The delegates considered matters of current urgency and re-elected Emirali-Hajji Ablaev for Mufti of Religious Administration of Muslims of Crimea (RAMC). V Crimean Muslims Kurultai was held on Saturday, September 28 at the Crimean Tatar Musical Drama Theatre.
311 of 265 elected delegates were present by the moment the event began with the Holy Qur’an recitation and rendition of Ukrainian and Crimean anthems.
The RAMC, created in 1991, now unites 350 Muslim communities in Crimea, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions. The Administration is headed by the Mufti elected every 5 years, with every community sending 1 delegate.
RAMC Public report for the past 5 years and the Head of the Revision Commission Seitsan Asanov report, desicion-making and electing the Mufti were on the agenda.
Deputy Representative of the President of Ukraine in Crimea Ibraim Mamutov, Deputy Head of the Council of Ministers of Crimea Azizah Abdullaeva, Turkish Deputy Head of the Department for Religious Affairs Mehmet Emin Ozafshar, representative for Crimean Ministry of Culture Shevky Abliamitov, Head of AUASO “Alraid” Muhammad Taha, Head of AUASO “Alraid” Revision Commission Seiran Arifov and Mufti of RAMU “Umma” Said Ismagilov were among the special guests of the event.
Report On Achievements For The Past Five Years
Mufrti Emirali-Hajji Ablaev announced the Administration’s main achievements and faults for the past 5 years.
“We founded another 5 educational institutions, such as medreses for boys in Stary Krym, Saqi, Bakhchisaray; medrese for girls in Bakhchisaray and the student’s pension in Kamenka,” the Mufti said, having noted that educating young generation is one of the RAMC priorities.
More than 75 000 copies of religious literature both in Crimean Tatar and Russian were published during that period.
When speaking about founding new mosques and medreses, the Crimean Mufti expressed gratitude for the Crimean Tatar expat community, the Turkish Ministry for religious affairs, AUASO “Alraid”, namely its Crimean branch, and also businessmen among the Crimean tatars who whithin their powers help preserving religion, history and culrute of the Crimean Tatars and developing the nation.
The Mufti dwelled on a question of lawsuits for returning the Crimean Tatar heritage lasting for years because of lack of understanding of the native Crimean nation’s problem within the governing circles or lack of will of solving them.
As for the construction of Great Cathedral Mosque in Simferopol, which is the matter of concern for everybody present, the Mufti said that the construction works are fully funded by the Government of Turkey and the process is controlled by the Turkish State Cooperation and Development Agency (TİKA) duly it’s authorized representative Mr. Hajji Bayram Bolat. The Mufti keeps in touch with Mr.Bolat. Amirali-Hajji also assured that the project, God willing, is to be ready in the nearest future, all necessary approvals with the authorities will be done as soon as possible, and “God willing, the construction works begin!”
After the Mufti’s word the delegates listened to the report by Head of the Revision Commission Seitsan Asanov.
Electing The Mufti
According to RAMC Press-Service, Emirali-Hajji Ablaev was elected for his fourth term by unanimous decision of 311 delegates in terms of open ballot.
It bears reminding that the Crimean re-elected Mufti was born on July, 11, 1962 in Uzbekistan, performed religious activity in Kirovski district of Crimea, where he was elected Imam.
Was elected Crimean Mufti in 1999 during the Second Kurultai, taking into account his great input to Crimean Tatar social life and reviving their religious roots, traditions and culture.
Gained religious education at a medrese in Turkey. Married, has 2 daughters, a son, and four grandchildren.
It’s reported that the RAMC has no limit for cadences i line, so the same candidate can be elected for an unlimited number of terms. The main criteria for a candidate is his religious work not less than 5 years.
The new Revision Commission of 5 members was also elected during Kurultai.
Discussing Matters Of Current Urgency
The delegates were given a word to express their expectations. For instance, the Imam of Jankoy district Hajji-Muzafar Kerimov wished that a mosque construction was planned in the village of Sonak (Melkovodnoe), where prominent public and state activist and first Mufti of Muslims of Crimea, Poland, Lithuania and Belarus Noman Celebijihan was born. The Imam asked his brothers and sisters in faith for helping the villagers in making this dream come true.
First deputy Head of Crimean Tatar Mejlis Refat Chubarov aired a range of problems the RAMC faces and noted that the governing figures were invited for Kurultai, too, but they never came, claiming they don't understand the Crimean Tatar language spoken on the event. “This is disrespect,” - said Chubarov.
Kurultai Decision
When closing its session, the V Crimean Muslims Kurultai adopted a document “On acknowledging actions of RAMC Communities adversing to the interests of Crimean Muslims”. The document reads that there are some Muslim communities ignoring the Kurultai decision on “signing all religious places, mosques, medreses, taqiyes and real estate for erecting religious buildings off to RAMC with their further assignment for the local religious organisations’ use”.
Due to that, the Kurultai called upon the mentioned communities to sign all religious places, mosques, medreses, taqiyes and real estate for erecting religious buildings off to RAMC due to the Kurultai decision under the date of december 6, 2009.
The delegates wished the re-elected Mufti all the best in his work, and all the best for Crimean Tatar nation and those who aren’t indifferent to their fate and care for their well-being.
At this point the V Crimean Muslims Kurultai was over.
Source: RAMC Press-Service
