Historic Moscow Cathedral Mosque to reopen on September 23

To the sheer delight of two million Muslim residents of Moscow and a matching number of migrant workers following Islam, the re-opening ceremony of the 111-year old historic Cathedral Mosque in the Russian capital is scheduled to take place next month on September 23 or on the threshold of Eidul Azha, various prestigious Russian media outlets have reported.
Russian Muslims claim that Cathedral Mosque, spread over 19, 000 square metres approximately, is the largest mosque in Europe and expect Moscow to be the largest Muslim city in the European continent in a few years from now.
According to the Russian Muslim Board, the inauguration ceremony of this mosque, which was demolished in 2011, is expected to draw hundreds of political and spiritual leaders of Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Iran etc.
The Russian Muslim Board is also inviting Orthodox Christians, Jews and Buddhists to make this event an example of inter-faith harmony.
With an official population of over 12.5 million, Moscow is now home to at least 1.5 million Muslims and traditionally witnesses major Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha prayers every year.
Sputnik News Agency, an international multimedia news service wholly owned and operated by the Russian government, had revealed in October 2014 that during the past years, over 150,000 people have gathered to celebrate the two Eids by offering prayers on the Moscow roads.
Although Islam is the second most widely professed religion in Russia, there are just six mosques in Moscow currently. Some 14 to 23 million Muslims form the country's largest religious minority.
Al-Jazeera had reported: "With only six mosques in the large city, attempts to build new ones have been met with protests and rallies."
This is what the "Daily Pravda," the official newspaper of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and one of the most influential papers in the country till 1991, had stated in one of its editions: "Estimates of Russia's Muslim population now range from 16 million to 20 million, including more than two million in Moscow, where there are just four mosques."
Research shows that during the Communist Rule, Islam, like other religions in the former Soviet Union (USSR), was suppressed.
According to "Reuters," Muslim minorities make up about 14 per cent of Russia's population of 146.270 million.
Last year, not fewer than 16,400 Russian Muslims had performed Haj, while the number had rested at least 20,000 in 2010.
It is pertinent to note that on the occasion of Eidul Azha in October 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin had delivered this message to compatriot Muslims: "For centuries, this feast, filled with light and good feelings, is bringing people closer together, praising societal ideals of goodness and mercy, fostering respect for religious precepts and traditions."
Although Putin is on record to have stated: "Islam is an outstanding element of Russia's cultural makeup, an integral, organic part of our history," he had raise many eyebrows on August 4, 2013 while addressing the Russian Parliament (Duma) by expressing his views about the tensions with minorities in his country.
Putin had remarked: "In Russia, live like Russians. Any minority, from anywhere, if it wants to live in Russia, to work and eat in Russia, it should speak Russian and should respect the Russian laws. If they prefer Sharia Law and live the life of Muslims' then we advise them to go to those places where that's the state law. Russia does not need Muslim minorities. Minorities need Russia and we will not grant them special privileges, or try to change our laws to fit their desires, no matter how loud they yell 'discrimination'. We will not tolerate disrespect of our Russian culture."
He had asserted: "We better learn from the suicides of America, England, Holland and France, if we are to survive as a nation. The Muslims are taking over those countries and they will not take over Russia. The Russian customs and traditions are not compatible with the lack of culture or the primitive ways of Sharia Law and Muslims. When this honourable legislative body thinks of creating new laws, it should have in mind the Russian national interest first, observing that the Muslims minorities are not Russians."
Putin had maintained: "It is gratifying that the Muslim community in Russia is actively involved in public life, developing extensive charitable, educational activities, paying relentless attention to strengthening family values, and makes a significant contribution to the maintenance of inter-religious and inter-ethnic harmony. For centuries, this feast, filled with light and good feelings, is bringing people closer together, praising societal ideals of goodness and mercy, fostering respect for religious precepts and traditions."
The fellow legislators in the Duma had given Putin a five-minute standing ovation after his afore-cited speech!
