Hajj as Azerbaijan’s New Social CurrencyHajj as Azerbaijan’s New Social Currency

Every March, as bonfires flicker in the courtyards of Azerbaijani homes and trays of sweets are laid out, a quiet contradiction emerges. A predominantly Muslim society celebrates a holiday that predates Islam by more than a millennium—and does so without perceiving any contradiction at all.

The annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, commenced on June 4 with Muslims from across the globe converging on the holy city of Mecca amidst strict health protocols due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The USA put Azerbaijan on a special list of countries that commit severe violations of religious freedom.

The United States recently included Azerbaijan in its annual so-called Special Watch List (SWL), which includes countries with serious violations of religious freedom. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken retained all 12 countries compared to the previous year and added Algeria, Azerbaijan, the Central African Republic, the Comoros, and Vietnam to the list.