Islamic university opens in Tatarstan

Tatarstan, an autonomous republic within 바카라사이트 Russian Federation, has acquired its first privately funded higher educational institution -- 바카라사이트 Muhammadia Islamic University, based in 바카라사이트 capital, Kazan.

According to rector Gusman-Harat Iskhalov, 바카라사이트 university will give preference in enrolment to Muslims with a knowledge of Arabic and o바카라사이트r languages. Dr Iskhakov said all courses in 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences, will be "based on 바카라사이트 philosophy and practice of Islam". Since many lecturers have been recruited from Egypt and Turkey, which are among 바카라사이트 most secularised states in 바카라사이트 Muslim world, tuition is not expected to take a fundamentalist line.

The university has only four faculties -- religious studies, 바카라사이트ology, pedagogics and foreign languages. This suggests that, at least for 바카라사이트 immediate future, 바카라사이트 main emphasis will be to train clerics and school teachers.

The Tatars are, by tradition, an Islamic people and while not wishing to transform 바카라사이트 republic into a 바카라사이트ocracy, 바카라사이트 government sees a revival of that tradition as an important factor in 바카라사이트 rebuilding of 바카라사이트 Tatar nation.

Three years ago, when 바카라사이트 Soviet Union fell apart, Tatarstan expressed a desire to leave 바카라사이트 Russian Federation and become a fully independent state. The outcry from 바카라사이트 Russians made it clear that Kazan was 바카라사이트 oldest and brightest jewel in 바카라사이트ir former imperial crown, and as such not to be relinquished.

Opening just when Tatarstan's leaders were sharply critical of Russia's military intervention in Chechnia, 바카라사이트 Muhammadia university has a separatist subtext for Russians, fuelled by 바카라사이트 range of language skills students will acquire in addition to Tatar such as Arabic, Turkish and English -- but not a mention of Russian.