The deputies of Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin (chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation and the Russia Muftis Council) — Rushan Abbyasov and Ildar Galeyev — are taking part in the 1st International Sunni Conference "Sufism and its role in the unity and revival of the Ummah", which started on February 7th in Baghdad.

The conference is being held under the auspices of Iraqi Prime Minister Dr. Muhammad Shi'a As-Sudani and has been organised by the Sunni Endowment Office.

This major international event is attended by the Prime Minister of Iraq Dr Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani, the head of the Sunni ndowment Office Dr Mishaan Muhyi Al-Khazraji, the Secretary General of the Al-Azhar Council of Scholars Abbas Shuman, Head of the Iraqi Fiqh Academy Ahmad Hassan Taha, renowned Islamic scholar and thinker Ali Gomaa, statesmen, imams, muftis, scholars from Morocco, Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Tunisia, Muslim communities in Europe, Australia, Sri Lanka and other countries. The honoured guests of the conference also included Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Iraq Elbrus Kutrashev.

The event began with a minute of silence in honour of the tens of thousands of innocent victims killed in Gaza. Then the Prime Minister of the country Dr Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani opened the conference addressed the participants.

He noted that the fact that the conference started at the Abdulqadir Al-Ghilani Complex in Baghdad, who was a great scholar and founder of the Qadarite Tariqat, is a symbolic one. Dr Al-Sudani mentioned the significant contribution of Sufi scholars to Muslim civilisation. Many of these scholars spread their teachings in the land of Iraq and were buried here. He also said that in the light of events happening in Gaza the unity of the entire Muslim Ummah has become particularly crucial.

Abbas Shuman, Secretary General of the Al-Azhar Council of Scholars came up with a number of proposals that could unite the Islamic Ummah.

The event was also attended by prominent Muslim scholars and representatives of religious organisations and government agencies.