Tehran, YJC. Iranian ambassador to Baku has said that Shiism can be a tool against extremism.
Mohsen Pakaeen who was speaking in interview with IRNA in
response to the question "Why despite the fact that 80 percent of the people of
Azerbaijan are Muslim and Shia, there is rarely any woman there with the Islamic
hijab” said "This has to do with the history of Islam in Azerbaijan. Since during
the Tsar’s rule the people of this country have been away from the Shiite culture
for 200 years. Now it seems quite natural for them to be unfamiliar to the
issue.”
The ambassador maintained that the Tsar era’s suppression and corruption lead to the lack of hijab.
Maintaining that the Republic of Azerbaijan is a Laic, non-religious state with no official faith, he said "But all religious people, and Muslims in particular, can attend to their rites freely and within the framework of the law.”
"Wahhabists and extremists are seeking a way into the Republic of Azerbaijan. This has become an excuse to evermore promote religion in this country.”
Azerbaijan’s religious leaders have made out that Shiism can be a tool to prevent Wahhabism from infiltrating into the country, Pakaeen asserted, adding "All in all, the country’s religious officials have come to the point that Islam and Shhiism have to be given more room so that people gain their objective of observing their religious rites. It can also serve as a tool against extremism.”
Religious growth is quite conspicuous especially among the youth. In fact, the post-revolution generations are more attentive to religious matters, Islamic and Shiite ones in particular, he said.
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