Damir Mukhetdinov's visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan
On 11th of October, with the blessing of Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, the first Deputy Chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, Executive Secretary of the Muslim International Forum, Doctor of Theology Damir Mukhetdinov, began his visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The first vis-a-vis of a Russian religious figure in Baku was the chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Formations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Doctor of Philosophy Mubariz Gurbanli. Mr. Gurbanli, who has been the head of the State Committee since 2014, is one of the most authoritative and experienced politicians and statesmen of modern Azerbaijan.
At the beginning of the meeting, Damir Mukhetdinov conveyed greetings and wishes of peace and blessings of Allah to the host party on behalf of the religious leader of Russian Muslims, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin. Mubariz Gurbanli noted that the long-term friendship and mutual understanding between the Azerbaijani and Russian sums is a unique phenomenon in modern Islam and in international relations. The participants of the meeting noted Mufti Gaynutdin's position on the protection of the Islamic historical and religious heritage in Karabakh, based on international legislation and humanistic values. It was noted that the firm position expressed by RBM RF and the Muslim International Forum in defense of the Islamic monuments of the region resonated in the souls of millions of people and was, in fact, the only clearly articulated opinion on behalf of Russian Muslims. In this regard, the chairman of the State Committee noted that this fact is a reflection of the work of Ravil Gainutdin on the protection of Muslim values in Russia and in other countries, the support of the world Ummah.
It should be recalled that clear and firm words in defense of the religious and architectural Islamic heritage in Karabakh are reflected in open appeals to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Caucasus Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, the texts of which Azerbaijani citizens were able to read on the official website of the head of the country and in a number of media. The position of the RBM RF has caused a significant response in Azerbaijani society.
According to the general opinion of the participants of the meeting, the destruction of Muslim historical values damages the entire world cultural heritage. The difficult and responsible task of the Azerbaijani government and the State Committee today is the restoration of Muslim shrines in Karabakh, where 63 out of 67 mosques were destroyed.
The ideology and practical activities of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations of Azerbaijan are very close to the positions of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation. Azerbaijan is a multinational, multi-confessional, multilingual and multicultural country in which the secular government provides equal rights and opportunities to all faiths.
Azerbaijan's experience in supporting religious organizations at the state level deserves attention. Mosques, churches, synagogues, religious buildings and monuments are protected by the State. There is a developed system of state benefits and assistance.
Today there are about 2,500 mosques in Azerbaijan, more than 1,500 of which are worked regularly. 310 mosques are protected as historical and cultural monuments under the Ministry of Culture.
The consonance of the activities of the RBM RF and the State Committee is also observed in the issues of strengthening mutual understanding between religious structures of different religions, tolerance and respect for each other, preventing cases of discrimination and confrontation on religious grounds, and other negative phenomena. The State Committee regularly conducts seminars and trainings in secondary schools and universities of the republic, designed to protect teenagers and young people from falling under extreme religious ideology and harmful religious ideas.
During the meeting, the issues of prospects and practical interaction of theological universities of the two countries, student exchange, pedagogical practice were discussed. As Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Azerbaijan Institute of Theology, Mubariz Gurbanli noted that Damir Mukhetdinov's visit to Azerbaijan and the first meeting at such a level will serve to develop practical relations between Muslim communities, between theological universities of the two countries and will serve the God-pleasing cause of strengthening peace and friendship between peoples, will become an important stage in the development of relations between the Russian and Azerbaijani peoples.
The arrival of a Muslim religious figure from Russia to Baku is the first visit of this level in the last two years. The practice of face-to-face meetings and exchange of views was suspended due to the pandemic, as well as the difficult military-political situation in the South Caucasus. The current visit is intended to restore and bring to a new level the fraternal, intellectual interrelationships of Muslim communities and theologians of the two states in the context of new political realities in the region.
The first vis-a-vis of a Russian religious figure in Baku was the chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Formations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Doctor of Philosophy Mubariz Gurbanli. Mr. Gurbanli, who has been the head of the State Committee since 2014, is one of the most authoritative and experienced politicians and statesmen of modern Azerbaijan.
At the beginning of the meeting, Damir Mukhetdinov conveyed greetings and wishes of peace and blessings of Allah to the host party on behalf of the religious leader of Russian Muslims, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin. Mubariz Gurbanli noted that the long-term friendship and mutual understanding between the Azerbaijani and Russian sums is a unique phenomenon in modern Islam and in international relations. The participants of the meeting noted Mufti Gaynutdin's position on the protection of the Islamic historical and religious heritage in Karabakh, based on international legislation and humanistic values. It was noted that the firm position expressed by RBM RF and the Muslim International Forum in defense of the Islamic monuments of the region resonated in the souls of millions of people and was, in fact, the only clearly articulated opinion on behalf of Russian Muslims. In this regard, the chairman of the State Committee noted that this fact is a reflection of the work of Ravil Gainutdin on the protection of Muslim values in Russia and in other countries, the support of the world Ummah.
It should be recalled that clear and firm words in defense of the religious and architectural Islamic heritage in Karabakh are reflected in open appeals to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Caucasus Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, the texts of which Azerbaijani citizens were able to read on the official website of the head of the country and in a number of media. The position of the RBM RF has caused a significant response in Azerbaijani society.
According to the general opinion of the participants of the meeting, the destruction of Muslim historical values damages the entire world cultural heritage. The difficult and responsible task of the Azerbaijani government and the State Committee today is the restoration of Muslim shrines in Karabakh, where 63 out of 67 mosques were destroyed.
The ideology and practical activities of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations of Azerbaijan are very close to the positions of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation. Azerbaijan is a multinational, multi-confessional, multilingual and multicultural country in which the secular government provides equal rights and opportunities to all faiths.
Azerbaijan's experience in supporting religious organizations at the state level deserves attention. Mosques, churches, synagogues, religious buildings and monuments are protected by the State. There is a developed system of state benefits and assistance.
Today there are about 2,500 mosques in Azerbaijan, more than 1,500 of which are worked regularly. 310 mosques are protected as historical and cultural monuments under the Ministry of Culture.
The consonance of the activities of the RBM RF and the State Committee is also observed in the issues of strengthening mutual understanding between religious structures of different religions, tolerance and respect for each other, preventing cases of discrimination and confrontation on religious grounds, and other negative phenomena. The State Committee regularly conducts seminars and trainings in secondary schools and universities of the republic, designed to protect teenagers and young people from falling under extreme religious ideology and harmful religious ideas.
During the meeting, the issues of prospects and practical interaction of theological universities of the two countries, student exchange, pedagogical practice were discussed. As Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Azerbaijan Institute of Theology, Mubariz Gurbanli noted that Damir Mukhetdinov's visit to Azerbaijan and the first meeting at such a level will serve to develop practical relations between Muslim communities, between theological universities of the two countries and will serve the God-pleasing cause of strengthening peace and friendship between peoples, will become an important stage in the development of relations between the Russian and Azerbaijani peoples.
The arrival of a Muslim religious figure from Russia to Baku is the first visit of this level in the last two years. The practice of face-to-face meetings and exchange of views was suspended due to the pandemic, as well as the difficult military-political situation in the South Caucasus. The current visit is intended to restore and bring to a new level the fraternal, intellectual interrelationships of Muslim communities and theologians of the two states in the context of new political realities in the region.