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AZERI STATE RELIGIOUS BODY CONDEMNS CALLS TO JOIN SYRIAN CIVIL WAR
APA, Azerbaijan
June 13 2013
Baku, 12 June: "International practice shows that administrative
methods alone do not decrease the level of radical extremism,"
the head of the State Committee for Work with Religious Structures
(SCWRC), Elsad Iskandarov, has said, according to APA, at a meeting
with journalists from leading mass media to discuss the results of
annual activities.
He said that radicalism runs counter to spirit of Islam. "In its
essence Islam is a moderate religion and it calls on Muslims to keep
to the 'middle road'. At the same time, simplifying the issue of
fighting radicalism only leads to production of wrong recipes.
Therefore, educative measures must be stepped up in the struggle
against religious radicalism.
"Practice also shows that radical religious groups find it easier to
recruit among people who have no notion of religion, rather than among
those who have some understanding of religion. Considering all this,
the committee has prepared special courses to step up the tangible and
propagandistic anti-radicalism activities of religious communities. It
is essential to struggle against those who spread radical and unhealthy
ideas that violate state-religion relations," [he said].
Iskandarov also commented on the fact that some Azerbaijani citizens
participate in the ongoing civil war in Syria and issue video
statements via the internet. "There is no doubt that they are on the
wrong path. I strongly condemn their move. If they wish to sacrifice
their lives for their religious beliefs, then they must consider the
Karabakh problem that concerns all of our nation. We have the example
of martyr Mubariz Ibrahimov here [Azerbaijani warrant officer who
died in a skirmish with the Armenian forces in June 2010]. Although in
form both these movements seem similar, they are completely different
in terms of their essence. The attitude of the state and society to
these two developments proves this too," [he said].
[Translated from Azeri]
APA, Azerbaijan
June 13 2013
Baku, 12 June: "International practice shows that administrative
methods alone do not decrease the level of radical extremism,"
the head of the State Committee for Work with Religious Structures
(SCWRC), Elsad Iskandarov, has said, according to APA, at a meeting
with journalists from leading mass media to discuss the results of
annual activities.
He said that radicalism runs counter to spirit of Islam. "In its
essence Islam is a moderate religion and it calls on Muslims to keep
to the 'middle road'. At the same time, simplifying the issue of
fighting radicalism only leads to production of wrong recipes.
Therefore, educative measures must be stepped up in the struggle
against religious radicalism.
"Practice also shows that radical religious groups find it easier to
recruit among people who have no notion of religion, rather than among
those who have some understanding of religion. Considering all this,
the committee has prepared special courses to step up the tangible and
propagandistic anti-radicalism activities of religious communities. It
is essential to struggle against those who spread radical and unhealthy
ideas that violate state-religion relations," [he said].
Iskandarov also commented on the fact that some Azerbaijani citizens
participate in the ongoing civil war in Syria and issue video
statements via the internet. "There is no doubt that they are on the
wrong path. I strongly condemn their move. If they wish to sacrifice
their lives for their religious beliefs, then they must consider the
Karabakh problem that concerns all of our nation. We have the example
of martyr Mubariz Ibrahimov here [Azerbaijani warrant officer who
died in a skirmish with the Armenian forces in June 2010]. Although in
form both these movements seem similar, they are completely different
in terms of their essence. The attitude of the state and society to
these two developments proves this too," [he said].
[Translated from Azeri]