Sochi Muslims concern over lack of spacious mosque and negative image of Islam in media

Today, members of the Muslim communities of Sochi have gathered for a meeting on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr in the sanatorium "Zolotoi Kolos", where a festive ceremony, prayer and dinner took place. The meeting was attended by community leaders, Muslim religious figures, and officials from the Sochi administration.

At the meeting, members of Muslim communities have complained that the only mosque in Sochi, a city with about 25,000 Muslims, can place only 40 people. Among the main problems, the participants have also mentioned spreading of negative information about Muslims in the media.

According to Valery Ilyasov, the chairman of the Sochi "Yasin" community of Muslims, it is very important for him "to unite Muslims in Sochi and to work to ensure that the attitude of people of other faiths is friendly to Islam."

"However, unfortunately, at present, the media try to highlight Islam and Muslims in negative light. For example, journalists came to one of our holidays with a rite of sacrifice. The journalists were allowed to shoot video and make photos. The traditions were explained to them. However, the journalists prepared a report without describing the essence of the holiday, but with focusing on cruelty towards animals. And that, of course, affects the attitude towards Muslims. To our regret, the focus is not always correct. Muslims are identified with cruelty, and that is absolutely not true," said Valery Ilyasov.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.