Students from different parts of Russia and abroad, language laboratories with the opportunity of individual learning, signs in the Tatar and Arabic languages, the Braille writing system, a separate reading room, a special approach to people with disabilities, light classrooms and cozy corridors, modern equipment and historical spirit of the place that has brought up several generations of Muslim Turkic intelligentsia. It is hard to imagine that all this describes one of the most ancient madrasah in Russia and Tatarstan, which seems to have found its second wind. This is about the Mukhammadiya madrasah, which opened its doors again this year to all who want to receive religious knowledge and immerse themselves into the culture and history of Islam.
Immersion into the history of the madrasah
The Mukhammadiya madrasah is one of the most ancient Islamic educational institutions in Russia. Its history dates back to 1882, when father of Galimzhan Barudi Muhammedjan, a prominent religious figure and enlightener, decided to establish a one-storey stone building. Thanks to his efforts, the Mukhammadiya madrasah became widely known not only in the country, but also among all Turkic peoples around the world. Famous madrasah graduates include Galiaskar Kamal, Karim Tinchurin, Salikh Saydashev, Fatih Amirkhan, Naki Isanbet, Majit Gafuri, Fathi Burnash, Baki Urmanche and other outstanding figures of the Tatar people.
Initially the madrasah was one-storey. Three years later, Saydashev added the second floor, and a year later, in 1886, merchant Utyamishev built the third one. In 1901 a three-storey annex was erected. In 1909 the complex was joined by a one-storey building of the Sagitov madrasah, which was located next door. Unfortunately, both buildings were in rather poor condition and lost their architectural and historical features.
In 1891, with the introduction of new method teaching, secular subjects as mathematics, geography, natural history, Russian, etc. appeared. At the same time there was an urgent need to train qualified teachers, and in 1907 pedagogical courses were opened for this purpose on 2 May. The Mukhammadiya madrasah eventually turned into a multi-grade madrasah, where students were trained for 2 years. In 1913 the education radically changed and became 14-year. Education at the madrasah comprised: 5 years of primary education (Ibtidaya), 6 years of secondary education (Sanaviya), 3 years of higher education (Galiya) and a final course, as well as 1 year of preparatory courses, not included in the education system.
Over the 36 years of its existence, the madrasah graduated more than a thousand students and provided them with a primary, secondary and higher spiritual education. The Mukhammadiya madrasah left its bright trace in the history of Tatar enlightenment, giving famous scholars in the field of secular science, culture, economics and politics.
The madrasah, where up to 500 students studied, had its own strong teaching staff. Thus, in 1906 there were about 20 teachers, along with a few assistants. In the academic year 1913-1914, the teaching staff of the Mukhammadiya madrasah consisted of 20 people.
Restoration and second life of the madrasah
In 2020, it was decided to start repair and restoration works in the madrasah educational building. Wall and ceiling cladding was dismantled, partition walls were dismantled, the ceiling was thermo-soundproofed and the basement was excavated, and many other kinds of works were done.
As a result of the repair and restoration work, the building now houses seven classrooms, two classrooms for people with reduced mobility, two teachers’ rooms, a prayer hall, a reading hall, two language laboratories, two IT rooms, a cloak room and a restroom. In addition to it, the entire academic building is equipped with new furniture, computers and training equipment.
Restoration work is not finished yet, but today the Mukhammadiya madrasah is already an organic blend of the history, the spirit of our ancestors’ time and the latest technical achievements.
Now students are already rushing to study upwards the same old staircase, absorbing knowledge in the walls that have preserved the spirit of that time, while making use of the latest technology. The combination of the ancient, rich heritage of the Tatar people with modern trends makes the madrasah unique by its nature, with perhaps no counterparts in the whole Russia.
As far as the educational process is concerned, lessons are conducted in the Tatar language. At the moment there are already two levels of education in the madrasah – 3 and 5 years. It is planned to keep them in the future. Thus, the Mukhammadiya University will offer secondary specialized and higher education.
What will the Mukhammadiya madrasah be like in the nearest future?
There were, of course, weekly meetings with all the parties involved in the restoration work. The base building has not changed; it remains the same. However, more changes will take place in the nearest future. For instance, the old building needs to be completed and expanded as students need accommodation.
To date, the first stage of the reconstruction has been completed. The next step is to return the madrasah its status of a higher educational institution. In the future, the madrasah will receive the status and the name of Kazan Islamic University ‘Mukhammadiya’. It is planned to turn the madrasah into a fully-fledged educational centre, so that it could also house a Quran Hafiz school.
Ilmira Gafiyatullina
Photo: Creative Commons