Today, May 21, the Russian Muslim Ummah marks an important date - the day of the official adoption of Islam.

 

On this day in 922 Islam was adopted as the state religion in the Volga Bulgaria. This became a key and turning point not only in the life of the Tatar people, but also influenced the entire historical course of events of the Eurasian continent.

 

In a show of multi-faith strength, Christians and Jews come together with Muslims to mark the start of the Muslim Holy Month, Ramadan, at a church in Brussels.

 

"We have chosen this moment of the holy month of Ramadan, the month of sharing and forgiveness, to celebrate and share with churches of all faiths and all cultures, to show that Muslims are not all terrorists - and that we must have a good coexistence among religions and other philosophies," explained Lahcen Hamouch, President of the Al Mouwan Association.

Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro started a Twitter frenzy among Turkish users after photos of him holding the props and wearing the costumes of Turkish historical- period drama "Diriliş: Ertuğrul" [Resurrection: Ertuğrul] surfaced online.

 

In the photo, shared by the series' screenwriter and producer Mehmet Bozdağ on Twitter on Friday, Maduro is seen wearing a ring and a hat while holding the flag of the Kayı tribe.

 

Part of a mobile crane being used for construction work at the Grand Mosque in Makkah toppled to the ground on Sunday. 

 

The driver of the crane was slightly injured in the incident, but no one else was hurt. 

The Makkah Governorate said the area of the Grand Mosque where the crane collapsed was not dedicated for prayer, and was far from visitors and worshippers.

 

Egypt will open the Rafah border crossing with the embattled Gaza Strip for the entire month of Ramadan, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said Friday.

 

"In order to alleviate the burden of our brothers in the Gaza Strip, I have instructed the relevant authorities to open the Rafah border gate throughout Ramadan,” al-Sisi said on his Facebook page.

 

Blockaded by Israel -- by air, land and sea -- since 2007, the Gaza Strip has seven border crossings linking it to the outside world.

After years of delays and controversy, a bill granting self-rule to the Philippines’ Muslim minority is set to be passed by Congress before the end of this month.

 

“We cannot but be positive,” said President Rodrigo Duterte’s adviser on the peace process, Jesus Dureza, of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

 

“My guess is that it will be passed by the time Congress goes on recess on June 1,” he said.

 

Back in 2016, when Australian expat Sumayyah Sayed put a fridge stocked with food and water on her front porch, she could never have imagined that two years down the line her baby step would take the shape of a giant community movement. Today, her initiative -dubbed as Ramadan Sharing Fridges - has over 27,000 members who have joined the campaign through Facebook.    

 

The movement serves the less fortunate community workers and labourers with free food and drink during the holy month of Ramadan. 

 

The authorities of Ufa together with the Veterinary Department of Bashkiria will set up a Kurban-center in the city for the performance of the ritual sacrifice of animals, Deputy Prime Minister Ilshat Fazrakhmanov said.

 

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has paid an official visit to the Russian city of Sochi.

 

During the official meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated him on the great success in the fight against terrorists, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

 

The two presidents have noted necessity of creating additional conditions for a full-format political process in Syria, Peskov said.

 

"As-salamu `alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh!

Dear brothers and sisters!

From the bottom of my heart I congratulate you on the arrival of the beloved month of believers - the Holy month of Ramadan!

 

Time from one Ramadan to the next passes incredibly fast, like one instant - this indicates the transience of our life. All praise to the Almighty for giving us the opportunity to see another Ramadan.

 

Holiday rally was held in the market Tarlabasi in Beyoglu district of Istanbul, where vendors handed out their goods to buyers absolutely free.

 

According to the website “NewsTurk”, for the second consecutive year an unknown benefactor buys up all the goods on the market in the centre of Istanbul on the eve of the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan.

 

On the first day of Ramazan charitable iftar was organised in the central mosque of Simferopol, Kebir-Jami in Crimea. 

 

Iftar is an evening meal taken by fasting Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan. Some two hundred people attended the iftar, mostly Crimean universities students from Muslim countries, local residents and guests of Simferopol.

 

Before the beginning of the event, men and women observing the fast performed evening prayer (maghrib).