On December 23, the first graduates of the master’s program in “Theology” were awarded diplomas at the Bolgar Islamic Academy.

Acting Rector Aynur Timerkhanov congratulated the graduates. He noted that it was a significant event in the history of the Bolgar Islamic Academy.

“The task of training specialists in secular fields was laid down in the Academy’s development strategy. Our main mission is to unite the Muslim ummah of our country on the basis of the revival and development of the domestic school of Islamic theology. We realize this task through preparing highly qualified and competitive religious figures and scientists-theologians, designed to make up the personnel elite of our country, “– said Timerhanov.

The acting rector emphasized that not only religious figures and theologians with deep religious knowledge come out of the Academy, but also specialists who are well versed in the cultural, political and economic agenda of the country and are able to defend the interests of Russian society. 

“The success of our Academy in this area is also due to the obtaining of a license to conduct educational activities in the “Theology” field at the level of the master’s program. You are the first graduates of this program, and you will go down in the history of the Academy forever. 7 out of 10 students successfully completed the program. The results of final exams and defense of graduate qualification works prove it,” the acting rector added.

According to Aynur Timerkhanov, in the future the leadership and teaching staff of the Academy face the task of expanding opportunities for students to receive a secular education in areas such as philology, religious studies, history, philosophy, cultural studies, etc. Also in his speech the head of the Academy Emphasized the necessity of closer and more effective cooperation with the secular higher educational institutions, the Academy’s partners.

In conclusion, the acting Rector expressed his hope that the Academy graduates would become worthy leaders in the Muslim community of the country and make a great contribution to institutional strengthening of the Muslim Ummah, to the harmonization of international and interfaith relations in the country, as well as to the development of humanitarian relations between Russia and the Islamic world.

Associate Professor Tahir Aminov, Associate Professor of Pedagogy at Akmulla Bashkir State University, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, underlined that today’s event can rightly be called a great achievement of the Bolgar Islamic Academy:

“This is a great achievement of all the teachers, your supervisors. The significance of your work includes two aspects. First, education develops a person in many ways, helps to transfer one’s competencies to life and future professional paths. Secondly, we are talking about the socially important aspect of your common work: both the Masters students and the entire Academy.”

Sheikh Ismail Bolbol, Professor of the Academy, addressed his wishes to the graduates. According to him, today’s event is a vivid evidence of the Academy’s progress.

“Almighty Allah created us for worship, and gaining knowledge is one of the ways of worship, and our graduates have grasped the essence of this concept,” the sheikh noted.

Doctor of Philosophy, Professor Ali Academy Vyacheslav Polosin and head of the Theology Department Svetlana Aidarova addressed warm words of congratulations to the graduates.

Malik Lyukhurov and Bulat Raupov spoke on behalf of the graduates, who thanked the Academy’s faculty and management for the opportunity to receive a quality education.

“Within the walls of the Academy we received important Islamic knowledge from sheikhs, you accompanied us in this knowledge, taught us methodology, taught us to distinguish the main from the secondary,” Malik Luhurov said.

At the end of the solemn ceremony, Acting Rector of the Academy Aynur Timerkhanov handed diplomas to the graduates. Two students – Malik Lyukhurov and Dmitry Nekrasov – graduated with honors.

Giving his advice to the graduates, Ainur Timerkhanov wished them every success in serving the Muslim Ummah and the country.