Ukraine Soldiers Want Quran, Halal Food
The request was made public in a Facebook post by the Religious Administration of Muslims of Ukraine.
“Muslims of Ukraine thank all those who are not indifferent and help the Ukrainian Army” reads the post of from the administration, cited by Qirim News Agency on Friday, July 4.
“Love for neighbor and mutual assistance strengthens the free Ukrainian nation and people of different religions who love Ukraine.”
The post noted that there are currently 10 Muslim soldiers who serve in the army near Ukrainian city of Slaviansk, which has been the scene of a pro-Russian retreat after Ukrainian forces regained key positions in the eastern city.
Responding to the soldiers’ request, Muslims of the Islamic Cultural Center in the Ukrainian capital Kiev along with other volunteers have gathered the Qurans and food stuff and sent them to the front line.
As of 2012, an estimated 500,000 Muslims lived in Ukraine and about 300,000 of them were Crimean Tatars. Today Islam is the largest minority religion in Ukraine after various forms of Christianity.
In the 2000 census Ukraine was home to 248,193 Crimean Tatars, 73,304 Volga Tatars, 45,176 Azeris, 12,353 Uzbeks, 8,844 Turks, 6,575 Arabs and 5,526 Kazakhs.
According to the Clerical Board of Ukraine's Muslims there were two million Muslims in Ukraine as of 2009.
Source: OnIslam.net
