2024-04-05 19:34:44
The steps taken have significantly prevented the propaganda of radical religious groups.
Deputy Chairman of the Azerbaijan State Committee for Work with Religious Structures Sayavush Heydarov said this in an interview with Trend, Day.Az reports.
According to him, the course of the processes has determined the need to train religious figures committed to the national spirit, the ideology of Azerbaijanism, including those who are patriotically minded, in accordance with the strategic interests of the era and the state.
“In 1,100 of the mosques in the country there were no officially appointed religious figures. Some of these mosques were under the control of non-traditional religious movements, under the influence of foreign religious circles. Many of those who were engaged in religious propaganda there did not have a religious education and were funded by foreign circles In addition to financial assistance to these religious figures, foreign religious centers also exerted their ideological influence. This assistance made the religious figure dependent on the external religious center, forcing him to organize his activities on the basis of their “fatwas”. On the other hand, some people who received religious education abroad, returned, having fallen under the influence of the harmful ideology of the countries in which they received education, and tried to import religious ideology into Azerbaijan that served the political interests of these countries, becoming its propagandists here. Regular monitoring and research conducted by the State Committee showed that in these religious radicalism was promoted in mosques,” said the deputy chairman of the State Committee.
According to him, at first these religious places of worship were taken under control together with the relevant government agencies.
“Radical individuals were removed from activities in the mosques in order to prevent the spread and promotion of alien religious ideologies. Despite serious difficulties associated with the lack of trained new personnel, discussions were held with the Caucasus Muslim Board and the process of appointing relevant official religious figures to these mosques began “, said S. Heydarov.
He noted that the Foundation for the Promotion of Spiritual Values, created by decree of President Ilham Aliyev in 2017, contributed to improving the material and technical support of religious figures and religious communities.
“Financial support for the clergy through the Fund stimulated their protection from external influences. Also, the creation of the Azerbaijan Institute of Theology in 2018, the opening of its new administrative building with the implementation of all this on the initiative and under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev led to important and progressive changes in the field of religious education in our country. For the successful functioning of the Institute of Theology, the training of qualified personnel in the field of religion, our state is taking all the necessary steps. The teaching staff of the institute, who are professional specialists in their field, try to justify this trust. The institute trains specialists who are able to convey religion to people in a secular society, as well as those committed to our national-spiritual values associated with our national roots. The Institute is successfully fulfilling its tasks of training personnel with deep secular and religious knowledge, and positive results of this are already visible in society,” said the Deputy Chairman of the State Committee.
He added that the institute contributes to the formation of a model of religious education that is intertwined with Azerbaijani national identity and culture, the ideology of Azerbaijanism, and also meets the challenges of the modern world.
“It is gratifying that the newly appointed religious leaders have higher and secondary specialized religious education, have a broad worldview, are attached to their Motherland, people, and the ideology of Azerbaijan. The creation of the Baku Theological College at the end of last year is of particular importance in this area. Education provided at the college “, will be supplemented by institute education, which will ensure the training of more educated personnel in the field of religion for our country. College graduates will also be able to work in mosques. In a word, the steps taken have significantly prevented the propaganda of radical religious groups,” S. Heydarov said.
The full text of the interview in Azerbaijani can be found at the link.
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