KAZAN

Prepared by : Farah Ab Rahman

Introduction

The words likes Juk, Isanmesek, jarar,sa’lam, Khallar nishchek and other still clear and playing in my mind, these words will continue forever in my mind. This all began in 2006, when first time I steps my foot in Kazan. What a great shocked in all aspects. The journey continues in year 2008 in February, but this time I would like to share some thought, knowledge and interesting place here in Kazan. As well as I managed to spent 2 month there and surviving with my little Russian language. Let me breaking the ice about Kazan, Kazan has never been a provincial city; it has always been a capital since its earliest times- the capital of Kazan Khanate in the 15th century, the capital of Kazan Province in the 18th century, and today it is known as the Republic of Tatarstan.

The city which lies on the border of Europe and Asia has always been a connecting link between the West and the East, keeping the traditions of the two great civilizations. Kazan is delight with its impressive Kremlin, mosques, churches and rich museums is a unique tourist’ attraction on the Volga River. As well as not forgotten the great traditional cuisine.
As mention above, Kazan is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, one of the largest economic, scientific and culture centers of Russia. The city which is about 400 sq km with the population of 1.2 mln people of over 100 nationalities is situated on the left bank of the Volga at the place of its confluence with the river Kazanka. In year 2005 Kazan is celebrating its 1000th anniversary. The rich past of the city is connected with the ancient civilization of the Kazan Tatars and theirs direct ancestors- the Volga Boulgars. In fact, the UNESCO Representative Office in the Russian Federation awarded the city of Kazan with a Diploma and Gold Medal “Olive Branch of the World”. Kazan was included in the register of the “World Heritage” cities protected by UNESCO.
Islamic Perspective
“ …..Here Church and Mosque are neighbors and give an amazing example of brotherhood between in the Cross and the Crescent that can be met only in Kazan……” A.Duma
Kazan is a city where two great civilizations meet. Two main religions Orthodoxy and Islam shape the spiritual and cultural life of the city. People of two cultures, the Russia and the Tatar ones live in close collaboration with each other. Kazan is the capital of an original people and a multinational republic.
There are two indigenously-Muslim predominant republics exist in the Volga-Ural region, which are Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. The Republic of Tatarstan is located in the center of the East European. It lies between the Volga and Kama Rivers, and extends east to the Ural Mountains. Its capital city is Kazan (Qazan in Tatar language).According to the All-Russia Population Census of 2002, the total population of Tatarstan is about 3,779,000. The ethnic Tatars constitute 52,9 percent of the total population of the republic, while 39,5 percent are ethnic Russians, also the Russian Federation is home to some 23 million Muslim in the north of the Caucasus and southern republics of Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan.
In 1998, Russia's first Islamic university has been opened in the predominantly Muslim autonomous republic of Tatarstan. The university in the Tatar capital, Kazan, has been founded to provide education for Muslim clerics; it will be ultimately controlled by the federal Ministry of Education in Moscow. The Russian council of muftis co-sponsored the project. Its chairman, Ravil Gainutdin, said the university was one way to protect the country from foreign extremist teachings. The Russian authorities have repeatedly warned in recent years against the spread of militant Islam, particularly on the country's southern fringes.
I am able to spent time there and speak with the student itself, they very friendly and modern.

I am also overwhelmed with the Islamic student, they very analytical in term deliver their thought and spirit….. “We believe that one day Kazan and Tatar people will be the highest ranking in Islamic Civilization as our history before and the history can be reiterated…..” said Sister Gulnaz, she able to communicate in Tatar, Russian, Turkish and also fluent in English language.
Having said that, the Muslims in Russian and former Soviet Union states doesn’t act upon Islam even so that they don’t offer Prayers and keep fasts and they are just Muslims by name, this been confirmed by Brother Damir Vaisovich Mukhetdinov in his live dialog in Islamonline, We bear the burden of 70 years of anti-religious Soviet regime when our parents and grandparents were deprived of opportunity to study religion, to practice religion. It was hardest on Muslim leaders, their children and grandchildren.

He also added, but there are still plenty of people who kept the faith in Islam in their souls throughout these years. These people followed some prescriptions of Islam - du'a, majlis, etc. So the religion remained on the level of tradition and ritual. This is so true, as I am witness myself, in one of the majlis that we attended they still keep religion in traditional ways, they never forgot the basic things like recite Quran (just simple surah such as Al-Fatihah, Al-Kaussar and others) and after that they asking each other about their health, family and what happen surrounding them.

But in recent years millions of Muslims now read prayers 5 times a day keep fast - live in accordance with Sharia laws. In 1990 said by Damir, when he first entered a mosque, there was just one young man beside me. And now there are several thousands of Muslim students.

Young people make 90 % of Muslims filling our mosques in cities and towns. Our children along with Russian and Tatar language now study Arabic. I pray to Allah to give us His support. Hopefully, Russian Muslims will soon be exemplary in their worship, in religious education, said Damir Vaisovich Mukhetdinov.
As for me I am proud of one of my husband cousin, her name is Alsu Sagirova, mashaallah she wearing scarf and practicing Islam, when her visit to Malaysia early 2009 she mention that in performing solat at her University sometimes she have to pray under the stairs. She just started wearing scarf about a year ago. Lets us hope for the bright future for all the Muslim in Russia. She so bless in Malaysia where is freely practicing Islam.

