This came on the sidelines of the Fifth International Scientific Religious Conference, "The Spiritual Silk Road: The Importance of Religious Values ​​in the Greater Eurasia Region", held in Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, from 24-27 July.

The event was attended by  Mufti Sheikh Rawi Ain Eldin, Head of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Russia, the Shoura Council of Muftis, and a member of the Council of Religions affiliated with the Russian Presidency.

The conference witnessed large international participation, including delegations from 22 Islamic countries.

The conference's first session included organizing the first BRICS Holy Quran Award by BRICS member states, including Egypt. It was followed by a second session titled "Islam in a Multi-Sect and Multi-Religious Society," which saw the participation of Omar Habtoor Al-Durai, Chairman of the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments in the UAE, Mufti Abdel-Aziz Zakirov, Mufti of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, and Suleiman Davlatzoda, Chairman of the Religious Affairs Committee in the Republic of Tajikistan.

Two symposiums entitled "The Holy Quran in the Forms and Manifestations of Modern Islamic Culture and Education" and “Peoples of Greater Eurasia: Modern Ethnographic Studies of Everyday Religious Activities” also topped the agenda.

On the sidelines of the conference, members from the Muslim Youth Forum of BRICS countries met for the first time.

Another meeting was held entitled, “Creativity, Responsibility, Leadership” at the National Library of the Republic of Tatarstan in Kazan.

In addition, Muslim youth from Brazil, South Africa, China, India, and Ethiopia attended the meeting.

In a speech, Osama Al-Azhari thanked the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, the Mufti Sheikh Rawi Ain Eldin, and Mufti Kamil Samyulin, Head of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Tatarstan, for their generous hospitality and the distinguished organization of the conference.

Al-Azhari confirmed that Russia, the Caucasus region, and Central Russia had deep ties to the land of Egypt, as some scholars from Russia came to Egypt and made it their home, died and were buried in its land.

"Russia also received the Egyptian scholar Sheikh Mohamed Ayyad El-Tantawi, who taught the Russians and was buried there and became one of their notables.

El-Tantawi compiled a book entitled “The Masterpiece of Intelligent People in the News of Russia, an honest reflection and a deep observation from an Egyptian eye and an Al-Azhar scholar. Similarly, the Russian scholar Mousa Garallah came and lived among us," Al-Azhari explained.

He also highlighted Egypt’s pride in the deep friendship and brotherhood between President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and President Vladimir Putin.

Al-Azhari asked Muslims in Russia, in BRICS countries, and elsewhere to remain loyal to their countries, serve them, and become a source of pride for their countries.

He also called on God to protect "our brothers in Palestine" from the criminal aggression that befell them, stressing Egypt’s unwavering support of the Palestinian cause and absolute solidarity with "our brothers in Palestine and Gaza" as they fight for their right to establish an independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.