According to CIA World Fact Book 2015, the nominal GDP of Russia stands at $1.175 trillion, the GDP at Purchasing Power Parity rests at $3.458 trillion, the GDP per Capita is $24,800, the Gross National Savings make up 23 per cent of GDP, the total labour force is 75.25 million, Russia has a birth rate of 13.3 births/1,000 population, a death rate of 13.1 deaths/1,000 population, life expectance of 70.9 years (male: 65.3 years and females: 76.5 years), an infant mortality rate of seven children per every 1,000 born, the population density is 8.4 people per square kilometer, the Russian population living below the poverty line is 11 per cent, budgetary estimates show the country earns revenues of $416.5 billion and its expenditures rest at $408.3 billion, the Tax-t-GDP ratio is 20.2 per cent of GDP, the Russian Federation exports stand at $520.3 billion, its imports have been calculated at $323.9 billion, its reserves of foreign exchange and gold are $385.5 billion, the external debt is $683.6 billion, the stock of Foreign Direct Investment at home is $606 billion and the military expenditures are 3.49 per cent of the national GDP.
The number of births in Russia during May 2015 had decreased by 8,918 relative to May 2014 and for the period January-May 2015 births decreased by 16,643 compared to the period January-May 2014.
In April 2015, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development had predicted that the Russia's economy would contract by three per cent in 2015, and average only 2.5 per cent growth through 2030.
Muslims form the fastest growing and most ethnically diverse sector of Moscow's population.
"The Russia Today," which is the country's state-funded television network running cable and satellite television channels, has estimated that by 2050, Muslims would make up about half of Russia's population.
By the way, in April 2014, Russia's 111-year old Red Jumma Mosque had finally opened its doors to worshippers after 90 years, ending a dark history in which it was turned into a cinema and then a restaurant that served alcohol.
It might surprise many readers but fact has it that the first official Islamic organisation in Russia had appeared 227 years ago in 1788 during the reign of Empress Catherine (1729-1796), also known to historians as Catherine the Great, who also happens to be the longest-ruling female leader of Russia till date.
This organisation was more engaged in the construction of mosques and handling marital affairs.
As far as Pakistan's relationship with Russia since May 1948 is concerned, various industrial sectors like the steel mills at Karachi, Guddu thermal Power Station, Jamshoro Power Station and thermal Power Station at Muzaffargarh etc have been built with the help of former USSR and Russia both.
Right now, the bilateral trade volume rests at just $500 million, but is expected to grow at a rapid pace.
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin had postponed his visit to Pakistan in September 2012, he is expected to visit in near future.
Currently, Russian companies are expressing a lot of interest in the construction of the North-South gas pipeline in Pakistan and construction of floating LNG terminal at Port Qasim in Karachi.
Not very long ago in late December 2014, Pakistan and Russia had signed a $1.7 billion energy deal for laying a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) pipeline from Karachi to Lahore. The energy agreement was signed during the visit of the Russian Defence Minister.
The April 17, 2015 edition of the "Indian Express" had reported: "Pakistan and Russia last year signed a military cooperation agreement to deepen their defence ties and vowed to translate their relationship in "tangible" terms during the first-ever visit of a Russian Defence Minister in 45 years. Russian Defence Minister Shoigu's visit last November to Pakistan came at a very critical juncture as US-led NATO forces draw down from Afghanistan. Russia lifted embargoes on providing defence supplies to Pakistan."
In June 2015, various Russian media houses had reported that Pakistan and Russia were close to finalising a deal for purchase of Mi-35 'Hind E' attack helicopters. These were the days when Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif was visiting Moscow.
Taking valuable help from the documents of the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad, celebrated writer Peter Duncan's book "The Soviet Union and India," Indian author Ram Sharma's book "India-USSR relations," the "Indian Express" edition of April 14, 2011, the January 4, 2012 edition of "The Economist" and various Pakistani media archives, here follows a brief timeline of Pakistan-Russian Federation relationship since 1947:
1) Soviet ties with Pakistan are basically 90 years old. After the Bolshevik Revolution of 1922, innumerable Soviets had fled their country to reach a territory (now Khyber Pakhtunkwa); to start a communist revolution against the British Empire, which was already afraid of intelligence reports and prophecies that Communism might spread in India. The series of coups (at least five of them), also known as Peshawar Conspiracy Cases, were reported between 1922 and 1927 against the British Rule.
