During the meeting held on October 29, 2024 at the Patriarchal and Synodal Residence in the Danilovoi Stavropol Monastery in Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia presented the Mufti of the Republic of Dagestan Ahmad Abdulaev with the highest award of the Russian Orthodox Church — the Order of Glory and Honor (II degree) "in consideration of the contribution to the development of interreligious dialogue, the preservation of traditional values in society and in connection with the 65th anniversary of his birth."
Noting the difficulties, sorrows and real dangers that Mufti Ahmad Abdulayev, who has been leading the Muslim Ummah of Dagestan for many years, had to overcome, His Holiness said: "We cordially congratulate you, dear brother, on your well—deserved award, we wish you good health and courage, and also in your person - the good of Dagestan and the heroic people of the republic."
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church noted that this year the anniversaries are celebrated by both the Mufti of the Republic of Dagestan, Ahmad Abdulaev, and Archbishop Varlaam of Makhachkala and Grozny, who turned 50 years old. His Holiness wished the hierarch wisdom, courage, mental and physical strength.
"The place where you serve is very important for the fate of Russia," His Holiness continued. — These are not big words, because if there is an interreligious world in Dagestan, this is an example for everyone else. Therefore, I wish you prudence, wisdom, patience, and all that is necessary for a responsible leader who carries out his high service in such a historically and spiritually important place as Dagestan."
Touching upon the tragic events that shocked the whole of Russia that took place in Dagestan this year, when terrorists attacked the Assumption Cathedral in Makhachkala and the Intercession Church in Derbent on the feast of the Holy Trinity, set fire to two synagogues and fired at a traffic police post, His Holiness noted: "It cannot be ruled out that one of the targets of the attackers was the ruling bishop. We have no illusions about this: when such audacious steps and such desperate actions are taken, most often the attackers seek to cause maximum damage. By the grace of God, Vladyka, you were not physically injured. But Archpriest Nikolai Kotelnikov, who was rector in Derbent and served as a priest for more than 40 years, was brutally murdered. The kingdom of Heaven to Father Nicholas! He died as a man who was faithful to his oath and his religious beliefs to the end. I also know that the guard of the cathedral was killed, and a total of 22 people were killed, including six representatives of law enforcement agencies; 46 people were injured. At the same time, most of the dead and injured are Muslims."
With great regret, Patriarch Kirill stated that these events are not an exceptional case, and even more so not some kind of misunderstanding. Unfortunately, it is often through pain, through the tragedy of loss, that people begin to better understand what is happening and what is behind the events.
"Dagestan is one of the strategically important regions of our multi—million, multinational, multi-religious country. The climate of such relations in the whole country depends to a certain extent on the state of interreligious relations in Dagestan and in the North Caucasus as a whole," His Holiness is sure. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia stressed at the same time that the leadership of the republic and the people of Dagestan are determined to fight extremism and terrorism supervised from abroad.
Addressing the head of Dagestan, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church said: "We have great respect for your work, Sergey Alimovich. I express my firm hope that with the help of the Almighty, you will be able, including using the experience that you received during your service to protect our Homeland, to protect peace and stability in Dagestan, on which peace and tranquility throughout Russia largely depends. I wish you help from above, courage and wisdom in your responsible post."
He also pointed out the important role of the Muslim community in the life of the region, headed by the Mufti of the Republic of Dagestan, Ahmad Abdulaev. "You have a well-deserved reputation among the majority of Muslims in Dagestan. Moreover, you are ready to help representatives of other religions in the republic, for which I express my heartfelt gratitude. And during the days of the terrorist attack, as we know, representatives of the muftiate were ready to help the victims in any way they could," His Holiness Patriarch Kirill said, wishing the Mufti God's help in his hard work aimed at establishing peace in Dagestan.
Good relations between Orthodox and Muslims are a significant factor shaping the unity of the country. "By strengthening these relations and demonstrating them to our brothers and sisters, we thereby prevent provocations by hostile forces aimed at using the religious factor to weaken Russia and create interreligious strife," His Holiness Patriarch Kirill stressed.
In turn, Archbishop Varlaam of Makhachkala and Grozny testified that the tragic events that took place a few months ago not only shocked the residents of the region, but also once again demonstrated that "the people of Dagestan are a single people, although there are a lot of nationalities there." "Everyone responded to our misfortune, and Sheikh Ahmad Haji was the first to come to support us," said Vladyka Varlaam. — At the moment, thanks to the efforts of S.A. Melikov and our Muslim brothers in Derbent are repairing a temple and a religious house, and the spiritual and educational center, which was particularly damaged in Makhachkala, is being completely restored," the hierarch said. Touching upon the topic of relations between representatives of different religious communities, he specifically mentioned the International Interreligious Youth Forum, which this year was held in Dagestan for the eleventh time.
For his part, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill stressed: "Life shows that the people cannot turn away from the only right path that people follow when living in a large multinational state, and this path presupposes complete freedom of religion and culture for every nation. In this regard, Russia is an absolutely unique country. Some Western states boast of their tolerance, but what is really happening? Of course, there is no direct persecution there, but the general cultural climate in these countries, the state-supported value system, most often work against religion: it seems that they do not give up on God, but the way of life, propaganda of promiscuity, uncontrollable enrichment destroy consciousness, the human psyche. Our religions teach the opposite: they bring up in a person the power of the spirit, faith in the Almighty, and a kind attitude towards others. This does not correspond to the popular culture being planted today. Therefore, in a sense, Russia is the ark of salvation, as during the flood. Today, a huge country that does not share the demonic philosophy of life imposed as mandatory, but proclaims fidelity to its spiritual religious values, unites people of different religions with full respect for each of these religions and while creating the necessary conditions for our joint existence." At the same time, His Holiness noted the great responsibility of everyone for the preservation of this ark.
"God grant that interreligious relations, which have reached their maximum height today, continue to be like this, and that these relations have a beneficial effect on people's consciousness, strengthening the unity of our people with all its diversity," said His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
The Head of the Republic of Dagestan expressed solidarity with the assessments of what is happening in the region, which were expressed by Patriarch Kirill, and thanked for the high appreciation of the work of the authorities of the republic. S.A. Melikov expressed the opinion that today's Dagestan is a small model of Russia — both geographically and in terms of rich interethnic culture and relations between religious communities: "And this This is an explanation of why Dagestan is becoming a testing ground for strength today: if certain problems can be found in it, it will be possible to rock the boat towards these problems throughout Russia. That is why we strive today to be consolidated and united, to be together, as you say."
"Your Holiness, we really feel like a model of our great country and we will defend and defend this small model in the Caucasus, just as we are ready to defend our great homeland, Russia," the head of Dagestan said.
For his part, Mufti of the Republic of Dagestan Ahmad Abdulayev expressed solidarity with the ideas expressed by Patriarch Kirill. He also thanked for the high appreciation of his service, noting that he perceives the award as an appreciation of the works of all Dagestan, all Muslims in the region.