WHEN he says Malaysia is a model to many other countries, Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, Chairman of Russia Mufties Council, does not make the judgment for nothing.

He has traveled extensively around the globe, met leaders of many countries, studied their policies and implementation process and discussed it with scholars all over the world.

“Malaysia has developed very rapidly in the various sectors, including political, social, and economic,” he told journalists here in Shah Alam.

Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin

He will present a paper entitled “Confronting the Global Challenges: Empowerment of the Muslim Ummah through Islam Hadhari Approach at the International Conference on Islam Hadhari Responses to Global Challenges on the 26^th January.

The Arabic-speaking mufti, a doctor of PhD, author of many scientific works on Muslim theology, Muslim dogmatic and law and a professor of Moscow higher spiritual Islamic college, among other things, says he is also impressed with what Malaysia has achieved in the aspect of Islamic development.

There is the Islamic banking, halal-orientated institutions, Islamic education, wakaf system, to name a few.

This, he said, reflects the commitment and far sightedness of the leaders and scholars in Malaysia.

“In Russia, we (the Islamic authorities) are working towards this level of achievements,” he said.

Russia has a 160 million population, over 20 million of whom are Muslims. There are 6,000 mosques, most of which sprang up in the past 15 years when Russia started to adopt the process of democracy.

During the Soviet era, Islam was thought and practiced informally in homes among family members only. There were only 150 mosques.

Relentless efforts by the Muslim scholars and leaders in Russia see things changing for the better for the future of Islamic development in the country.

“By June this year, our parliament is scheduled to endorse the Islamic education by-law,” he said.

Also to present papers at the conference are the Chairman of Cardoba Initiative, New York, United States of America, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, Selangor Islamic Religious Council’s Board Member Prof Dr Sidek Baba, Professor at the Faculty of Darul Ulum, University of Cairo, Egypt Prof Dr Abdul Hamid Tahir, Board Member of the Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation (ICYF-DC) Nedim Kaya.

The Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo opens the three-day conference and Perkampungan Hadhari (Hadhari Village) at the Dataran Kemerdekaan here beginning 26^th January.

There will be a signing of memorandum of understanding on “Alliance of Civilisation” between the Asian Youth Council, of which Dr Mohamad Khir is the President and the ICYF-DC tomorrow.

Thousands of people, Muslims and others, are expected to converge on the Dataran Kemerdekaan where the Perkampungan Hadhari is being held. – FARUSH KHAN

Gaynutdin and Dr Mohamad Khir after the International Conference on Islam Hadhari Responses to Global Challenges. -Photo AR ROHIM AHMAD