REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Chairman of Muhammadiyah Prof. Din Syamsuddin re-elected as members of the Strategic Partnership Group of Russia-Islamic World. This group was formed on the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2006, to bring Russia to the Islamic world in the development of strategic partnerships in various fields.
This group in the first phase was led by former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov. The second period led by President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov.
The first session took place at the President Hotel, Moscow, 11-12 June 2015, attended by Secretary General of Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Iyad Madani. In his speech, Madani emphasized the importance of Russia strategic partnership with the Muslim world.
He argued, both parties had established relationships on historical, economic, and socio-cultural in a long time. In fact, Russia was known to have accepted as observers at sessions of the OIC.
Speaking right after the speech of Secretary General of the OIC, Prof. Din Syamsuddin conveyed to the participants, the strategic partnership of Russia-Islamic World is very important nowadays. According to the Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Islamic world and Russia both have great resources.
"If both are combined, then it will be able to bring major changes to the civilization of mankind," said Prof Din Syamsuddin, as quoted from a statement received recently.
Din continued, the Islamic world has at least four resources. Namely, human resources, nature, value (the teachings of Islam itself as the life mover), and the historical resources, because, Muslims themselves had a glorious past, especially in the middle ages.
"So did Russia, still leaves the strength of human resources and science and technology," said Din.
The OIC, said Din, could interpret the strategic partnership between Russia-Islamic World comprehensively, which includes various aspects of civilization. "If this could be realized then this partnership could be a power of significant new world in the restoration of revival and progress of human civilization," said Din.
In this session, agreed on joint measures in directing global life to a better future and peace. Similarly, Din said, there were discussions in facing the threat of violation radicalism in the name of religion.
"At the end of the session, it was agreed that Indonesia could be a host on next year's session," said Din.
The Strategic Partnership Group of Russia-Islamic World convenes regularly in Moscow, Kazan, as well as in Islamic countries members. After a hiatus in 2011-2014, this group turned on again with a membership which almost unchanged; some leaders and the mufti of Russia and countries of the former Soviet Union, then, 15 Muslim leaders from 15 Islamic countries.