Rawil Ğäynetdin

Ravil Gaynutdin (or Gainutdin; , ) is a Moscow-based Mufti and scholar, an ethnic Volga Tatar born in the village of Shali of Pestrechinsky District of the Tatar ASSR, Soviet Union on August 25, 1959.

Gaynutdin has served as one of the Grand Muftis of Russia and the Chairman of the Russian Council of Muftis since July 1, 1996. He is one of the signatories of A Common Word Between Us and You, an open letter by Islamic scholars to Christian leaders, calling for peace and understanding. Gaynutdin has been called a key figure in relations between the Kremlin and Russia's Muslim population and one of the most important people in the Islamic World in Russia.

Gaynutdin has put forward ideas such as the following: "I agree with (Nikolay) Karamzin, the excellent Russian historian of the 19th century, who said that Moscow owes its greatness to the khans of the Golden Horde. However, this also applies to all of Russia, because thanks to the political will of the khans, the gathering of the scattered principalities around Moscow began".

Honours and awards

President Vladimir Putin and Ravil Gainutdin at the ceremony of presenting state awards and titles in the Kremlin on May 21, 2015.

Honours National honours Russia Russian Imperial Family: Knight Grand Cordon of the Imperial Order of Saint Stanislaus, Special Class Russian Imperial Family: Recipient of the 400th Anniversary Medal of the House of Romanov Commander - 23 March 2015 Member - 11 August 2009 Member of the Decoration of Honour - 15 January 2004 Member of the Decoration of Friendship - 6 October 1997

Foreign honours Recipient of the Commemorative Medal of "10 years of Astana" Recipient of the Commemorative Medal of 20 Years of Independence Commander of the Order of the Star of Jerusalem - 2015

Awards Presidential Certificate of Honour - 23 August 1999 Russian Orthodox Church: Recipient of the gold medal for Peace and Charity - 2011