The Makhinur Madrasa is a religious professional educational institution providing Islamic secondary vocational education in Nizhny Novgorod, operating within the structure of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Nizhny Novgorod Region (DUMNO).[1] Its registered address is Nizhny Novgorod, Kazanskaya Naberezhnaya, 6A — within the complex of Cathedral Mosque;[1] in practice, the madrasa is located at 82 Zheleznodorozhnaya Street, Dzerzhinsk.[1]

History of Founding

From the moment the Nizhny Novgorod Cathedral Mosque was returned to Muslims in 1988, a Sunday school began operating within it; classes were held on the second floor of the mosque.[1][2] The Makhinur Madrasa was established by DUMNO on the initiative of the chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Nizhny Novgorod Region, Idrisov Umar Yusipovich.[1] On October 29, 1994, the madrasa opened in a separate building constructed next to the mosque.[1][2] The institution's first director was Damir Vaisovich Mukhetdinov.[1] Since February 2018, the position of director has been held by Rafek Nazhipovich Timerbayev — a graduate of the Makhinur Madrasa, the Moscow Islamic Institute, and the Kazan Islamic Institute.[1]

Educational Activities

The madrasa offers training in two specializations: imam-khatib and teacher of the fundamentals of Islam.[1] Both full-time and evening (part-time) study formats are available; a distance-learning format was introduced in 2006.[1] The academic year at the Makhinur Madrasa begins on October 1.[3] Enrollment is based on an interview and is free of charge; young men and women of the Islamic faith are invited to apply.[3] Upon completing the course, graduates receive the qualification of "cleric-preacher" and a diploma of the established form.[3] Graduation ceremonies at the Makhinur Madrasa are held at the Cathedral Mosque in Dzerzhinsk.[4] Fourth-year students in all departments complete practical placements at mosques in various regions of Russia.[4] In cooperation with Lobachevsky University, an "Islamic Studies" program has been running since 1999, through which madrasa instructors introduce students of the NNGU Faculty of International Relations to the fundamentals of Islam.[1] The Faizkhanov Research Institute was subsequently added to the program.[1] Islamic readings with the participation of madrasa instructors are held for students of the NNGU History Faculty, cadets of the Interior Ministry Academy, and teachers of general-education schools.[1] The madrasa regularly organizes professional development courses for imams and also initiates academic and practical conferences and seminars.[1] The madrasa library holds more than 20,000 volumes, including reprint editions from the 19th and early 20th centuries, publications in Arabic, Persian, and Tatar, and literature on history, political science, art, and philosophy.[1]

Structure and Subordinate Institutions

The Makhinur Madrasa coordinates the activities of a number of religious education institutions in Nizhny Novgorod Region.[1] Since 2003, the Islamic Sunday schools affiliated with the madrasa have been officially designated maktabs (Islamic elementary schools); the original Sunday school at the cathedral mosque has borne the name "Ikhsan" since the same year.[1][2] The madrasa's structure includes six mektebs: "Rashida" in the selo of Medyana, "Arafat" in Dzerzhinsk, "Ikhsan," "Iman," and "Islam" in Nizhny Novgorod.[1] In addition, the madrasa unites more than ten summer Muslim educational schools.[1]

Links

Sources

  1. new.dumrf.ru — Islamic Madrasa "Makhinur" (archive)
  2. Wikipedia (ru) — Nizhny Novgorod Cathedral Mosque (archive)
  3. V gorode N — Nizhny Novgorod madrasa enrolling students (archive)
  4. mahinur.ru — Islamic Madrasa "Makhinur," Dzerzhinsk (archive)