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Religion

Allahshukur Pashazadeh: â€œIt seems some parliamentarians put en eye on donation boxesâ€ â€“ INTERVIEW â€“ EXCLUSIVE

Allahshukur Pashazadeh: â€œIt seems some parliamentarians put en eye on donation boxesâ€ â€“ <font color=red>INTERVIEW â€“ EXCLUSIVE</font>

15 May 2009 16:20 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Elbrus Seyfullayev â€“ APA. Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office Sheikh-al-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh gives an interview to APA.

- Recently there are cases of removal or closing of mosques in Azerbaijan. Ho do you react to that?

- If any mosque is not registered, or the building under construction is not recognized as the mosque, it is not correct to introduce it as a â€œremoval of mosqueâ€. There are laws and rules to be observed for the construction of the mosques. On the other hand, the mosques can not be constructed right and left. There should be permission for its construction. I donâ€™t see any campaign there. I looked at the Mosque of Martyrs on May 9, the Day of Victory. Thos mosque was closed for the restoration. Azerbaijan is tolerant country. It is impossible to overshadow our tolerance.

- The parliament made amendments to the law on freedom of religious faith few days agoâ€¦.

- I think the amendments were positive. I believe the amendments will bring positive results for religious education, registration of religious communities and other issues.

- There were proposals during the discussions of amendments to extend the authorities of the Caucasian Muslims Office. What do you think, is there need in that?

- We were registered as a center, but other organizations as a community. These are different notions. The Caucasian Muslims Office is representing Islam in Azerbaijan. I donâ€™t see need in the extension of authorities of the Caucasian Muslims Office. In my opinion, the Office has enough authorities. The construction of some prayer places may be agreed with our office. It means that the Caucasian Muslims Office will support them in future.

- There were serious accusations against your office at the parliamentâ€¦

- No one of those thoughts is right. The Caucasian Muslims Officeâ€™s Council of Kadee passed a decision about the commemorative feasts. I give enough interviews about the infeasibility of squandering at the wedding and funeral ceremonies. May be those who accused us didnâ€™t hear those facts. Only rich people may put fruits on the feast table and some of them were sitting in the room where the accusations were heard. I can draw list of those people who feast bananas at the funeral repast of their parents. How can the poor people to buy banana? They canâ€™t buy even tomatoes and cucumbers. Those who speak about the rules first violate the rules. We donâ€™t control cemeteries. The government controls what happens there and what are mullas doing there. We have no idea about that. Our mullas are sitting in the mosque and provide the activity only with special permissions. Let them to see what mistakes they have done that lead to such situation. Why they didnâ€™t speak about the mistakes of officials? Not only the religious people are doing mistakesâ€¦

-Certificate of halal sausages given by the Caucasian Muslims Office is also discussed and criticizedâ€¦

-They make serious mistake. The question is not the sausage. Certificate of halal sausages is given not only in Azerbaijan, but also in Iran, Arabia and Russia. Those who say this still have the imagination of the communist regime. They ate so much pork that they think nothing can be prepared without pork. We check all the products to which we give opinion and are responsible for them. Religion and state are separate in our country. We can say what is halal and what is haram. The state has no right to interfere with the issue of halal and haram. The state can only control sanitary and hygienic issues.

-Various views were expressed in the parliament concerning the control over donation boxes and spending of that money. By the way, it is often discussed.

-It seems that some parliamentarians suffered from the global economic crisis. They want to keep an eye on the donation boxes. We do not need donation boxes. I have twice appealed to Interior Ministry and asked to take the donation boxes away. We do not interfere with the donation boxes. The communities of the mosques, where donation boxes are placed, control the spending of the donation. If they want and can do it, they can set up a commission and participate in opening of donation boxes. I do not interfere with it.

-It was noted in the parliament that reforms should be carried out in the Caucasian Muslims Officeâ€¦

-I ask the man who said it â€œWhy do you interfere with my work?â€ Religion and state are separate. They can only recommend. Our office has its activity and congress. We are working within the framework of our laws. What reforms do they mean? I offer to carry out reforms in their activities. It would be better if parliamentarians wear special clothes. For example, we can recognize servicemen. It would be better if parliamentarians wear special clothes and the word â€œparliamentarianâ€ is written on it. They should wear these clothes so that people can recognize them.

-Why do you think accusations against you have intensified recently?

-Some people do not understand what they speak. They accuse me of having business. Our prophet was a merchant. I am the successor of the prophet. But I want to ask these people. Do you have a proof? Can you prove it by facts? I can sue those persons, if necessary. But I do not want is. Allah sees everything.