Farid Asadullin: "Azerbaijanis actively participate in the religious life of Russia"

"Every day people are dying, the destruction of moral and material heritage does not stop, islamophobia and xenophobia are gaining momentum in Europe, tough measures on preventing migration flows are taken. This is a serious blow to the intercultural and interreligious dialogue. In this sense, the cooperation between heads of states, heads of public and religious organizations is very important. I want to draw attention to how much we appreciate the efforts of the Russian Orthodox Church, headed by Patriarch Kirill, due to its position on peaceful and fair settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It helps to prevent it from growing into a religious confrontation," Deputy Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims Allahshukur Pashazadeh said, speaking at the 5th Baku International Humanitarian Forum.

Deputy chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Moscow Muftiyat, leading researcher of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Oriental Studies, Farid Asadullin, discussed the cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of religion in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza.

- How does the Russian Council of Muftis cooperate with Azerbaijan?

- We always communicated and cooperated with the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of neighboring countries, even during Soviet times. After the Soviet Union collapsed and national borders appeared, our communication was not as intense as it was before. However, our spiritual communion continues, we meet the representatives of Azerbaijan in Moscow, and not only in Moscow, but also in Muslim regions of Russia. 

The Azerbaijani community is one of the fastest growing in the Russian Federation today. According to some statistical data, Azerbaijanis are the largest Muslim ethnic group in Moscow today. These people, who look at Islam differently, who profess Islam differently, but they are parishioners of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque. 

- Where else can Russian and Azerbaijani Muslims communicate?

- All the religious holidays that are celebrated in our departments are attended by a large contingent of the representatives of Azerbaijan. They actively participate in our religious life, they help us, we are constantly in contact with them. There are Azerbaijani religious groups and non-governmental organizations Russia - we have an excellent partnership with them. Mufti Ravil Gainutdin and Supreme Mufti of Azerbaijan Allahshukur Pashazadeh are certainly in contact with each other. They have their own channel of communication.