*Dr Ahmad Mahmud Abubakar Gumi(4th left).
Kaduna based cleric and Islamic scholar, Dr Ahmad Mahmud Abubakar Gumi has highlighted what he described as the revival of religious life and interfaith engagement in contemporary Russia.
He said his ongoing visit to Moscow has provided an opportunity to witness the country’s experience of peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths.
Gumi made the observation in a reflection on contemporary religious life in the country, following engagements with Russian Muslim and interfaith leaders.
He said the post-communist period had witnessed significant changes in the religious landscape of Russia, noting that President Vladimir Putin had played a role in what he described as the restoration and revitalisation of religious life in the country.
According to him, his visit to Russia is also aimed at gaining first-hand insight into how religious communities interact and coexist within the country’s contemporary social environment.
“I am currently in Russia alongside the Mufti of Moscow, Head of the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia, and member of the Presidential Council for Cooperation with Religious Associations, Albir Hazrat Krganov,” Gumi stated.
He said the delegation was in Moscow to “witness and share in the experience of religious life, peaceful coexistence, and interfaith harmony” in the historic Russian capital.
Krganov, who heads the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia, has in recent weeks participated in engagements focused on interfaith relations. On September 7, 2026, he met Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, where they discussed interfaith relations in Russia and other countries as well as prospects for international cooperation.
A September 6 report by the Moscow Muftiate also confirmed a meeting between Krganov and an official Nigerian delegation in Moscow. The Nigerian delegation attended his Friday sermon and joined worshippers for the congregational Juma prayer. Discussions at the meeting included the role of education in improving quality of life and promoting sustainable development.
Russia’s federal law on freedom of conscience and religious associations formally guarantees freedom of conscience and religious belief, including the right to profess a religion individually or collectively, conduct religious worship and ceremonies, receive religious education, and form religious associations. The law also provides that Russia is a secular state and that religious associations are separate from the state and equal before the law.
At the institutional level, Russia maintains structures for engagement between the state and religious communities. The Kremlin’s published membership information for its Presidential Council on Interaction with Religious Associations includes senior representatives of Muslim, Orthodox Christian, Buddhist, Jewish and other religious communities.
Gumi’s comments therefore place his current visit within a broader context of official and religious engagement among different faith communities in Russia.
The Nigerian Islamic scholar said the experience could offer useful lessons for Nigeria, particularly in strengthening mutual understanding, peaceful coexistence and dialogue among communities.
He stressed the importance of Nigeria maintaining constructive relations with Russia, describing the country as a reliable friend and partner with which Nigeria shares areas of common interest.
“We pray that Nigeria will continue to see Russia as a reliable friend and partner with whom we share many commonalities and from whom there is much to learn and benefit,” he said.
Gumi further called for sustained cooperation between the two countries, particularly in areas capable of promoting mutual understanding and people-to-people relations.
“May our shared commitment to peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and cooperation continue to strengthen the bonds between our two nations,” he added.
The visit also comes against the backdrop of growing religious and diplomatic interactions involving Nigerian and Russian institutions, with education, interfaith dialogue and social development emerging as areas of engagement.
For Gumi, the Moscow experience underscores the importance of creating platforms where religious leaders can exchange ideas, build trust and explore practical approaches to peaceful coexistence.
His observations also draw attention to the role religious institutions can play in strengthening social cohesion, particularly in multicultural societies where people of different religious and cultural backgrounds live and work together.
While Russia’s approach to religion remains subject to its own constitutional and statutory framework, Gumi’s visit focuses on the practical experience of religious engagement and interfaith interaction in Moscow, and on what Nigerian stakeholders might learn from such encounters.
He expressed hope that continued exchanges between Nigeria and Russia would deepen mutual understanding and contribute to stronger relations between the two countries.