The head of Iran’s Islamic Seminary Ayatollah Arafi left for Russia on July 21st, on the official invitation of the Mufti and head of the Russian Muslim Administration, Rawil Gainetdinev, with the aim of exchanging views with scholars and intellectuals and to promote scholarly diplomacy. His meeting will bring him to Moscow and Kazan.
A group of Russian Orientalist thinkers had a meeting with Ayatollah Arafi and his accompanying delegation in Moscow on Monday (22 July), during which they emphasized the significance of explaining and promoting pure Islam, with the aim of removing misconceptions surrounding this religion.
Head of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Alikber Kalabekovich Alikberov, said in a speech at this meeting: ”This institute has a long history of cooperation with the scientific, cultural and artistic institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the embassy and cultural consultation, and in addition to publishing books, holding joint events is also on the agenda”.
Aspects of radicalism and extremism have also been discussed.
Considering that Russia has been damaged by the misconceptions and false attitudes towards Islam, in the form of Takfiris, Salafis and Wahhabis during the past years, we have embarked on joint cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field of educationg about true Islam.
Alikber Kalabekovich Alikberov
Alikberov further pointed to the joint cooperation between Russia, China and the Islamic Republic of Iran in dealing with the unipolar world, emphasizing that these three countries are together as a strong triangle.
Vitaly Naumkin, the scientific director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, stated that Iran is a long-standing partner of the institute, adding that currently, and considering the pressures of the West against these two countries, the friendship and closeness of Iran and Russia is of great significance.
Naumkin, who specializes in Arab and Middle East issues, further expressed his regret that today’s world has become a world full of violence. He further noted that the events in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, due to the inhumane actions of the US and Israel, are of great concern. Reacting to Israel’s attack on the port city of Hodeida in western Yemen, Naumkin said that “Israel’s attacks are horrible and we have to condemn these barbaric attacks.”
Ayatollah Arafi also paid a visit to the Avicenna Foundation in Moscow. The Director of Avicenna Foundation Dr. Hadavi presented a report on the foundation’s research and educational activities.
During this meeting, Dr. Hadavi noted that Avicenna foundation is the most important producer of content about Islam and Iranian Studies in Russian, having translated and published more than four hundred book titles on the subjects of the Qur’an and Qur’anic sciences as well as books on subjects like the humanities, children, Holy Defense, Shia literature, banking and Islamic economics, Islamic education, Islamic philosophy and mysticism, history of Islam and Iran, the discourse of the Islamic Revolution, and other Islamic topics.
The director of Sadra Publishing House, present at the meeting, emphasized that some translated books have been awarded at Russian book fairs.
The director of Avicenna Foundation went on to say that ”this foundation has organized courses of Persian language and skill improvement courses”. Ayatollah Arafi noted that Avicenna Foundation has the capacity to set a model in the field of publishing contents and translating books,
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