Rushan hazrat Abbyasov, First Deputy Chairman of the RMC and SBMRF, and Ilshat Salahutdinov, director of the “Islamskaya kniga” publishing house, are taking part in the event under the instruction of Ravil Gaynutdin, Chairman of the Russian Muftis Council and the Spiritual board of Russia.

According to organizers and participants, among whom there are Islamic scholars as well as astronomy experts, the main objective of the conference is to discuss some issues related to the Muslim Hijri calendar. In particular, it was noted that the discrepancy in Muslim calendars of Arab Muslim countries constituted a serious problem not only affecting the countries’ relationships, economy and social life, but also causing tension in the religious life of the countries.  

Organizers and participants claim that Islamic legal legacy is understudied and has a considerable potential for interaction with modern science, being not limited to superficial understanding of shariah texts. 

As explained by Rushan hazrat Abbyasov, this conference involving scholars and scientists, is an appropriate attempt to conciliate differences in Muslim society regarding the beginning and end of the sacred month of Ramadhan and celebration of Eid al-Fitr. The participation of the Russian delegation implies the intention of the Russian Muslims' leaders to step away from following the decisions of the religious leaders of a certain country.

“Disagreement between Muslim countries regarding lunar months, which is sometimes the result of political competition and claims for leadership, exerts a negative influence on the Russian ummah and causes disputes between Russian Muslims as to the performance of religious rites. This contradicts the religious precepts calling to unity and solidarity. Contemporary theological works aimed at combining shariah norms with modern scientific achievements, particularly in astronomy, should provide final and definite answer to the questions related to determination of religious holidays’ dates”, — said Rushan hazrat Abbyasov.