EVERYBODY'S BLOOD IS RED

and We Have Nothing to Share

EVERYBODY'S BLOOD IS RED,

The first thing that is striking when you meet the person is his energy. The impression is that he can be present in different places at the same time. He speaks fast, and it seems that he thinks even faster. Gusman Khazret Iskhakov, Mufti and Rector of the Russian Islamic University, is a very, very busy person. That is why, «apologizing so much to esteemed journalists», he requests them first to communicate with this assistant Abdurashid Khazret Zakhirov, Prorector for Educational Issues of the same institution.

— Abdurashid Khazret, tell us about the Islamic University. When was it established, on whose initiative, and what subjects are taught now at the University?

— It occurred in March 1998, when Gusman Khazret, the new Mufti, decided to set up a university in a former mosque. In the fall of 1998, we enrolled students to the Shariat Department, drew up the curriculum with its schedule, and started working. I mean, we started more or less large-scale activities. The initiative sprang from both leaders of the republic and the clergy. The principal aim was to train domestic Islamic scientists, religion experts, and spiritual activists possessing both religious and worldly knowledge. That defined the nature of our activities. Mostly religious Islamic subjects are taught here, although during the graduate years we study other confessions as well. Additional are secular subjects, such as languages (Tatar, Arabic, Russian and English). From the first year, they teach informatics, history of Russia and Tatarstan, psychology, and pedagogics. On top of that, history of religion, philosophy, rhetoric and other humanities.

— For how many years is the University?

— It is a baccalaureate, for four years. As to the diploma, we have yet to clarify things with the state, the Russian Ministry of Education. We would like to issue both our own and state diplomas. However, they tell us they cannot give us the right to issue a secular diploma to a religious educational institution, because religion in Russia is separated from the state. We have either to train religious activists or to teach by secular guidelines. However, it is not only us who wishes to issue two diplomas, Christian educational institutions, seminaries, they want it two.

— Is it possible for ethnic Russians, non-Moslems, to study here?

— Neither non-Moslems nor atheists. The University Charter has it that a person that wants to study, work or do something here (even the service personnel) must know and obey the Islamic principles. Men and women working here have to dress according to Islamic requirements. However, the rules are not very strict.

— Which foreign universities you support close contacts with?

— We try to maintain contacts with universities and other educational institutions that are close to us in spirit, requirements and direction. Currently, we support contacts with two universities: one of them is in Jordan, we were there two years ago and trained in the Arabic, both students and teachers. True, Christians and Moslems study there together. That is a non-state university, but there are religious and secular departments. Last year, two Doctors arrived and taught here. We feel a shortage of high-level teachers in religious sciences, and this is the way out of the situation. Our undergraduate students are trained now at Cairo University. That is one of the world-oldest universities, it is very big. Both religious and secular education is strong there.

— What do you think about the fact that during the last years, in connection, for instance, with events in Chechnya and New York, Islam is regarded as associated with terrorism?

— You know, we study Islam by its sources, and we can be certain that terrorism cannot be related to the true Islam. As to the people that call themselves Moslems but solve some other problems, and, it is likely, meet someone else's orders, every one of them is responsible for his or her own actions, but we cannot consider them as true Moslems. We believe that if someone did something, if there is an accusation, there must be proof. Just like that, without proof, to create such an image and use it for some ideological purposes — we already passed it in Soviet times, and that is dangerous in principle. Some people want to separate the civilization into two parts, the Moslems and the rest of the world, but that will bring about nothing good. We do distinguish people neither by their skin color nor by their ethnic origin, nor by their social status. I mean, our idea is that Islam has been sent down for all human beings. We have no prejudice that ethnic Russians, or Chuvashs, or someone else are not worth our religion and cannot follow its requirements. Any person recognizing in principle the existence of Islam is regarded by us as a potential brother. This peace-making attitude has always been in Islam.