The Islamic element been proven in a tendency to add plastic expressiveness to buildings using some historical elements was embodied in the Kul Sharif mosque which is being built in Kazan. A new and considerably higher level of architectural composition can be observed in the project of the mosque. The rebirth of a style of a capital mosque with many minarets shows that modern original Moslem cult architecture has appeared in Kazan. I will explain further below on this article.
The people living in the Republic of Tatarstan have theirs own language, culture, ancient traditions, and faith. Once can hardly imagine Kazan of the latest centuries without minor ethno confessional groups and their role in the social and culture life of the city. Catholics, Lutherans, Jews have their own temples and history. The existence such diversity of communities has determined the originality of social and cultural life of Kazan for centuries.
This can be proof, with the built of Vselensky Temple or Rehabilitation Centre, which showed the unity of all religion. It has been built by Russian artist Mr. Ildar Khanov in Staroe Arakchino, near in the outskirts/suburbs of Kazan, on the shore of River Volga. The project came out of his envision of a universal religion unifying Russia and the whole World. He financed the entire project and some patients he treats for drug addictions helped in the construction since it began back in 1995. Now 2008 (February) the project is almost completed, the temple or centre will consist of house 16 different religions, an astronomical society, a puppet theater and a school of classical philosophy. I am so amaze with the unique architecture as well as the location in front of beautiful lake surrounding with nature habitat. It worth waiting flying out the door to catch the bus, we surely smiled with confidence after see this amazing centre.

The Vselensky Temple (Rehabilitation center)

Since the times when Islam began spreading at the beginning of prophetical mission of Mukhammed, Muslim, each taken separately or forming various delegations, visited our region. That led to the expansion of trade relations and natural increase in the number of Muslim. By the year 922 on the territory of Volga-Bulgaria (contemporary Tatarstan) Islam had spread in this region and had been voluntarily adopted as an official religion. This was confirmed by historical documents, the notes of Ibn-Fadlan, Secretary of Embassy of Bagdad's caliph Al-Muktadir, which had been found by the historian Zaki Validi in a library of Meshkhed. Such historical development of Islam is extremely important for Tatar people, because it gives the evidence of conscious adoption of Islam as a perfect religion by their ancestors.
At the beginning of the13th century in spite of showing resistance Volga-Bulgaria was captured and devastated by the Mongols. Territories of Bulgaria were forcibly included in the capacity of Ulus into the Golden Horde. But this also had a positive aspect, because due to the efforts of our ancestors, Bulgarian scientists, the Golden Horde became a Moslem state. By the beginning of the 15th century the Golden Horde had broken down into several states the most important and strongest of which was Kazan Khanate (1438-1552). In 1552 Kazan fell under the attack of the troops of Ivan the Terrible in spite of heroic efforts of Moslems headed by the leader of Moslem Clergy Seid (descendant of the Prophet) Kul Sharif to defend the city. Kul Sharif and all his medrese students became shakhids. In their memory Kul Sharif mosque has been recently erected in the territory of Kazan Kremlin. Till the end of the 18th century the Moslem religion had been persecuted, and in 1789 Moslem Religious Board was established by the empress Ekaterina (Catherine) II. Since that time Islam began gaining force, dozens of medreses were established, and there appeared Moslem scientists well-known all over the world, such as Kursavi, Bigiev Fakhretdin, and Mardjani, after whom the first stone cathedral mosque "Mardjani" was named in Kazan. At present there are 158 religious organizations functioning in Kazan. They are Muslim (69), Orthodox (50), Protestant (32), Catholic (2), Judaic (2) and Traditional (3).

Kazan is a center of two religion; Islam and Orthodoxy. The policy of religion tolerance and respect of religious values by representatives of different confessions is implemented in Kazan. A religious was of
thinking, which is characteristics of people living in Kazan and Tatarstan, denotes to their rich spirituality and contributes greatly to a peaceful life in the multinational republic.


Kazan is a historical center

A thousand years ago on the banks of the Ltil River there arose a city which was destined to have played an important role in the world history. The name of the city was Kazan. For over 300 years Kazan used to be an advanced post of the Boulgaria state, forging on its behalf economic, trade and cultural relations with Ancient Russia. During the following hundreds of year it becomes a significant administrative centre of one of the uluses of the Golden Horde with prospering handicraft industry and international trade. From 14738 to 1552 Kazan was the capital of Kazan Khanate.

The history of Kazan Kremlin

There are 759 historic and culture monuments in Kazan, which manintained by the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan. The leading role belongs to Kazan Kremlin, a historical atchitectual complex which was included in the Register of the World Cultural Heritage protected by UNESCO as mention above. The Kremlin is an ancient citadel of Kazan. Its walls and towers remember Boulgar, the warriors of Batir, the Khans of the Golden Horde and Russian Tsars. Kazan Kremlin remains to be the centre of the State system. It is the only in the world Tatar citadel, a southern sample of the pskovsky architectural style in Russia. Starting with the year 1556 Russian stonemasons, supervised by architects I.Shiryaev and P.Yakovlev rebuilt the walls and towers of Kazan Kremlin, haven added some new towers including the Spasskaya Tower, where the official entry to the Kremlin is situated now.

