Mosques of Tatarstan

Today in any district of our Republic one can admire magnificent ensembles of mosques, which are striking illustrations of spiritual revival of the people. These temples of faith adorn the towns and villages, call people for their sources, truth and essence.

Indeed, mosques are a pleasure to the eye, they adorn our reality. But a mosque must attract our attention not only with its image and shape, but also with its highly erudite imams, its madrasahs, bringing the light of faith. Today mosques are especially important as the centres which unite its Moslem parishes, giving the education of highly moral standards to the youth. Our prophet Mohammed said: “With what aim the mosques were built, with that one they act”. If with every visit to a mosque our faith and morals are getting stronger and the soul is clearing, that means that mosques are not only a phenomenon in our spiritual rebirth, but a very important link in this process. Since the end of the 18th century, when the Russian tsarism permitted its subjects-Moslems to build mosques, the Tatar world rose to a new stage of development. The door from the spiritual twilight opened into the bright world of the true faith. Soon after that madrasahs in mosques became real scientific centres and enlightement organizations. We have a right to be proud of our mosques which reflect antiquity of the people, their joy and sorrows, vivid pages of their spiritual life. The heart is bleeding at seeing some empty mosques. If they began performing their main duties, the spiritual situation in the society, beyond all doubt, would change for the best, negative phenomena would subside and spiritual heritage of our forefathers would be restored. And the main responsibility of the mosque is to mention more often the name of Allah .

“Mosques are the places where the name of Allah Tahala is mentioned many times.”

The Koran did not disregard the question of construction of mosques: “The mosques of Allah can be built only by people who believe in Allah and the judgement-day. They read namaz (the Mohammedan prayer), give sadaka (alms) and are afraid only of Allah Tahala”, is said in the 18th ayat of the “Tauba” sura.

“With each bow turn your faces to Allah Tahala and appeal to him from the bottom of your heart, entreat him, adhere to your faith only to be in accord with him”, is said in the 29th ayat of the “Agraf” sura. That is true that the mosques are the home of Allah. That is why one should enter the mosque, leave it and pray in it in the way God tells us. “Indeed, mosques belong to Allah, that is why don't appeal to anyone with the prayer equal to that to Allah”, tells the 18th ayat of the “Gin” sura.