The head of the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia (SAMR) and Mufti of Moscow, Albir Krganov, has announced the SAMR-developed project for the development of Islamic religious tourism called "Sacred Path," which will enable the creation of themed routes across 34 regions of the Russian Federation. His words were reported to TASS by the SAMR press service.
"The Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia has prepared a concept project for the tourism initiative 'Izge Sukmak' ('Sacred Path'). It provides a framework for developing new routes for Muslim pilgrimage and cultural-educational tourism, taking into account the hospitality standards required by Islamic canon. Based on this concept project, over 20 routes across 34 regions of Russia can be developed, which may be of interest both to our citizens and to Muslims coming to our country from abroad — a particularly relevant point given the large flow of tourists from Arab countries," said the Mufti during a meeting of the Commission on Religious Associations under the Government of the Russian Federation.
According to him, Islamic religious tourism "is a new phenomenon for our country," yet many constituent entities of the Russian Federation are home to "magnificent Muslim shrines and memorial sites associated with historical figures." These include the ancient Bolgar Complex and the Kul-Sharif Mosque in the Republic of Tatarstan, the "Heart of Chechnya" Mosque in Grozny, the historic Juma Mosque in Derbent and the Kureishit settlement in Dagestan, as well as other sites.
Krganov also addressed Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, requesting that he instruct the Ministry of Economic Development to review the developed concept project and provide support for its implementation.
Press Service of the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia
January 21, 2026
