BALKAN AND CAUCASIAN MUSLIMS SEEK HELP FROM TURKEY AGAINST
By Mukremin Albayrak
Zaman Online, Turkey
Sept 8 2005
Representatives of the Muslim states and communities in the Balkans
and Caucasus that took part in the "6th Eurasian Islamic Council"
hosted by the Turkish Religious Affairs Directorate complain about
the missionary activities in their countries.
The Muslim representatives asked the Islamic countries to back them.
Caucasian Muslim Religious Administration Chairman Allahshukur
Pashazade said: "Missionaries generally come in the name of humanism.
The only way of resisting this is educating well our people in terms
of faith."
Pashazade asked these countries for the support of publications of a
religious content. Belgrade Mufti Muhammad Yusuf Spohich called for
cooperation in order to save the Muslim population from the yoke of
the missionaries.
The 6th Eurasian Islamic Council that has been convening for three
days continued with sessions where the subjects of "Religion, Culture
and Identity in Central Asia" were the topics of discussion.
Representatives from different countries of Central Asia, in the
papers they presented, pointed out that they made huge efforts to
remove the gap in the religious field that appeared after communism,
and that some missionaries and banned sects who want to profit from
the same gap increased their activities.
Professor Vasif Mehmet Aliev from Baku State University Theology
Faculty said people are forced to change identity as well as religion.
The Azeris who were converted to Christianity are inculcated by
the missionaries saying: "You are Christian from now on. Your
co-religionists are the Armenians."
Pashazade said they received the greatest support against missionaries
from the religious leaders and that the people are made conscious
about the perverted movements.
Kazakhstan Foreign Language and Professional Career University Rector
Professot Sabri Hizmetli claimed nearly half a million people in
Central Asia were converted to Christianity in the last 14 years.
"If people choose a religion voluntarily, this must be respected.
However, ignorant people are being deceived and converted to another
religion with the promise of finding a job," Hizmetli said.
Belgrade Mufti Spohich on the other side pointed at the missionaries
as the biggest danger in the Balkans for Muslims.
By Mukremin Albayrak
Zaman Online, Turkey
Sept 8 2005
Representatives of the Muslim states and communities in the Balkans
and Caucasus that took part in the "6th Eurasian Islamic Council"
hosted by the Turkish Religious Affairs Directorate complain about
the missionary activities in their countries.
The Muslim representatives asked the Islamic countries to back them.
Caucasian Muslim Religious Administration Chairman Allahshukur
Pashazade said: "Missionaries generally come in the name of humanism.
The only way of resisting this is educating well our people in terms
of faith."
Pashazade asked these countries for the support of publications of a
religious content. Belgrade Mufti Muhammad Yusuf Spohich called for
cooperation in order to save the Muslim population from the yoke of
the missionaries.
The 6th Eurasian Islamic Council that has been convening for three
days continued with sessions where the subjects of "Religion, Culture
and Identity in Central Asia" were the topics of discussion.
Representatives from different countries of Central Asia, in the
papers they presented, pointed out that they made huge efforts to
remove the gap in the religious field that appeared after communism,
and that some missionaries and banned sects who want to profit from
the same gap increased their activities.
Professor Vasif Mehmet Aliev from Baku State University Theology
Faculty said people are forced to change identity as well as religion.
The Azeris who were converted to Christianity are inculcated by
the missionaries saying: "You are Christian from now on. Your
co-religionists are the Armenians."
Pashazade said they received the greatest support against missionaries
from the religious leaders and that the people are made conscious
about the perverted movements.
Kazakhstan Foreign Language and Professional Career University Rector
Professot Sabri Hizmetli claimed nearly half a million people in
Central Asia were converted to Christianity in the last 14 years.
"If people choose a religion voluntarily, this must be respected.
However, ignorant people are being deceived and converted to another
religion with the promise of finding a job," Hizmetli said.
Belgrade Mufti Spohich on the other side pointed at the missionaries
as the biggest danger in the Balkans for Muslims.