News.Az interviews Ravil Gaynuddin, chairman of Russia's Council of Muftis.
An international conference, Inter-Religious Dialogue: from Mutual Understanding to Cooperation, has just been held in Baku. What was your impression of the conference?
First of all, I would like to stress the importance of the fact that Allahshukur Pashazade’s birthday was marked on the state level. The fact that Ilham Aliyev personally patronized the birthday events and the international conference shows the attention to the religious and moral resurrection of Azerbaijan. I am happy to note that the president considers the leader of the Caucasus Muslims, Allahshukur Pashazade, his friend and he is proud of this friendship and he says that both he and Sheikh-ul-islam need this friendship. And if the head of state and Muslim leaders are working in tandem, this will, undoubtedly, have a positive influence on the moral climate and peace and accord in the country. We want to show these relations as an example to other states. And naturally it is a special pleasure that the conference participants have repeatedly stated that peace and accord have always been observed between the religious confessions in Azerbaijan. Dialogue and cooperation between religions, in turn, maintain this spiritual, social and political climate.
Representatives of other religions attended the conference and supported our respected Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade. The ptriarch of Moscow and All-Russia, Kirill, and the patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, came to Baku which proves that the work of the Muslim spiritual leader in the Caucasus and in the post-Soviet area is highly valued by the leaders of our traditional religions. I would like to note that all the representatives of different religions attending the conference support dialogue and call for cooperation.
In my speech, I cited an example to show that we have not only dialogue but also cooperation which has already been seen in different spheres of life. I think today it is really necessary to move from dialogue to action and cooperation to join forces to tackle the issues facing our citizens and our countries that hinder democratic cooperation.
Azerbaijan has a large Tatar diaspora. Do you maintain contact with it?
During my visits to Azerbaijan and Baku, I always try to meet with the Tatar diaspora. Tatars have been living in Azerbaijan for many decades and I think they feel at ease here. They are full citizens of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani government provides equal conditions and rights for them. There is a representative office of the Republic of Tatarstan, a Tatar cultural society, a Tatar mosque and a Tatar cemetery in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani and Tatar peoples have maintained fraternal relations for centuries and this should continue. I am very happy that my compatriots, my brother Tatars and Bashkirs, feel at home in Azerbaijan.
What can you tell us about the summit of leaders of different world religions expected in Baku next year?
It will be held at the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev. I have been informed about it. Ilham Aliyev thinks that Azerbaijan is territorially at the junction of two cultures and certainly it will continue to play a very important role in boosting dialogue and cooperation between religions, cultures and civilizations. Certainly, I support this idea and I think that the UN appeal on the development of a dialogue of civilizations, the creation of an alliance of civilizations, is welcomed and supported by most heads of states, including the Azerbaijani president.
An inter-religious dialogue on fighting xenophobia in Russia and the post-Soviet area is being held. Is it effective? What are the prospects of cooperation between different confessions?
You know, we see complete understanding between the heads of our traditional religions in fighting xenophobia, chauvinism and nationalism, so we are confident that religious and public figures and organizations together with Russia's political leadership will help to get rid of xenophobia and national chauvinism. As the children of those patriots, who liberated not only Russia and the CIS states but also Europe, we should not spread hatred towards each other. Patriotism means love. When patriotism gets closer to nationalism, this means fascism. Therefore, we think that patriotism is love for people and humanity, while nationalism and chauvinism are hatred for others. Hatred for other people should not spread.
Ali Alizade
News.Az