On 3 March, a RAMU “Umma” Delegation visited the Headquarters of Dewan Da’wah Islamiyah Indonesia. During their meeting, the parties agreed to go into business and exchanged memorable gifts: the Ukrainians presented their Indonesian adherents with a copy of Ukrainian translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an and an enamel platter by a famous Crimean Tatar ceramist Rustem Skybin.
Head of the Dewan Da’wah, Sheikh Mohammad Siddik, recalled his visit with Indonesian delegation to the USSR during President Gorbachov’s rule. He recalled how the hosting party tried to show them picture-perfect and happy life of the Soviet Muslims, but the image was so false that no one from the delegation ever believed the story.
On the very same day, Mufti Said Ismagilov had another opportunity to speak about the past and present of Islam in Ukraine, although it came as a surprise. The thing is, the Ukrainian delegation happened to visit the campus of Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta during the midday prayer (dhuhr). President of the University, professor Syaiful Bakhri kindly showed the guests to the campus mosque, and after the prayer was over, he decided to cease the opportunity and give his students the firsthand introduction of past and present of Islam in Ukraine, having given word to real Ukrainian Muslims. So Sheikh Said was handed a microphone and asked to give the students a short lecture. The Mufti later recalled, smiling, that he wasn’t new to giving impromptu lectures, but that was definitely the first time he did it in… Arabic — that was the language he could find an interpreter for. The audience was thrilled!
