On the 30th day of the month of Rabi al-Akhir (October 22), the Forum of Teachers of Muslim Educational Institutions began its work in Kazan, bringing together more than 350 teachers from mosque-based courses across all regions of Tatarstan.

The opening ceremony started with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran. Then, representatives of religious, governmental, and educational bodies addressed the participants with welcoming speeches.

Deputy Mufti of Tatarstan Ravil hazrat Zuferov greeted the participants on behalf of Mufti of Tatarstan Kamil hazrat Samigullin. He emphasized the crucial role of teachers in educating the younger generation and shaping society as a whole:

“It is a responsible and challenging mission that you carry out, overcoming difficulties and striving to benefit our ummah. Praise be to Allah — today we have many opportunities to spread knowledge: mosques are being opened and renovated, numerous books are being published, and educational websites are being developed. All this is a great blessing from the Almighty.”

Askar Gatin, Chief Advisor of the Department for State-Confessional Relations at the Office for Internal Policy of the Republic of Tatarstan, highlighted the importance of constructive dialogue between the state and religious institutions:

“It is important to resolve emerging issues together with the Muftiate so they do not accumulate and escalate. Special attention should be paid to legal aspects in the operation of educational institutions — laws and regulations are meant not to restrict but to organize activities and ensure their sustainability.”

Support for moral and educational initiatives was also expressed by Alsou Sharipova, Head of the Department of National Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tatarstan:

“The government actively supports and welcomes initiatives aimed at enlightening the public and promoting moral education. Today, each of you received a wonderful book by Kayum Nasyri, ‘The Book of Education,’ published by the Tatar Book Publishing House. For the past six months, the ‘Minbar’ Theater led by Ilyas Khalikov has been touring all over the republic, fostering love for our culture and morality while promoting the ideals of high ethics in society.”

Suleyman Rakhimov, Deputy Head of the Executive Committee of the World Congress of Tatars and Head of the Committee on National Education, Culture, and Sports, also addressed the participants, stressing the importance of learning and teaching in the native Tatar language.

Foreign guests shared the experiences of their countries in applying innovative teaching methods.
Dr. Faez Seif, a member of the General Secretariat of the Council for Religious Affairs of Lebanon, spoke about the development of Islamic education amid digital transformation.
Jobir Elov, Head of the Muslim Administration of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the Bukhara Region and Rector of the Mir Arab Higher Madrasah, discussed academic cooperation among Islamic universities as a foundation for the advancement of Islamic education.

During the plenary session, an awards ceremony honored teachers and staff of religious educational institutions. Instructors of mosque-based courses who made a significant contribution to the education of the younger generation and the teaching of Islamic disciplines received medals and letters of appreciation from the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan (DUM RT).

Throughout the first day of the Forum, participants discussed key issues in modern Islamic education: digital transformation, academic collaboration between Islamic universities, teaching methodology of the Arabic language for Russian- and Tatar-speaking students, the social role of mosque-based courses, and legal and organizational aspects of implementing educational programs.

Particular interest was drawn to master classes on licensing educational programs and developing a federal Arabic language curriculum for schoolchildren, as well as sessions on social service in Islam, Islamic banking, and the use of modern pedagogical technologies in mosque-based teaching.

Source: dumrt.ru