Incident

Home page

Incident

Ali Hasanov: As the religion is a part of the society, we can not simply observe these processes

19 February 2011 11:43 (UTC +04:00)

Pro-rector of the Academy Alikram Abdullayev spoke about the importance of the issue. He said that Azerbaijan is known as a country, where the relationship between the society and religion is the most harmonious. According to him, Azerbaijani religious figures comment on the recent religious happenings in the world, this activeness is praised. Abdullayev noted that scientists should also have tasks on this issue.
Chief of socio-political department of the Presidential Administration Ali Hasanov said this issue is very topical for Azerbaijan, too. Ali Hasanov said Azerbaijanâ€™s policy of modern society and religion are interconnected.
â€œAzerbaijan is a Muslim country. In this respect the centuries-long traditions and unwritten rules of the people are taken into consideration in the modern statehood. The state is to implement these laws, create conditions for the people to properly master the religious norms, establish relations and for normal functioning of the religions confessions. Management of state and society is easy in the country, where the people are believers. We do not interfere with the religious affairs. But as the religion is a part of the society, we can not simply observe these processes,â€ he said.

Ali Hasanov noted that heads of religious confessions participate in all state events. They even help one another concerning some issues.

Chairperson of the parliamentâ€™s committee for human rights Rabiyyat Aslanova said all states have relationship with religion.
â€œThe greatest achievement of Azerbaijanâ€™s independence is the establishment of the secular state. The religious belief is increasing in the secular states. According to the statistics, about 80 percent of the people in the secular states are believers,â€ she said.

Noting that the law on freedom of religion was first adopted in Azerbaijan in 1992, Rabiyyat Aslanova said the gaps in this law caused harmful tendencies, a number of harmful national, religious, untraditional sects appeared in Azerbaijan.
â€œAmendments were made to the law in 1997 and it prevented the flow of the harmful confessions. A new model of religion and state relationship was formed in Azerbaijan after that. The existing model in Azerbaijan is the most progressive model. It is not right to pay attention to one confession, and leave aside the other,â€ he said.

Chairman of the State Committee for Religious Associations Hidayat Orujov said much was done after Heydar Aliyev returned in achieving stability in the religious activity, maintaining the atmosphere of tolerance among the confessions.
â€œSome religious groups abuse the atmosphere of tolerance and democracy and try to interfere with the freedom of religion of the citizens, carry out propaganda damaging the stateâ€™s social security. Unfortunately, some international organizations fall under this harmful influence. There exist groups that use religion for political purposes, attempt for radicalism in Azerbaijan. We condemn these actions and consider that we must struggle against them together,â€ he said.
Hidayat Orujov said use of religion for political purposes in the state-religion relationship did not bring success to any country.
â€œCitizenship should be demonstrated in these issues,â€ he said.