Suyumbike Tower

Suyumbike Tower, bearing a structural difference with the rest of the construction in the Kremlin ensemble, is a striking, most eye-catching architectural sight. The tower is a spiritual symbol and historic pride of Kazan. Suyumbike Tower or the Khan’s Mosque, as it is also called, has an evident Eastern coloring and flavor of mastery about it. The tower was named after the last Kazan tsarina, who as the legend goes, threw herself off the top of the tower after Kazan had been conquered by the Moscow troops.

Kul Sharif Mosque, was another main mosque in Tatarstan and of the Tatar diaspora. The cupola edifice with four minarets symbolically reconstructs once destroyed Al Kabir of the Boulgar town, an ancient symbol of the Volga Islam. The main cupola forms are associated with an image of Kazan head dress, the crown of the Kazan Khans. Lancet arches symbolize yurtas which were the ancient dwelling of the nomadic Turkis. There are two museums in the mosque, the museum of Islamic culture of the Volga region and the museum of ancient manuscripts. Been inside of all the building in Kazan I am so impressed with the wall, that each of them represents history of Kazan.

Education

Kazan is one of the biggest scientific and educational centers of Russia and the second biggest city by the number of students. About 10 000 young people finish secondary schools every year. Approximately 120 thousands study in 30 institutions of higher education and 23 schools and colleges. The Kazan State University, one of the oldest sites of learning of Russia, celebrated its 200th jubilee in 2004. One of the most important peculiarities of education is the possibility to study in one’s native language in accordance with the “Program of Conservation, Learning and Development of Language of people, living in the Kazan city”.
HealthCare
The healthcare system of Kazan implies 120 clinics and dispensaries with the staff numbering more than 15 thousand people. There are a lot of specialized centers, such as oncologic, phthisiological, narcotics, cardiological, endocrinological, paediatrical and other clinics, as well as the Blood Transfusion Centre, and the Emergency Center. The Inter-Regional Center of Clinical Diagnostics was opened in Kazan. Scientific and research institutes of Kazan have been working on the up-to-date problems of clinical medicine. They master advanced methods of cardio- and neurosurgery, ophthalmology, oncology, and endosurgery. The Kazan State Medical University, the Kazan medical Academy and the Medical College provide clinics and dispensaries with qualified personnel.

Being a multinational republic Tatarstan has a calendar of holidays that emerged at different traditions. In 1992 Kurban Bairam ( Hajj celebration) a Muslim religious holiday and Rozhdestvo (Orthodox Chrismas) were included into a register of holidays of the Republic of Tatarstan.

If you are planning to visit Kazan, August 30th is the best selection, this is because they celebrate “The City’s Day”, in this day the citizens of Kazan will gather in the streets of the city clubbing, walking, singing, dancing, and eating traditional food. Hundreds of people are attracted to Kazan Hippodrome, where horse-races are held on the day of celebrations. Amateur art bands performances and pop-stars concerts are followed by magnificent night fireworks. On the day the atmosphere of festive moods fills all the districts and streets of the city. The holiday us dearly loved by the citizens of Kazan.

Last but not least, I am so enjoyed with variety of Tatar cuisine or Russian food in general. There is Traditional tart dishes are etchpotchmak, kistibiy, peremyach which area kind pf pies. An etchpotchmak is a pie in a form of a triangle stuffed with minced meat, pieces with potatoes and unions. Tatar cuisine is rich in food made from sweet dough such as tchelpek, talkish kaleve, of of my favariote is called “Tchak-tchak” is so sweet floor cover with honey (that can be easily been found in the market). Traditionally tea with dried fruit is served in Tatar houses. Drinking tea is a family tradition of the Tatar, they sometimes spend an hour or more in enjoying their Tea.

There are not so many cities in the world, which have many-centered history. Today Kazan is entering a new epoch, the epoch of renaissance of the greatest ancient values of mankind. Kazan is a centre, opened to the whole world, a city of infrastructure and the richest cultural and historical heritage.
As mention in the early article, here I can summarized that Kazan, one of the biggest and most important cultural and industrial centers on the Volga River, with a population nearing 1.2 million made up of 77 different ethnic groups, is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, which in 1994 was the first of the former republic of the Russian Federation to sign a bilateral treaty with Russia, thus showing the way to create a new Federation on the basis of mutual agreement and voluntary partnership.
In future endeavor I sincerely hope that the rich history and poetical images to be found in this country will remain and never been forgotten by young generation in the future. Insyallah, in near future I hope to return again to Kazan.





Reference:

http://aboutkazan.com/kazan-russia-muslim-mosques-list.shtml

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&pagename=Zone-English-Muslim_Affairs%2FMAELayout&cid=1229319098125’

Kazan 1005-2005, Special Management Department on preparation for the 1000th anniversary of foundation of Kazan