On May 3, teachers and students of the Bolgar islamic academy completed an internship at the Bilad Al Sham university (Damascus).

In the course of working meetings with the heads of several Islamic educational institutions, the sides understood the need to expand cooperation both in the field of Islamic education and in scientific and theological research. Syrian colleagues expressed readiness to exchange experience in the field of preserving and studying islamic heritage. According to Ruslan Sayakhov, interm vice rector for research at Bolgar academy, the Syrian specialists are planning to visit the academy soon and take part in the V International Bolgar Forum “Theological Heritage of Muslims in Russia”.

As part of the internship, representatives of the Academy were also able to familiarise themselves with the organisation of the research activities of the shariah faculty at the University of Damascus, which is celebrating its centennial anniversary this year. In particular, a group of the Academy’s faculty and students were invited to a seminar to discuss a master’s research plan in hadith studies and attended the defence of a master’s thesis on islamic finance.

“We were given the opportunity to review the master’s and doctoral dissertations defended at the Ahmad Kiftaro educational complex in recent decades. It is noteworthy that up to 40% of the master’s theses are devoted to theological and textual analysis of texts. This indicates a high attention to the preservation and revival of the theological heritage. This approach corresponds with the vision of the Bolgar islamic academy,” said Ruslan Sayakhov.

A significant event for the Academy delegation was a conversation with the renowned Syrian theologian, Dr Muhammad Tawfiq Ramadan al-Boutiy, Professor at the faculty of shariah sciences, university of Damascus.

“The theological heritage of the peoples of Russia represents a priceless trove of wisdom. It should be kept in golden chests, and the best specialists should study these works, who could give new life to these works”, Sheikh Al-Butiy stressed.

The internship ended with a meeting with the leadership of the Ahmad Kiftaro science and education complex and the awarding of certificates of completion by the minister of endowments (awqaf) of Syria, Mohammed Abdessattar Al-Sayed.

It is worth noting that during the seminars and lectures, the Academy’s master’s students demonstrated a good level of Arabic language proficiency and high knowledge of Muslim theology, which was noted by representatives of the Syrian side.

The second group, which includes Rustem Gilmutdinov, assistant rector, Marat Timurshin, head of doctoral studies department at department of science, and doctoral students of the Academy, will have an internship at Damascus university in the first half of May this year.