Russian President Putin proposes restoring Russia's Islamic theologian school.

Putin with Russia's Chief mufti.

Russian President Putin proposes restoring Russia's Islamic theologian school.(RBTH).

 President Vladimir Putin has proposed restoring Russia's Islamic theologian school.

"If the present-day challenges are to be tackled effectively, the high authority of Russia's Muslim clergy and of the Islamic theologian school should be maintained," Putin told the muftis of the Russian Muslim boards in Ufa.

Russia's Islam has ample capabilities to play its role in promoting the rich theologian legacy, guided by the centuries-old national experience in the system of religious education, Putin said.

"Among the most important tasks is that of recreating the national Islamic theologian school that would guarantee the sovereignty of the Russian religious space," Putin said.

This school should respond quickly to the most acute developments in Russia and in the world as a whole, and make assessments 'that would be clear and respected by believers," he said.

Islam in Russia faces threat of radicalism

Eighty-two Islamic centers and organizations are registered in Russia, Putin said.
The Muslim clergy must be well educated and capable of clearly assessing the present-day challenges, he said.

"The initiative must come from you. It must not be surrendered to informal leaders engaged in active information campaigns among citizens. Most of them represent religious schools alien to our country, They support extremism and they want to undermine traditional Islam in this country, to break the unity of the Russian people and, ultimately to destroy our country," he said.