Chairman of the Muslim Religious Association in Belarus mufti Abu-Bekir hazrat Shabanovich spoke with students and lecturers of Belarusian State Medical University

On the 12th of March, during the holy month of Ramadan for muslims, the chairman of the Muslim Religious Association in the Republic of Belarus, Mufti Abu-Bekir hazrat Shabanovich, as well as the deputy mufti, doctoral student of the Bulgarian Islamic Academy Maksat Ovezov and the chairman of the council of ulemas of the Muslim Religious Association in Belarus Davud Radkevich were guests at Belarusian State Medical University. The meeting was also attended by Vice-Rector for International Relations, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Vasili Roudenok, Dean of the Medical Faculty of Foreign Students, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Oleg Ishutin, Deputy Dean for Ideological and Educational Work, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor Elena Devina, more than 400 foreign students from countries where Islam is the dominant religion (these are the citizens of Iran, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Egypt and other countries), etc.

Ramadan is considered to be one of the five sacred foundations of religion for every Muslim. This is a month of spiritual renewal, strengthening of faith and rethinking of life. During Ramadan, Muslims keep a fast that is considered to be one of the strictest of all religions. The Arabic word “sawm” (fasting) itself means “complete abstinence”. Fast is prescribed to strengthen Muslims in self-discipline and the precise fulfillment of the covenants of Allah.

The holy month of Ramadan is not only a time of fasting, but also an opportunity to reflect on your spiritual state and purify your thoughts. Mufti Abu-Bekir hazrat Shabanovich told the audience about the importance of spiritual education, the desire for self-improvement, helping people, and charity. According to him, all the time of a Muslim should be devoted to study, work, prayers, reading the Quran, pious thoughts and actions.

The head of the Muslims of Belarus also shared that as a child of war, he remembers the terrible images of a burning city, when the fascists and their mercenaries robbed and killed civilians. "In the year of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, we must make every effort to ensure that something like this never happens again. We must preserve what was formed by our ancestors - good neighborliness, friendliness, peace, mutual understanding", – the mufti emphasized.

Maksat Ovezov and Davud Radkevich, in turn, gave a competent interpretation of religious issues and explained the dogmas of traditional Islam. “Without a doubt, it is in the month of Ramadan that you, as future doctors and Muslims, must sincerely demonstrate such qualities as mercy and generosity, doing more good deeds, and, of course, study well. Islam preaches enlightenment, and one must be enlightened throughout one's life, as our ancestors did – the great doctors of the East Abu Ali Hussein ibn Abdullah ibn Sina, Ibn an-Nafis, Ali at-Tabari and others. Remember, knowledge is the path to goodness," Maksat Ovezov concluded.

On behalf of the university administration, Vice-Rector for International Relations Vasili Roudenok thanked Abu-Bekir hazrat Shabanovich for his noble mission of consolidating society on the basis of high moral values and universal ideals of goodness.

The medical students took a photo with the guests of honor and representatives of the administration of the university.

Foreign students who are adherent of the Islamic faith are grateful to the university administration for understanding and respecting of their culture and faith and hope that holding such meetings will only contribute to strengthening of mutual understanding and friendship between representatives of different religious faiths.

Authors: Dean of the Medical Faculty of Foreign Students of BSMU
The photo is provided by Aleksandr Novikov