Today.Az » Society » Elchin Askerov: "Extremist-inspired members of Abu-Bekr Mosque community refuse to pray in the Mosque, accusing its Imam of being close to the state"
23 April 2008 [11:06] - Today.Az
Day.Az interview with Elchin Askerov, deputy chairman of the State Committee for work with religious formations
-How do you assess situation in freedom of religion in Azerbaijan?
-The country enjoys high level of tolerance and freedom of religion. This fact is often fixed in the reports of influential international organizations. Though Muslims make 90% of the population, various religious confessions co-exist in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is multireligional country.
In this sense, our country strongly differs from the neighbor countries of the region. There has never been any fact of religious clashes. There is an independent eparchy of the Russian Orthodox church, Georgian Orthodox church, there is the biggest Jewish synagogue in the South Caucasus, the Udin church, restored and commissioned to religious people; the state allocated a piece of land for the catholic church in the center of Baku for the church construction. Many temples are repaired at expense of the state.
The same attitude is demonstrated to the Moslem heritage-by initiative of President Ilham Aliyev such historical Mosques as Teze Pir, Ajdar bek, Juma mosque in the Icheri Sheher, Bibi Eybat and others are repaired by initiative of President Ilham Aliyev. A number of historical mosques have been repaired in the regions at expense of Heydar Aliyev's foundation.
-In late 2007 the law-enforcement bodies neutralized a criminal grouping, accused of attempt of coup to establish the Islamic state, which was followed by a wave of vahabbis' arrests. Can the fact of vahhabism existence be applied to Azerbaijan?
-Yes, vahhabism as a religious trend does exist in Azerbaijan though followers of this trend tend to call themselves salafits. This religious trend emerged in the 18th century and further spread in most Moslem countries. Vahhabism appeared in Azerbaijan in 1993. We have followers of this trend in our country and this is a natural process as our country adheres to the principle of freedom of religion.
Another issue is the attempts of extremist groupings to change the state system under pretense of religion. Such attempts have been undertaken in Azerbaijan. Jeyshulla criminal grouping was neutralized. Members of such groupings as Al-Caeda Caucasus were also neutralized. Yet, it does not mean that these people were arested due to their religious belonging. Their arrests were carried out considering their criminal activity/
On the other hand, these were groups with law number of supporters and it would be incorrect to say that such trends exist within a single religious movement.
- We remember the statement of the first deputy interior minister Vilayat Eyvazov, who said that the activity of the Abu-Bekr mosque is not transparent enough. He noted that the head of the Mosque should do so that people would come to the Mosque to pray not establish contacts with representatives of extremist and terror grouping. Why aren't measures taken to shutdown the Abu-Bekr Mosque?
-The statement of Mr.Eyvazov does not imply that there are extremist groupings in the Mosque. The Deputy Minister seems to base of operative data, which we may not have.
As far as I know, the statement implies that some Mosque attendees were involved into extremist groupings. But this does not imply that this is the mosque leader who holds an extremist propaganda with the mosque attendees.
I would like to say that there are differences between the members of the mosque community. The extremist-inspired members even refuse to pray in the Mosque, accusing its Imam of being close to state. These people separate from the Mosque and gather in private houses.
Presence of several extremist-inspired members of the community is not a ground for the shutdown of the Mosque. The statement of the deputy minister can be attributed to all Mosques, whose activity should be transparent.
-In this case, how transparent is the activity of religious communities in Azerbaijan?
-It is impossible to make a man practice any religion or follow any trend. This contradicts to the freedom of religion.
At the same time, both the state committee and law enforcement bodies work to prevent appearance of extremist-inspired groupings within the communities. As is known, the mosque leaders are appointed by the Caucasus Muslims Department. Therefore, the activity of Imams is also controlled by the Department.
I would like to note that the officials of the state committee visit Friday prayers in the Mosques as religious people do. And we reveal any actions, contradicting to law, if there are any. Such work seems to be held by the law-enforcement bodies, though I can not speak for them. Judge yourself, the extremist group had been neutralized long before the attempts to commit a crime not by accident.
-By some unchecked data, authorities are not interested in shutdown of the Abu-Bekr Mosque as it is a place where vahhabis gather, which allows the powers to control their activity. Is it true?
-This is a mistake. The only reason for which this Mosque continues to operate is the observation of the rights and liberties of the religious people. Until the communities operate in the legal framework, we will not suspend their activity.
-Is there a threat of Islamic revolution and establishment of supremacy of Shariah in the country?
-The said opinion has been debated in the Azerbaijani community for several years. Even the report of the International crisis group said that such opinion is spread by the Azerbaijani authorities. But it is not true.
The subject of the Islamic revolution was put forward by opposition mass medias during the election campaign in the parliament in 2003-2005. Thus, opposition tries to inform the West that if they are not supported, Islamists may come to power. They present Iran as an example. There are no conditions for Islamic revolution in Azerbaijan.
Yet, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the communist regime, when the community was fully isolated from religion, had not ruled in Iran for 70 years. We have lived without religion for several decades and we lack a social basis for Islamic revolution.
-Do you think Islam, practiced in Azerbaijan, is correct?
-If Islam were practiced as it is, there would not be most problems of those we face today. After gaining independence the society started to return to its Islamic heritage and self-conscience. Along with positive moments, the process also had negative ones. Knowledge about Islam started to enter Azerbaijan from outside, including from Iran, Turkey and Arabic countries, as we lacked religious literature and schools at that period. And Islam was interpreted differently.
The situation has improved. One of the reasons of appearance of extremist-inspired religious groupings is the incorrect interpretation of Islam. In this sense, the task of the authorities is to form a correct propaganda of Islam.
-As is known, the holy book of Koran is sold in most place of the capital city, in particular, in the underground, pedestrian subways. Is it correct to do so?
-It is too difficult to control the sale of Koran. The thing is that producers invested a certain amount into the book manufacture. Naturally, the producer will try to earn mony from its sale. It would be incorrect to ban the sale of the sacred book. If books are provided as a humanitarian aid from abroad, they are not sold.
-As is known, there have been differences between the state committee and the Caucasus Muslims Department. Do they exist now?
-No, we do not have any problems. We maintain business relations.
-As is known, the Caucasus Muslims Department is not a state institution. It can be called a nongovernmental organization. Is the appointment of imams by a nongovernmental organization correct? Tomorrow another religious nongovernmental organization will demand the powers to appoint the imams of Mosques...
-Yes, the Caucasus Muslims Department is a nongovernmental organization. Nevertheless, the law on freedom of religion points out that this is the Caucasus Muslims Department which unites the Islamic communities.
-Does the state committee control the appointment of Imams by the department? Is this process transparent?
-No it does not. But if Imam undertaken any illegal actions, the state committee appeals to the Department with a request to replace the akhund.
-As is known the donation collection is not tax-imposed. It is also known that none of the state institutions control this event. Is such unlimited freedom justified?
-The Caucasus Muslims Department is an independent structure and it is not responsible for reporting to us about donations. We can not know which purposes these donations are used for. As far as I know not all mosques transfer donations to the department, as they use it for the needs of the Mosque.
-Is the theft of donations possible, considering the large volumes of collections?
-There is a vakf system abroad. It fixes the purposes the donations will be used for. For example, the contributors are issued bills in Turkey. Later the due state bodies are informed about the purposes the funds were used for. This is the most transparent system. But this is also a long process. In particular, it is necessary to create a legal basis.
/Day.Az/
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