2) Russian Federation and Pakistan had first established diplomatic and bilateral relations on May 1, 1948, when Soviet leadership had sent a congratulatory message to the then Pakistani Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan. However, Joseph Stalin had never sent any such message to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1947, when the country was actually born. This incidentally was an era when the Cold War between Moscow and Washington DC was taking birth.
3) In April 1949, Russians had invited Liaquat Ali Khan to Moscow, but Pakistani Premier preferred to visit the US instead in May 1950.
4) Premier Liaquat Ali Khan's visit to the United States had infuriated the Soviets and during the 1954-58 era, the Pak-USSR relations had remained quite tense.
5) In 1954, Pakistan became member of South East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) and in 1955; it joined the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO)--a couple of moves which Soviet Union did not welcome.
6) Between March and April 1954, a Soviet cultural troupe visited Pakistan and a festival of the Soviet films was held in Karachi. This was the time of Premier Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy.
7) In 1956, a Pakistani delegation also visited Moscow to study the Soviet development. As a gesture of goodwill, the then Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Bulganin offered technical and scientific help to Pakistan for projects involving a peaceful use of nuclear energy.
8) In 1958, President Ayub Khan toured the US, but was also keen to develop ties with the Soviets. In 1959, Soviets shot down a US reconnaissance plane (Lockheed U2), which had actually flown from a Pakistani Air Base. Moscow was infuriated over the Pakistani leadership, which later said it was ignorant of the American spying plans.
9) During the 1965 Pak-India war, Russia supplied a huge quantity of arms to New Delhi-thereby seeking revenge from the Pakistani leadership. Moscow also extended lots of support to a few 'rebellious' political and ethnic parties like the Awami National Party (ANP) in Pakistan. In 1965, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had first paid a state visit to Moscow, followed by President Ayub Khan's tour during the same year.
During his visit, President Ayub Khan had thanked the then Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin and had remarked: "Soviet Union is our next door neighbour with which Pakistan had close friendly connections in the past."
In April 1968, Premier Alexei Kosygin had paid a visit to Pakistan, stating: "Relations between Pakistan and the Soviet Union are very good indeed and we should want more and more to strengthen and better them."
10) After the 1971 Pak-India war, Soviets supported the Indian Army and Mukti Bahini in East Pakistan. Moscow recognised the formation of Bangladesh. Throughout the East Pakistan episode, the Soviet Navy was on high alert, ready to extend any support to the Indians and the Mukti Bahini against Pakistan.
11) During the early 1970s, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto endeavoured to improve his country's relationship with Soviet Union. He succeeded in convincing Moscow to establish a billion-dollar steel mill at Karachi in 1972.
The Karachi Steel Mills still remains the hallmark of Pak-Soviet relationship. Bhutto was also the first Pakistani Prime Minister to tour the USSR. During his visit to Moscow, the Pakistani leader was accorded an honorary guard of honour by the Soviet Armed Forces.
12) However, the fairly warm Pak-Soviet ties under Bhutto were short-lived. In 1977, Bhutto was ousted by General Zia and a couple of years later, the eventful Soviet intervention into Afghanistan changed the world to quite an extent. Soviet leadership had also condemned Bhutto's hanging and had gone on requesting for his clemency, but to no avail.
13) In November 1982, General Zia had traveled to the Soviet Union to attend the funeral of Leonid Brezhnev, then-General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. At Kremlin, Zia had called on the Soviet President Andrei Gromyko and the new Secretary-General Yuri Andropov.
14) Interestingly, Premier Benazir Bhutto also toed the line of Pakistan Army to topple the communist regime in Kabul and to end the Soviet influence. Benazir later recognised the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan in not the best of atmospheres.
15) In April 1999, Premier Nawaz Sharif had paid a state visit to Kremlin, some 25 years after Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had done so.
16) After the 9/11 episode, Moscow and Islamabad came close to each other again after General Musharraf's regime had denounced the Afghan Taliban. The US, Russia and Pakistan were all on the same page then.
17) In February 2003, the then Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf had also toured Russia for three days.
18) In 2007, Russian Prime Minister, Mikhail Fradkov, had toured Pakistan. He was the first Russian Prime Minister to land on the Islamabad airport in about four decades. Pakistan and Russia were now talking in a cordial atmosphere. And since then, as newspaper archives reveal, Pakistan and Russia have never looked back, cementing their relationship with every passing day.