About one initiative Mirza Kazem-Bek

Abstract

Prominent Azerbaijani scientist, "patriarch of Russian orientalism" Mirza Kazem-Bek (1802–1870) was the first professor at Kazan University of Turkic origin. By nature, a supporter of the spread of enlightenment among all layers of the population, he was extremely interested in attracting representatives of the local Tatar youth, as well as the Turkic-Muslim peoples of the Russian Empire to gymnasiums and universities. For this purpose, the scientist in 1838, with the consent of the trustee of the Kazan Educational District, N.M.Musin-Pushkin, compiled an "Appeal" or "Invitation" in Turkish and Persian, addressed to the "infidels" of the Volga region, the Kazakh steppe, the South and North Caucasus. Author mentioned "the golden period" of Islamic civilization, craving of the first Muslims for science and culture and valuable spiritual heritage left by them and called the current generation of Muslims to continue and develop the glorious traditions of their ancestors by the means of spreading enlightenment.

Despite the obstacles by the some local administrations, the document quickly spread throughout the indicated territories and evoked interest among the indigenous population. As a result, at the end of the 1830s, the first students from Tatars, Kazakhs and Bashkirs started studying at Kazan University, who later played a significant role in the spiritual, cultural, and socio-political life of their peoples. And in 1847, an Azerbaijani, a future prominent Turkologist and an Iranologist Mahmud Ismayilov (1823-1867) became a student of the Faculty of History and Philology in the Eastern Department. Having successfully completed his education, he taught at the Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages in Moscow until the end of his short life.