Bolgarian Islamic Academy: the project has been approved
Last changes in the architectural appearance of the future Islamic university was made by President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov
On 18 March, one of the main intrigue was resolved – how the complex of the Bolgarian Islamic Academy will look. The project that to be presented the public only in April was discussed on Friday with President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov. The correspondent of Realnoe Vremya found out how the presentation was.
The President has made some adjustments
On 18 March, the project of the Bolgarian Islamic Academy was presented to President Rustam Minnikhanov in Cabinet of Ministers of Tatarstan. The building of the religious university will be built Southeast of the White mosque – outside of the historic settlement, the construction on the territory of which is prohibited by UNESCO. The core of the institution will be a research and education center.
As the rector of the Russian Islamic Institute Rafik Mukhametshin, who attended the meeting in the Cabinet of the Ministers, told Realnoe Vremya, initially this project developed by SUE Tatinvestgrazhdanproekt was adopted by the state adviser of Tatarstan, the first President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev. Today, the draft was approved by the President of the Republic Rustam Minnikhanov.
'The adjustmenets by Rustam Nurgalievich were minor: to make gym larger, a courtyard should be covered. But the idea, the form – all of this has been approved,' said the rector of the Russian Islamic Institute.
According to the project, the Academy will include a complex of eight buildings: the main (academic) and dormitory buildings, two residential units for teachers and four — for students. All the buildings will be faced with white stone. Each building will be two-storey.
In the press-release of the government also reported that the basic element of the complex will be a research and education center. Here will be the Bolgarian Council of ulema, the All-Russian Library of Islam, Expert Council, the Center for the study of the Tatar theological heritage etc.
The presentation for a wide public presumably will be in April.
Shattered 'crystal' dream
The idea of the All-Russian Islamic Centre was approved by President of Russia Vladimir Putin. The project received approval of the heads of the other two founders of the religious educational centers – Talgat Tadzhuddin (the Central Religious Board of Muslims in Russia), Ravil Gainutdin (Mufti Council of Russia).
According to Mukhametshin, all three Muftis (including the chairperson of the Muslim Religious Board of the Republic of Tatarstan Kamil Samigullin) adopted draft without substantial amendments. However, they noted good functionality and reasonableness of the draft. Architectural ideas of the Chief Muftiof Russia Talgat Tadzhuddin was not even discussed.
In November 2015, Talgat Tadzhuddin came to Kazan to present Shaimiev his draft of the Academy. He embodied his idea in cut-glass ware and on the paper.
According to the plan of the Chief Mufti, the Academy should consist of seven buildings: in the centre – the main multi-level, and around it, as ox-eye daisy petals, auxiliary ones, smaller. In the central building should be the offices of governors, the rector's office, the teachers' common room, 12 classrooms, a conference room and a dining room. On the top level — the mosque.
What was your reaction to this initiative of the state adviser of Tatarstan, Tadzhuddin did not tell.
Five departments
As Mukhametshin told in the interview with Realnoe Vremya, the Islamic Academy will be the an institution of post-graduate education, which will give the higher professional education (master degree, doctorate). There also will be additional courses.
75-100 undergraduates and doctoral students will study here.
In the Academy there will be the Department of Economics and Islamic law; Quran, Sunnah and creed; management of state-religious relations; Arabic language and Literature; the Tatar language and Literature. There also will be the All-Russian Council of ulema, Islamic library.
Not stone but a capsule
Initially, there was information that on 21 May there will be the laying of the first stone in the foundation of the Academy. This news came from Talgat Tadzhuddin.
'On 21 May will be not the laying of the first stone but the capsule,' said Mukhametshin. 'Construction work likely begins in early May, when the snow melts. By that time, there will be a definite part of the foundation.'
One of the issues discussed today remains the emblem of the Academy. Among the proposed ideas — images of an inkwell, a crozier, a turban and a book.