The International Quds day was celebrated at the Moscow Cathedral Mosque on Friday. The event, which traditionally takes place on the last Friday of Ramadan, was attended by heads of diplomatic missions, ambassadors and diplomats from Palestine, Sudan, Iran, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Iraq, Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, Chad and Gambia.

Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, chairman of the Russia Muftis Council, said that the International Quds Day has always taken place at the Moscow Cathedral Mosque on the last Friday of Ramadan. "Al-Quds is Jerusalem, it is a holy place, the Holy City with the third holiest site of Islam, the Al-Aqsa Mosque", said the religious leader of Russian Muslims.

Jerusalem is a city of three religions. The UN General Assembly resolution No. 181 as of 1947 proclaims Jerusalem as a "separate entity" (corpus separatum) governed by a special international regime under the United Nations".

The International Quds Day is a day of solidarity with the Palestinian people. It was first announced by the founder and leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Imam Khomeini. "This day was introduced by the Imam so that all Muslims pray together for the Palestinian people's independence and their sovereignty. Today we all ask Allah to grant peace to Palestine, to grant wellbeing to its people who have suffered so much. Russia, like the USSR, recognises the UN Security Council resolution on the establishment of an independent sovereign state of Palestine," said Mufti Gainutdin.

While addressing the Palestinian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia Abdel-Hafiz Nofal, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin said: "We stand in solidarity with you and ask you to convey our wishes and our stance to the Palestinian President Dr. Mahmoud Abbas and the entire Palestinian people."

The Palestinian Ambassador Abdul-Hafiz Nofal conveyed greetings on behalf of Mahmud Abbas, President of Palestine, and Mahmud al-Habbash, Adviser to the Palestinian President and Supreme Judge of Palestine, and thanked for holding such a significant event at the Moscow Cathedral Mosque. "Many prophets and messengers of Allah lived or were buried there. Even our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was taken from Mecca to Jerusalem for his ascension. Jerusalem needs your support and your prayers," he said.

Kazem Jalali, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran to the Russian Federation, Khalid ash-Shawabka, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Jordan to the Russian Federation, and Mehmet Samsar, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkey also expressed words of support to Palestinian people.

It should be noted that over the recent years the Intenational Quds Day has gone far beyond the borders of Iran and has united not only Muslims of all schools of thought, but also people of different faiths and beliefs who support the fight for Palestinian rights.