1. Personal Profile
2. Early Life and Education
3. Religious Career
4. 2002-present:Imam of the Bulgar Mosque in Kazan.
5. Leadership of the DUM RT
6. April 2011:Elected as new Chairman of the DUM RT.
7. Notable Events
8. Personal Life

Personal Profile

Full Name:Ildus Akhmetovich Fayzov (also known as Ilyas Fayzov)
Date of Birth:January 29, 1963

Place of Birth:Bolshie Tarkhany, Tetyushsky District, Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (TASSR)

Early Life and Education

- Served in the Soviet Army from 1982 to 1984.

- Graduated from the Kazan Theater School in 1989 with a qualification in "Dramatic Actor."

- Worked as an actor with the Kazan Dramatic Theater named after K. Tincurin for nine years.

Religious Career

1999-2011:Head of the Department of Dawah and Propaganda, Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Tatarstan (DUM RT).

2000-2002 (or 2001):Graduated from the Kazan Higher Muslim Madrasah of the 1000th Anniversary of the Adoption of Islam.

- Underwent religious training at Al-Zarqa University in Jordan and in Doha, Qatar.

2002-present:Imam of the Bulgar Mosque in Kazan.

- Edited the Muslim newspaper "Umma" and provided religious guidance on Tatar radio stations.

Leadership of the DUM RT

2010:Appointed First Deputy Chairman of the DUM RT.

January 2011:Became Acting Mufti of Tatarstan after the resignation of Gusman Iskhakov.

April 2011:Elected as new Chairman of the DUM RT.

- Introduced mandatory certification for imams of mosques, leading to the dismissal of those suspected of preaching radical ideologies.

- Called for government funding of Islamic clergy to maintain order within religious organizations.

- Attempted to control the Hajj industry in Tatarstan by establishing "DUM RT Hajj" and limiting the activities of "Idel-Hajj" for alleged price gouging.

Notable Events

March 2004:Gained control of the Bulgar Mosque with support from the then Mufti of Tatarstan, Gusman Iskhakov.

July 2011:Invited Russian authorities to begin funding Islamic clergy.

May 2012:Conflict with Imam Ramil Yunusov over the control of the Kul Sharif Mosque in Kazan Kremlin.

July 19, 2012:Survived an assassination attempt on his life, resulting in injuries.

- The attack was initially classified as a terrorist act but later re-classified as a murder and attempted murder case.

- Several suspects were arrested, including former DUM RT official Marat Kudakayev, "Idel-Hajj" chair Rustam Gataullin, and "Vakhf" head Murat Galiyev.

- Accused of having ties to religious extremism and opposing non-traditional forms of Islam in Tatarstan.

Personal Life

- Married with three children.
- Proficient in Tatar, Russian, Arabic, and Turkish languages.

Statesmen