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"It’s enslavement, not liberation": A Muslim from Kharkiv addressed his fellow believers from the Russian Federation after the attack on the mosque

22.07.2022, 08:33

A representative of the Muslim religious community "Sunna" Artur Abu Ibrahim recorded a video address to the Muslims of the Russian Federation, speaking about the consequences of the Russian invasion of Kharkiv.

According to Suspilne, Artur Abu Ibrahim posted the video on his Facebook page.

"I am addressing you as a resident of Ukraine, as a resident of the city of Kharkiv, and as a preacher. I want to draw your attention to the consequences of the war that the Russian Federation has unleashed against Ukraine and its people. It is a cruel, unjust war, waged per the blessing of some muftis and authoritative people from among Muslims in the Russian Federation, which has already taken tens of thousands of lives of peaceful people," said Artur Abu Ibrahim.

He spoke about destroyed residential buildings and religious objects. He mentioned the destruction of the mosque in Severodonetsk and the shelling of the mosque in Kharkiv.

"On July 20, the armed forces of the Russian Federation used the "Hurricanes" to partially destroy a mosque in the city of Kharkiv. Three civilians, including a 13-year-old teenager, died at a public transport stop," said a representative of the Muslim community.

"One can liberate someone only if they have more freedom compared to the other. When the attacker has fewer rights and freedoms than those defending themselves, it is not liberation. It's enslavement," says Arthur Abu Ibrahim, commenting on the goals of the war, which Russia calls a "special liberation operation".

"There are more mosques in Kharkiv than in Moscow," he emphasized.

"Russia is liberating Ukrainian Muslims from our mosques... I want to give you a small example: there are more mosques in Kharkiv, the city of one million, than in Moscow," the man said.

At the end of his address, Artur called on the Muslims of the Russian Federation and other countries not to participate and to oppose the war in Ukraine in every possible way.

"If we were waiting for the so-called liberation or wanted to live in Russia, if we were under occupation, oppressed by fictional 'banderites' or fascists, we would have moved to Russia. And yet, now we see quite the opposite when thousands of Muslims of the Russian Federation find refuge in Ukraine," said Artur.

Mykhailo Podolyak, the Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, commented on the shelling of the mosque in Kharkiv. He emphasized that at the time of the attack on the mosque in Kharkiv, Russian President Putin was in Iran, where the majority of the population is Muslim.

"Classic Russian Jesuitism. Come to Tehran to bow and beg Iran's supreme leader for "weapons for the world's second army" and, at the same time, attack a mosque in Kharkiv. Nothing is sacred for barbarians. But will Iran understand this contempt gesture of the Kremlin?" Podolyak wrote on Twitter.

 

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