(5 Mar 2001) Russian/Nat
XFA
Russia's Muslims celebrated one of their most important holy days Monday in an atmosphere of official acceptance, with services attended by leading politicians and broadcast live on state television.
Eid al-Adha, which is known in Russia by the Turkish name of Kurban Bairam, commemorates Abraham's sacrifice of a ram to God instead of his son and centers on the ritual slaughter of a sheep or other animal.
Last year was the first time the holiday received broad attention by Russian leaders.
Russia has about 20 million Muslims, making Islam the nation's second-largest religion after the Russian Orthodox Church.
But Orthodoxy receives far more attention from the politicians and the media than Islam or Judaism.
Some observers say the increased attention to Islam is an attempt to win Muslims' support for the Kremlin's war against rebels in Chechnya, a predominantly Muslim region.
The country's chief mufti, or Islamic religious leader, Talgan Tadzhuddin, said at services Monday in the city of Ufa, about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) east of Moscow, that the war is "a necessary measure against terrorists, rather than brothers in faith," the Interfax news agency reported.
Thousands of men listened to the service and prayed standing outside the mosque in a snowstorm. Muslim leaders put attendance at 30,000. President Vladimir Putin issued an official greeting to Muslims on the holiday.
SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"Every man should arrive to understanding the Islam on his own accord. The faith is the faith. Before we used to trust the communists now we trust in Allah."
SUPER CAPTION: Ravil (first name only)
SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Shamil (first name only)
"I wish all the Muslims in the world happiness and joy at home, to see their children grow strong and healthy. And, again, the best of luck to all our Muslim brothers in the world."
SUPER CAPTION: Shamil (first name only)
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