▁stand point ▁among ▁the ▁Muslim s ▁of ▁Russia , ▁set ▁as ▁its ▁goal ▁the ▁liber ation ▁of ▁all ▁Muslim ▁pe op les ▁from ▁any ▁kind ▁of ▁colonial ▁opp ression ▁by ▁the ▁“ inf id els ”. ▁In ▁this ▁situation , ▁Japan , ▁a ▁long time ▁rival ▁of ▁Russia ▁in ▁the ▁Far ▁East ▁- ▁like ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁in ▁the ▁west ▁- ▁was ▁a ▁natural ▁al ly ▁of ▁the ▁Pan - I sl am ists . ▁Japan ’ s ▁rapid ▁industrial ▁asc ension ▁fasc in ated ▁him ▁- ▁as ▁did ▁for ▁the ▁many ▁others ▁anti - imper ial ist - mind ed ▁national ists ▁of ▁the ▁East . ▁Count ing ▁on ▁creating ▁a ▁un ited ▁anti - Russ ian ▁Muslim ▁front ▁of ▁action , ▁Ib rag im ov ▁visited ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 7 – 1 9 0 0 ▁travel s ▁from ▁Ist an bul ▁to ▁Egypt , ▁Palest ine ▁and ▁He j az , ▁then ▁to ▁France , ▁Italy , ▁Austria , ▁Ser bia , ▁Bulg aria . ▁Through ▁the ▁south ▁of ▁Russia ▁to ▁the ▁C au cas us , ▁along ▁the ▁C asp ian ▁coast ▁to ▁B uk h ara , ▁Turk est an , ▁Sem ire ch ye ▁region . ▁Si ber ian ▁car avan ▁route ▁returns ▁to ▁T ara . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁he ▁was ▁entitled ▁to ▁particip ate ▁at ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁the ▁public ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁T ara ▁Town ▁Council