The Bolghar Islamic Academy opened with Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, Turkey's Kazan Consul-General Turhan Dilmaç, Religious Affairs Secretary of Turkey's Moscow Embassy Dursun Aygün, chief mufti of Russia and head of the Central Muslim Spiritual Directorate Talgat Tadzhuddin, President of Russia's Muftis Council Rawil Gaynutdin, Tatarstan's Mufti Kamil Samigullin and other religious leaders in attendance.
The academy will offer six-month Quran courses.
The Bolghar Historical and Archaeological Complex went under restoration and was included on UNESCO's World Heritage Site List last year. "The new academy will raise Islamic scholars not only for Tatarstan, but also Russia's [other] Muslims," Minnikhanov said.
Dilmaç also said two religious lecturers have been sent from Turkey to give Quran courses at the academy. "We are pleased with their efforts. Bolghar will remain both a historical, educational and religious city," he said.
Aygün said Quranic recitation courses will be extended and offered to religious staff in Tatarstan, Bashkortostan and other parts of Russia. An international conference was held with the theme "Religious view of Muslims on the concepts of nation, religion and civilization."
Source: Daily Sabah