Mektebe (maktab) "Ikhsan" ("a place for sincere diligence in worship of the Almighty") — a Sunday school at the Cathedral Mosque.
Nature of the institution
"Ikhsan" may be considered the principal mektebe of Nizhny Novgorod Region, as it began operating immediately after the opening of the restored Cathedral Mosque, which took place in 1991.
History
In the early 1990s, the number of pupils at the mektebe attached to the Cathedral Mosque reached 40; classes were held in the mosque building — in galleries above the prayer hall that had been converted into classroom-chapels.
Among the first teachers at the mosque's Sunday school were Idrisov Umar Yusipovich, Rustam Batrov, and Nursyana-khanum Izmaylova. From 1999, the Mektebe "Ikhsan" was reformed and came under the leadership of Damir Mukhetdinov.
The mektebe has borne the name "Ikhsan" since 2003. The Sunday school offers instruction in the following subjects: fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), aqida (Islamic creed), akhlaq (Islamic ethics), hadith studies (the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him), Quran (recitation of the Holy Quran), and tafsir (translation and interpretation of the meaning of Quranic suras).
Activities
Students include people of all ages, nationalities, and faiths. Instruction is free of charge and lasts four years. Around one hundred people study at the Mektebe "Ikhsan" each year. The Nizhny Novgorod Islamic Theater operates under the auspices of "Ikhsan." The directors of the Mektebe "Ikhsan" were: Liliya Arifulina from 2002 to 2005, Galiya Minyazhetdinova from 2005 to 2006, and Abdulbari-khazrat Muslimov from 2007.
The teaching staff of the Mektebe "Ikhsan" is continually renewed, and today it includes many young yet already experienced instructors. Teachers at "Ikhsan" include: Abdulbari-khazrat Muslimov, Akhmet-khazrat Abdullin, Elvira Arifulina, Alsu Nasipova, Liliya Nasipova, and others.
Today more than 100 people study at the mektebe. Not only Muslims but also representatives of other faiths come to study. Due to the large number of applicants, classes are held not only on Sundays but also on Saturdays. Upon completing their studies, graduates of the mektebe receive certificates.
Press
An interview with "Ikhsan" director Liliya Arifulina, "Ikhsan — a school of morality," published in the newspaper Medina al-Islam, no. 1, October 2004 (the current director is Abdulbari-khazrat Muslimov).