MOSCOW,
June 20 (IslamOnline.net) - Russia’s major Islamic associations have
laid the groundwork for a pan-Muslim body that will help spread Islam
nationwide and clear any stereotypes about Muslims.
"The
National Association of Russian Muslims is the fruit of earnest
efforts by the Islamic Call Center in Omsk, Siberia, the Russian
Muslims Federation in Ioshkar-Ola, eastern Russia, Banu Zulkarnein
Center in Moscow and the Islamic Cultural Center in Almata [the
capital of Kazakhstan] to help spread Islam," the nascent
body’s media spokesman, Grigory Amir Mavrov, told IslamOnline.net
Sunday, June 20.
The
four Islamic bodies have convened last week in Omsk and elected
Anatoliy Abu Talib Stepchenko to head the association and Taras
Abdelkarim Cherneenko as his deputy, the association said in a press
release, a copy of which was obtained by IOL.
Spreading
Islam
Mavrov
said the association will embark on a massive campaign to spread Islam
and protect Russia’s Islamic heritage.
"We’d
like to reach out to Russians and explain to them the essence of Islam
and help the new Russian converts by providing useful answers to their
questions and educating them about Islam," he told IOL.
He
asserted that the number of Russian converts is on the rise, noting
that 13 Russians embraced Islam in the past three days only at Banu
Zulkarnein Center.
Sources
in the Council of Muftis of Russia told IOL that at least 503 Russians
accepted Islam in 2003 compared to 487 people in 2002 and 430 in 2001.
Of
the total number, women made 60 percent and men 40 percent, according
to the council.
Mavrov
said the association will also launch an all-encompassing media
campaign to get the Russians acquainted with Islam.
The
new body will also set up its own media network for a better
communication with the different Islamic bodies nationwide.