Gusman Khazret Iskhakov joined our talk at the moment, and I asked him:

— What is the difference between a true Moslem living in Kazan and a Moslem living in another country?

— I can give an example. Before I became a Mufti, I was a mosque imam in Bashkiria and the Rector of my first University. At the time, I went to the Emirates for assistance, textbooks or construction of a new building. That was in the early 1990s. In Islam University, I met the Rector and told him how we live and survive here. I told him that we had been illiterate in terms of religion for 70 years but preserved our mosques. The Rector listened to me attentively and told: «You know, if we take you alone or any other Russian Moslem like you, take ten our sheikhs, and put you all on the balance, you alone will have more weight that our sheikhs. In terms of both enthusiasm and spirit». Another Arab told me: «If we were to pass through 70 years of such communism, of such persecution, I do not know whether we could preserve ourselves as you did». In Saudi Arabia and other Moslem countries, there are 99 percent of Moslems. They were born Moslems, they live as Moslems. Even if you do not want to pray, you cannot fail praying: everyone prays, and you follow suit. It is not possible to fast or make a sin. However, when one sees naked women everywhere, one must have willpower, faith, conviction and fear of the Almighty. I think, a Russian Moslem, if he fasts, prays, and fears the Almighty, that is his strength. The Moslems living in Central Russia have to survive and preserve their religion, but, on the other hand, they must not offend feelings of other believers. Here is some subtlety, some politics, and some diplomacy. Certain Central Asian republics, such as Kazakhstan, Tadzhikistan or Uzbekistan, could have preserved it to the end, but, regrettably, they have not done so. You see, some turned away Tatars, others turned away Russians. We, Tatars, Russian Moslems, live side by side with representatives of other confessions, we do not touch anything that is not ours, but we do not give away what is ours. This is our feature. Moreover, the main point is the wisdom of our grandfathers and grand-grandfathers. Knowledge is one thing, wisdom is another thing. Wisdom and knowledge are like two wings of the bird. Such indulgence or tolerance as seen in Tatarstan can be found nowhere else.

— Are there any problems in your University? In particular, do you feel any financial problems?

— The problem of finance is present everywhere in Russia, and anyone who wants to maintain such premises, 5000 square meters, and everything else, and pay salaries, has to manage things. I think the main problem is finance. When we opened, they started inviting us to foreign Islamic universities, and we began signing contracts with them. They saw our good future, although we are still weak as compared with them. We started in a small mosque, there were eighteen students; fourteen of them are undergraduates now. We are proud of the fact that the President mentions us. We would like the authorities to help us as well. I do not mean they do not help us now, they helped us in the restoration work, but walls is one thing and the very essence, politics is another thing. In other Moslem educational institutions, maybe, there are no such conditions as we have set here. We are training students of eight or nine ethnic origins from twenty-two Russian regions. They are Chechens, Dagestanis, Uzbeks, Tadzhiks, and children from mixed marriages with Russians. I am happy that they are here. When a person starts to know the East, his scope of vision, perception, attitude, respect for people become different.

— Is it possible to say that your activities are an example for other Russian Moslems?

— Exactly, because Tatarstan, whether we want it or not, is a spiritual, moral center for Russian Tatars. Coexistence without conflicts has been possible here. We have things to show. We want our graduates to be a valuable religious activist and to be a Man, to be proud of saying that he is a Moslem, that he is Russian.

— Are you satisfied with Moslems living in the Republic of Tatarstan? Is their behavior good?

— I cannot say I am not satisfied with them, I am dissatisfied with myself, with the fact that we have been doing too little. You know, they have to be brought up. We must do more for them. Three generations have been religiously illiterate, and that is not their guilt. Our children have to be poorer than we are, and a religious educational institution is needed for that. We have to struggle against extremism and terrorism through correct religious education. One should not make advances to Islam or offend believers' fine feelings. In Tatarstan, you will not see any mutual offences, because everybody's blood is red, and we have nothing to share.

Mikhail DOVZHENKO