By Damir Ahmad, IOL Correspondent
KAZAN, June 21, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Celebrating the 1000th anniversary of its establishment, the capital of the former Soviet republic of Tatarstan is organizing an international contest for the memorization and recitation of the Noble Qur'an.
"This is the first-ever international Qur'an competition in Tatarstan," Ayaz Mingaleev, the deputy chairman of the Muslim Religious Board of Tatarstan, told IslamOnline.net on Tuesday, June 21.
Taking part in the two-day contest are 60 competitors, including 25 who memorize the Noble Qur'an by heart, from several former Soviet republics.
"Delegations from Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kirgiziya, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Russia are vying in the competition," Mingaleev said.
The jury is made up of renowned scholars from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait.
In addition to valuable prizes, the winner will get the chance to recite the Noble Qur'an during the opening ceremony of the Qul Sharif mosque on June 24.
Promoting Ties
The competition is held under the auspices of President Mintimer Shaymiev and the Secretary General of the Muslim World League Dr Abdullah Ibn Abdul Mohsin Al-Turki.
Among dignitaries showing up for the gala are Sheikh Ravil Gainutdinov, the head of the Council of Muftis of Russia and Kamil Iskhakov, Kazan governor, as well as a number of muftis of the Russian provinces.
"The competition is mainly organized to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the establishment of the capital Kazan," Mingaleev said.
"It also aims at encouraging more Russian Muslims to memorize the Noble Qur'an as well as promoting ties between fellow Muslims," he added.
Tatarstan has been organizing local Qur'an competitions every year since 2000.
In 2003, a department for the Qur'an memorization was opened in the Russian Islamic University (RIU) Kazan.
Tatarstan is situated in the centre of the Russian Federation on the East-European Plain at the confluence of the two greatest rivers - the Volga and the Kama.
Since the early days of Islam, individual Muslims and delegations visited the region of Volga-Bulgaria, today's Tatarstan.
By the year 922, Islam had spread in the region and had been adopted as an official religion.
At the beginning of the 13th century, Volga-Bulgaria was captured by the Mongols and forcibly included into the Golden Horde.
By the beginning of the 15th century, the Golden Horde, which by then was a Muslim state, had broken down into several states, the strongest of which was Kazan Khanate.
In 1552, Kazan fell to the invading troops of Ivan the Terrible and Islam was persecuted until the end of the 18th century.