The vicarial visit of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia to Ukraine became, certainly, major event of social-political life of the country. It made strong impact both on spiritual life of Ukraine, and on its internal and foreign policy, it civilization choice. In this context visit and its consequences are far not indifferent to Muslims of Ukraine, especially taking into account that among the themes discussed by the Patriarch, were also Islam statement in Europe, and Christian-Muslim dialogue. What lessons and conclusions should make the Muslim Ummah of Ukraine?
First, the personality of the Patriarch of Moscow, his oratory, erudition, firm upholding of his position and ability to conduct policy — all it forces to feel severe deficiency of heads of the Ukrainian Muslims meeting today's requirements. Therefore, nowadays the sharpest and the most topical is the issue of qualitative modernization of domestic Muslim elite. Without it, it is impossible to find new approaches in work of spiritual and social organizations of Muslims, it is impossible to solve successfully problems of the present stage of Islamic revival in Ukraine, connected with theology, ideology, social sphere, culture and science, and, at last, increase of contribution of Muslims in the country development.
In a close connection with the given problem is a question of qualitative updating, and actually — creation of educational system of spiritual elite of Muslims of Ukraine — systems which would not become concentrated on backward, group interests, and would operate as national.
Secondly, as for heads of spiritual and social organizations of Muslims of Ukraine, and for all Muslim Ummah, it is very important to analyze and draw corresponding conclusions from a number of performances and sermons of His Holiness Patriarch in which he directly addresses to the theme of Islam. Here again, first of all, is distinguished the Word of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia at the meeting with the public of Odessa on July, 22nd, and answers of the Patriarch to questions of participants of the meeting in the Palace of students of the Dnepropetrovsk National University of Oles Gonchar on July, 24th. In the course of these performances were considered such major questions as the reasons of increase of authority and the influence of Islam in Europe, lacks and defects of existing in Europe model of a "multicultural" society, a condition of Muslim-Christian dialogue and partnership of the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
Analyzing the model of multicultural society realized in the Western Europe, Patriarch Kirill notices that its main defect consists in aspiration to construct a society which operates "on un-religious basis". Supporters of such multibody building aspire to make "the religious factor "invisible", to exclude it from a society and to transfer to the sphere of family, personal space of a person that this factor did not disturb those who do not concern it".
According to Patriarch Kirill this is "the most dangerous tendency", sometimes leading to funny things, and sometimes to tragedies. According to Kirill, an example of it is interdiction on Christmas-trees in some West European countries as it, ostensibly, may offend Muslims. The Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia mentioned the unpleasant moments from life of Christians. But it is possible to continue this theme and to recollect even more ridiculous examples in modern Europe when under a pretext of "identity protection", "observance of rights of a man and a society" they try to accept the laws forbidding niqab, or an ill-starred referendum in Switzerland against building of minarets.
As to growth of influence and authority of Islam on Europe, the Patriarch answers that interest to Islam in the West European countries is generated "by straight-out and concrete ethics of Islamic tradition". Conversion to Islam of many Europeans is explained by the Patriarch by refusal of many Europeans of excessive political correctness and vagueness. This, according to Kirill, is reaction to the deepest crisis of the Western Christianity, "If the faith and the Church cease to say to people accurately and clearly what is good and what is evil, they cease to be needed".
Nowadays Islam in Europe performs actually responsible work on rescue of the West European society from slipping in abyss of immorality, disbelief, impetuous pursuit of a profit. Islam is the important component of those powers which aspire to revive high ideals of morals, modesty, and ethical business. Many attendants of Christian churches specify this role of Islam, too.
Patriarch Kirill noticed development of Christian-Muslim dialogue in Russia and Ukraine. He mentioned the following factors promoting development of this dialogue: absence on the post-Soviet territory of serious conflicts, general concern in preservation of religious factor in human life, issues of morals, protection of the environment of human dwelling and many other things.
The Patriarch emphasized that the dialogue of the Orthodox Church with Islam is carried out not for the sake of creation of a "common religion", "super church". The church problem, according to the Patriarch, is "to be to loyal to your faith and to improve ourselves in it, and then its position and voice will be clearer to fair, pious representatives of other religions". The speech is not about doctrinal rapprochement, but of attempt to create a platform for expression of joint concern concerning what happens in the modern world.
Thus, in a number of his sermons during the vicarial visit to Ukraine, the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia formulated basic theoretical-methodological, conceptual approaches of Russian Orthodox Church to the problems of Islam in modern Europe and developments of Christian-Muslim dialogue on the territory of the former Soviet Union. And Muslims of Ukraine should understand it deeply and, accordingly, to formulate their vision of the model of inter-confessional, multidimensional world.
At last, thirdly, it is a question of influence which will render the given visit on formation of a state policy of Ukraine concerning Islam in a context of amplifying influence of Russian Orthodox Church.
Intense polemic in the expert environment, mass-media and politicum concerning the maintenance, the purposes and consequences of visit to Ukraine proceeds. The special attention is given to the idea of "The Russian world", its influences on formation of new forms and level of mutual relations between Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and corrections of models of the church-state relations in these countries. It is known that the concept of these relations which developed in Ukraine is differed by the consecutive upholding of freedom of worship as an inalienable law of a citizen and partnership of the state and religious organizations.
Any religion in Ukraine cannot be recognized as predominating, obligatory, any church cannot be recognized as a state one. These principles are fixed in the Constitution of Ukraine that, certainly, does not mean refusal of the further perfection of the legislation and mechanisms of its realization. So, for a long time ripened necessity for working out on the basis of principles of the state-confessional relations of the Concept of the state policy of Ukraine concerning Islam.
In the Russian Federation the problems solved by the country on international scene, problems of preservation of territorial integrity, searches of national ideology which would become uniting and mobilizing factor before requirements of modernization, actually deduced Russian Orthodox Church in position of "the first among the equal". It was also promoted by influence of the uncommon personality of the present Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill — outstanding state and public figure and recognized spiritual leader. The Russian Muslims aspire to be consolidated, to find their worthy place in these conditions in sociopolitical, economic and other spheres of a social life. Wide resonance in the Russian society called performances of the chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia Ravil Gaynutdin about the Golden Horde as the basis of the Russian statehood, that ignoring of the Slavic-Turkic, Orthodox-Muslim roots of the Russian state conducts to its destabilization, and, finally, to disintegration.
Whether realities of political life of Russia, features of system of mutual relations developing there between the state and leading faiths can influence Ukraine in the course of the present development of relations between our countries?
Degree and level of such influence, apparently, will be defined first of all by hardness and sequence of management of Ukraine in upholding of its national interests in relations with our neighbor. Notwithstanding his projects Patriarch Kirill perfectly understands that the sovereignty, statehood of Ukraine is the fact, or as he told, "God's will".
At the airport Borispol, on arrival in Kiev from Dnepropetrovsk, the Patriarch noticed that "Ukraine is awaited by very good future, and God grant to all of us to work for this future!"
In this plan to all of us living on the fertile Ukrainian land — to Christians, Muslims and representatives of other faiths - it is vital to keep stability, mutual respect and love to equip Ukraine — our general home and the Motherland according to the Divine precepts.
Vyacheslav SHVED, the leading scientific employee of the Institute of Economic and International Relations of the NSA of Ukraine, Vice-president of "The Ukrainian Centre of Islamic Studies".
By UNIAN
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