ALBAWABA - President of Russia Vladimir Putin is the talk of social media after a video circulated of him kissing the Holy Quran receiving mixed reactions from Muslims across the globe.
The video was taken in a mosque in Russian Chechen Republic's capital, Grozny where Putin was gifted a gold-encrusted copy of the Holy Quran in celebration of the recently built "Prophet Jesus" mosque, according to RT Arabia.
Video: Vladimir Putin kisses the Quran
Vladimir Putin arrived at the mosque with the Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov and Mufti Salah Mezhiev (also known as the chairperson of the Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of the Chechen Republic).
After receiving the Holy Quran, Putin kissed it and then hugged it to take photos of Kadyrov and Mezhiev. Users took to comment sections featuring the video to voice their opinions about the matter in question. Here's what they had to say.
In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state owned Sputnik agency Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) speaks with Mufti of Chechnya Sheikh Salah-Hadzhi Mezhiev (L) during his visit to Chechnya in Grozny on August 20, 2024. (Photo by VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV / POOL / AFP)
Some showed Putin with praise while others weren't so keen about the gesture.
"You are the best Putin!"
"May God gift you the blessing of Islam."
On the other hand, other users claimed that Putin wasn't allowed to touch it:
"Only the purified can touch it, Kadyrov..." and "This is all for the show! Did you forget what Russia did to the Circassian people?
