Kul-Sharif minarets with Crescents

On October 5, the fourth major minaret of the cathedral mosque Kul-Sharif was topped with a Crescent. The event attracted some thousands residents from all over the republic, including about a thousand of imams, madrasah rectors, faithful Muslims, atheists and even orthodox Christians.

Mufti of Tatarstan Gusman khazrat Iskhakov opened the grand ceremony.

Greeting the meeting, President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev called the erection of Kul-Sharif mosque an event for all Muslims. The destiny of the mosque is the destiny of the people, he said. Kul-Sharif was destroyed, but its spirit, its background was alive - and it is being revived together with people's expectations. Let its life be long and those times of trouble and ordeals never come back. The President is sure that revival of Islam in Tatarstan will never be used for radical purposes. He thanked all citizens of the republic, builders, who had contributed to the creation of a beautiful cathedral mosque.

Chairman of Muslim Religious Board of the Central European Part of Russia, chairman of Council of Mufti Ravil Gainutdin addressed the meeting with the words of pray, warmly congratulated brothers in faith and called the new mosque a stone flower. He emphasized that Islam is a religion of peace.

Archbishop of Kazan and Tatarstan Anastasy, taking part in the ceremony, congratulated brothers - Muslims and wished peoples of Tatarstan to live in peace, friendship and concord.

Then a Friday prayer was held in the mosque.