Mosques of Southern Russia start Ramadan with prayers for assassinated Deputy Mufti of Tatarstan

On July 19, with the sunset, the sacred month of Ramadan started. The first day of fasting began today, on July 20. It will last approximately until August 19. In many mosques in Southern Russia after the prayer "Taraweeh" (a desirable night namaz, executed during Ramadan), Muslims commended a prayer for the murdered Deputy Mufti of Tatarstan Waliullah Yakupov.

Waliullah Yakupov was shot and in the morning on July 19 in Kazan, when he went out of his house. He died on the spot. Also on that day, an attempt was made on the Mufti of Tatarstan Ildus Faizov. His car was blown up at about 11 a.m.; and he was injured. The investigating authorities do not rule out that both attempts are interlinked.

Muftis of Russia consider the murder of Waliullah Yakupov a great loss for the entire Islamic community; according to their story, he was a prominent reformer and educator, the founder and leader of the major publishing house "Iman", who had contributed a lot to the development of Islamic religious education and journalism in the country.

In all the mosques of the Stavropol Territory, after the prayer "Taraweeh", Muslims administered duas (prayers and appeals, - note of the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent) for the slain Deputy Mufti of Tatarstan Waliullah Yakupov, Mukhammad Rakhimov, the head of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of the Stavropol Territory, has reported.

"We also ask the Almighty for the prompt recovery of our brother - the Mufti of Tatarstan Ildus Faizov," Mukhammad Rakhimov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to his, "the murder of religious leaders, who have devoted themselves to education and spiritual revival of the Tatar people, is a despicable attempt to kindle up religious hatred, sow confusion and chaos in one of the most stable regions of Russia."

The religious activities in the month of Ramadan in the Rostov Region also began with prayers for the Deputy Mufti of Tatarstan, who was shot dead on July 19 in Kazan.