Religion

Religion

CMB issues another statement on luxurious wedding and funeral ceremonies

22 October 2014 12:18 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Mubariz Aslanov – APA. The Caucasus Muslims Board (CMB) has issued another statement on luxurious wedding and funeral ceremonies in Azerbaijan.

The CMB’s press service told APA the message mentioned a statement adopted by the Gazi Council and the Scientific and Religious Council on 13 July 2011 on luxurious wedding and funeral ceremonies, warning society once again.

“The revival of national and religious values nowadays in society makes this message necessary for the Azerbaijani people’s historically developed life philosophy, public opinion and customs. That’s quite natural. Because the interest in our historical roots, Islam, spiritual values, and moral norms has increased over the period of independence. Favorable conditions have emerged for the development of national customs in line with modern standards. So along with the appearance of some positive qualities while revitalizing national and religious traditions, it stands to reason that society is bothered by some extreme or innovated deeds that are not part of the religion. I’m talking about the rules for the arrangement of wedding and funeral ceremonies, sale of burial places in cemeteries, building luxurious sepulchral monuments and a number of other contemporary problems that are receiving wide media coverage these days. Although the Gazi Council and the Scientific and Religious Council of the CMB alongside public figures stated their position in this regard several times in previous years, our proposal and recommendations often remained unfulfilled in society. In many cases, those who claim these ceremonies belong to our national customs and religious traditions are actually distorting the rules and laws of our religion for their interests. Everyone who refers to the fundamental principles of Islam, the personality of Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Him, which is an example to mankind, and His hadiths (sayings) sees the contrast between this issue and Islamic rules. First of all, I should be mentioned that Muslims making their children’s wedding or giving funeral repast for the dead is a praiseworthy and commendable deed from religious point of view”.

The CMB Gazi Council thinks extreme luxury in sepulchral monuments and the demonstration of arrogance do not fall behind wedding and funeral ceremonies.

“Islam is the religion of thrift, simplicity and moderateness, and it does not welcome showy magnificence. So making costly gravestones and sepulchral monuments is against Islamic norms. The Gazi Council and the Scientific and Religious Council of the Caucasus Muslims Board call all strata of society to protect Islamic rules and national customs which have developed over years and mass media outlets to actively assist us in this respect,” the statement says.