we were Muslims, but, as well as the majority in the Soviet Union, we did not completely realize the importance of our adherence to Islam.
As well as all children, I went to school at the age of seven. Having finished 9 classes of high school №60, in 1993 I entered Donetsk polytechnic school on speciality "technician-mechanic".
Having studied in this educational institution four years, I came to a paradoxical conclusion: cars, mechanics, and in general work with any units is not my calling. I admired humanities, and by that moment I already knew that I wish to devote my life to Islam and its revival. I decided to enter Islamic University.
I chose from several variants, but at that time the most suitable for me seemed to be Moscow Higher Spiritual Islamic College which subsequently got the status of Moscow Islamic University. I took my stuff and went to Moscow, fondly believing that I will enter with hardly any trouble at all. Really, it was so: me, the citizen of Ukraine, nonresident, all the same became the student of this spiritual educational institution.
In 2001 I graduated cum laude from the theological faculty by then already Moscow Islamic university, and, having received a speciality of the Imam-Khatyb, returned to Donetsk.
On coming home I at once occupied the position in Donetsk Islamic University which at that time was opened in the capital of Donbass. I worked as assistant to the professor of Shariah sciences, Sheikh Jamal at-Tabiydi from Sudan, teaching the set of theological disciplines.
A year later I entered Donetsk State Institute of Computer Science and Artificial Intellect on philosophy and religious studies faculty. Basically, philosophical and theological directions are near to me, besides, I understood that the state higher education will not be superfluous in my activity: I wanted to enrich my knowledge of other faiths, to understand many questions of philosophy and ideology. Muslims should know values which reign in a certain society, cultural, ideological basis of this or that culture (in this case — Ukrainian), mentality of its carriers if they want to preach and call for Islam successfully.
Nowadays I continue postgraduate studies already of the State University of Computer Science and Artificial Intellect.
Please, tell about the new Spiritual Management. Why "Ummah" appeared?
Process of Islamic revival in our country is absolutely logical. In many cities not for the first year exist Muslim communities, but there was no uniform Muslim spiritual centre, it happened historically, therefore the idea of unification ripened for a long time. Muslims realize that it is proper time to build their future together. "Islam only in congregation", Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said.
Many communities focus their attention on work with certain ethnic groups — the Spiritual Management of Muslims of Ukraine "Ummah" leans in its activity against principles of Islamic equality and brotherhood and is opened for all Muslims, irrespective of their nationality.
Who was the initiator of creation of "Ummah"?
Co-founders of the SMMU "Ummah" are Muslim communities of Kiev, Donetsk, Zaporozhye, Odessa, Kharkov, Vinnitsa, Chernovtsy, Poltava and Stakhanov. At the first constituent congress four more communities joined us.
As to our purpose, the first and the foremost is to profess and preach Islam. We put before ourselves a huge spectrum of tasks: from the solution of problems of Muslims in Ukraine and appeal to the organization of actions which would promote it.
What work is included into plans of the SMMU "Ummah" at the initial stage of its existence?
Now we are like a baby, for the present goes the process of active formation of our Spiritual Management. At the initial stage we plan to visit all communities which make up the SMMU "Ummah". We want to meet, to get acquainted, to listen to their offers and wishes and later to develop the program of actions directed on solving of the pressing needs of Muslims of Ukraine.
Secondly, of course, the Spiritual Management will search for ways of consolidation of the Ukrainian Muslims. We willingly start dialogue; we offer friendship and cooperation to all Muslims of our country and their associations.
Planning ways and prospects of our development, the SMMU "Ummah" is opened for contacts on the basis of mutual respect with other faiths as it completely agrees with Shariah rules.
How many religious organizations are included into the structure of the SMMU "Ummah"?
At the present there are fourteen religious communities from eleven regions of the country. Most of them are from Donetsk area: Snezhnoe Konstantinovka, Donetsk; there are two communities from Lugansk area (Lugansk and Stakhanov) and from nine regions by one community.
Does "Ummah" co-operate with another organizations or managements of Muslims?
We are open for cooperation and mutual projects with all who is not indifferent to the destiny of Muslims of Ukraine. We have very good relations with the SMM of Crimea — the most ancient and the largest Muslim associations of the country which roots ascend to the times of the Girey dynasty when Islam was adopted in the Crimean Khanate as official religion. We have relations with the Spiritual Centre of Muslims of Ukraine (SCMU) and Kiev Muftiyat. Especially close we co-operate with the All-Ukraine Association "Аlraid" which has huge experience in development of inter-confessional relations. We are planning to co-operate with these spiritual managements and centers, first of all.
How do you think, is it possible to speak about Islam revival in Ukraine?
It is not simply possible to speak about it, for it is already an admitted fact. The matter is that Islam revival in Ukraine began with that moment when Muslims got the right to practice their religion freely. In my opinion, today the first stage is already passed, and Muslims have already realized that they belong to great world Islamic Ummah.
Why you consider that the first stage is already passed?
Because practically in all regions where live Muslims, there appeared religious communities consolidated round certain spiritual centers; because Muslims already know about Islam much enough.
Many communities built their mosques, equipped meeting-houses in which they execute worship ceremonies; newspapers and books are published, medrese and Sunday schools are opened. Unfortunately, there are not so many qualified Imams yet, but there are some already.
Today we observe not simply Islam revival in Ukraine; we pass to the next stage: at full speed goes the process of formation and understanding of the future.
Certainly, we are obliged to be patriots of the country not only because we are its citizens and were born in it, but also because laws of Ukraine, unlike some states, are tolerant enough that allows developing to all faiths freely. We have equal possibilities in Ukraine, only it is necessary to take advantage of these possibilities.
Why the name "Ummah"?
One of the main tasks of our spiritual management corresponds to the Quranic ayat with the instruction of the Supreme, "Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching" (The Holy Quran, 16:125). In another ayat we come across the command, "Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones to attain felicity. " (The Holy Quran, 3:104).
We should strive to be that Ummah which is mentioned by the Lord in the Holy Quran, therefore we decided to name in such a way the Spiritual Management.
What, in your opinion, is necessary to do to get the citizens of Ukraine know about true Islam, without distortions and stereotypes?
There is no one measure as panaceas. First of all, Muslims should show advantages of Islam on their own example. It is possible to write volumes of books, to tell in TV-programs and newspapers how good we are, but until we ourselves will not start to embody in our lives the laws of Shariah established by the Supreme, showing what is Islam, what highly moral persons it brings up, what high culture it bears and what system of values offers, — before this everything is useless.
The following step is the acquaintance of the public with the teachings of Islam. For this purpose it is necessary for us to have the ground knowledge and corresponding education. Unfortunately, there are a lot of prejudices and conjectures round Islam, biased opinions, and our task is to correct them. We wish to inform the people about the truth, and for this purpose all legal ways are good: from conversation, direct personal example to informing of wide circles on what actually learns and to what calls Islam. But the first, of course, from what it is necessary to start, are ourselves, for in this way started the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and this is the way of Islam.
What would you like to wish Muslims of Ukraine?
It is impossible to tell better, than the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Admonishing Muslims for all times, he bequeathed to keep the Quran and Sunnah, according to the command of Allah which we read in the following ayat, " And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves" (The Holy Quran, 3:103)
To realize these supreme values, it is necessary, both to the leaders of Muslims, and all other believers, to remember the importance of unity and to refuse from ambitions which destroy the unity Muslim Ummah.
I wish peace, favor of Allah the Almighty and His blessings!
On materials of the newspaper "Arraid"
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New Spiritual Management of Muslims "Ummah" is Registered in Ukraine
