Who supports vahabbism in Azerbaijan?

We have irrefutable facts about it. The organization corresponded with Sheykhulislam Haji Allahshukur Pashazade in this connection. After the books reached the address I sent a letter to the sheikh”.

This was told by the chairman of the State Committee on Religious Works Rafig Aliyev in his explanation to the journalists.

According to his words, those books are kept in a storehouse of CMO. R.Aliyev said that they did not permit to spread these books and radical vahabbism is propagandized in one of those books. The chairman of the committee informed that the history of Azerbaijan after 1992 was falsified in other book: “I can not understand the purpose of bringing this book written in the Arabian language to CMO. Besides, Sunnite and Shiah faiths are put against each-other in Azerbaijan in these books. We consider that CMO’s giving permission to bring these books to Azerbaijan is contrary to the policy pursued by the administration of the country and the statehood of Azerbaijan. That is why we decided not to permit spreading those books”.

According to the words of R.Aliyev, 10 tons of new cargo was sent to Azerbaijan by means of the same committee of Kuwait 2 months ago. This time it was written on that cargo that the cargo is directed to Azerbaijan for sending to Uzbekistan. The cargo consisted of 43 thousand books. Several books sent to Georgia from Turkey and then to Azerbaijan from there were collared by associates of the customs organs yesterday: “It is interesting that those books crossed the border of Azerbaijan and Georgia, but were collared in the Khirdalan Customs Station. These books in 64 names were written in the Turkish language. 18 of them were dedicated to propaganda of radical vahabism and 2 of jihad. Investigations on why and for whom these books were brought for are held at present. These books damage our security and increase possibility of religious extremism, follow the purpose of exerting serious negative influence upon the pre-election religious situation in Azerbaijan”.

The chairman of the committee informed that changes should already be realized in the religious conception of the state and the processes must be controlled by the state.

According to his words, policy against the state and its administration is pursued in mosques today: “This case must be eliminated urgently. The special service organs of the state already control the situation. But this is not enough. The state knows the number of such mosques. Necessary measures are realized against them”.

R.Aliyev informed that if ministers of religion want to be engaged in politics, they must be released from the religious service: “We know which ministers of religion intend to be deputy in the parliamentary elections. The number of these persons is approximately 10 and in case they put their candidacies forward, we will announce their names”.

The chief of the press-service of CMO Haji Akif Aghayev informed in his explanation to APA in connection with the question that bringing the book in the Kazakh and Uzbek languages to Azerbaijan happened accidentally. According to his words, CMO renounced those books and does not object to those books’ being returned back.

The chief of the press-service informed that accusations sounded by R.Aliyev to the address of CMO are groundless: “It would be better for R.Aliyev to be busy with his own works. It is 4 years that he has realized no actions and interfered in other people's business. He himself supporting vahabism wants to decline the responsibility and convict someone else”.