Raffle tickets and group penance at Holy Bolgar Gathering
The celebration of the official adoption of Islam becomes part of the cultural programme of the 15th Russia — Islamic World: KazanForum International Economic Forum.
“Group penance prayer”
The date of the Holy Bolgar Gathering dedicated to the official day of adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria shifted from 21 May to 19 May this year: the event will take place as part of the cultural programme of the 15th Russia — Islamic World: Kazan Forum International Economic Forum, which will be in Kazan from 14 to 19 May.
A group penance prayer, which will as usual take place near the Small Minaret, will become the main part of the Holy Bolgar Gathering.
The author of the idea and Chairman of the Main Muslim Religious Directorate Hazrat Talgat Tajuddin will host it. The supreme mufti is expected to address the Muslims calling them upon sincere penance and reading a prayer to God asking him to forgive sins and be merciful. The event will be large: the mufti of Tatarstan and religious centres of districts, all imams of Tatarstan and the Main Muslim Religious Directorate, students, guests of the KazanForum International Economic Forum, participants in the Russian Forum of Tatar Religious Activists and others will gather there.
“The group penance prayer will become the main goal of this Muslim forum in Bolgar in the future. This will allow strengthening the religious components of the event and attract a bigger number of Muslims,” First Vice Mufti Hazrat Ilfar Khasanov expressed his confidence.
No stamp, no ticket
A Hajj ticket raffle among spouses will take place at the celebration. People will have to show a marriage registry stamp in their passport to get one out of three tickets for two. The registration desk will check them.
The raffle will consist of two stages. First, 15 families will be randomly chosen, they will receive religious literature. Then the three tickets will be distributed. The Tatarstan Muslim Religious Directorate funds it.
Concert and contests
As Vice Culture Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Damir Natfullin said, this year visitors will be able to see Rizaetdin Fakhretdin — Scientist and Theologian exhibition. A medieval ink production and Arabic calligraphy master classes will be at the Museum of Writing. A festive concert with religious representatives will be held on the main stage. Also, national wrestling and a unique horse riding game will be demonstrated in the event.
“Everything will depend on the weather, but in any case we expect over 20,000 participants to come to the Holy Bolger Gathering this year,” noted Damir Natfullin.