ABOUT 3,500 RUSSIAN MUSLIMS PERFORMED THE HAJJ THIS YEAR








MOSCOW, MARCH 6, 2001.  From RIA Novosti Correspondent Yekaterina Antipova.  About 3,500 Russian Muslim have performed the hajj in the current year, said Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia, at a press-conference in Moscow on Tuesday. 


	Sheikh Gainutdin said that Saudi Arabia had allocated a quota of 10,000 for pilgrims from Russia.  But it has not been possible to use it up fully, for not all those who wished to go to Saudi Arabia were able to do it, said the Sheikh with regret.


	He explained this by the economic problems facing the Russian Muslims -- most of the pilgrims were compelled to pay the hajj expenses by themselves, and only 100 residents of Chechnya performed the hajj at state expense.