E.Iskenderov: the majority of the population of Azerbaijan is against religious radicalism

Despite  the increased interest in Islam and national values in recent years, the absolute majority of the population rejects religious radicalism, according to the results of a poll "Islam in Azerbaijan: realities and public opinion" by the Center for Religious Studies with the Center for Strategic Studies  (CSS) under the President of Azerbaijan.

The survey was conducted from May 20 to June 15, 2012 in all regions of the country randomly among 1,500 respondents.

Over 10% of respondents said that they have become "more faithful than five years ago." The research shows that an increasing number of citizens make namaz and keep the fast (Orudj) during Ramadan.

According to Elshad Iskandarov, the head of the State Committee for Work with Religious Structures (SCWRS), the research confirmed tolerance between religions supported by the people of Azerbaijan, tolerance within religious movements, and the rejection of religious radicalism.

At the same time, the survey has revealed the need to strengthen religious enlightenment. A third of citizens get their information from the media, a third learn from others, and another third during religious ceremonies.

In the view of Isgandarov,  in the implementation of religious enlightenment a great responsibility rests on religious communities, imams and akhunds. SCWRS is ready to support the publication of religious literature by  theologians.

He stressed that the main objectives of the SCWRS is to regulate relations between the state and religion, the prevention of the formation of an artificial environment for religious radicalism, and  to provide for religious enlightenment. 

The head of the CSS, Farhad Mammadov, noted that research in the religious sphere is another key area for ​​the Centre after the Karabakh settlement. He said there is not any universal formula for state-religion relations, and any such studies serve scientifically the religious formation of policy. In his view, this study differs from the opinion polls conducted by foreign donors, whose methodology is wrong, and the conclusions reflect the interests of customers.

CSS analyst, Sahib Jafarov, presented the statistical results of the survey; 

In particular, 30.2% of respondents believe deeply in God, and just 66% consider themselves believers. There are only 0.1% of atheists. 96.8% consider themselves Muslims, 0.8% - orthodox  Christians, and  0.1% Jews.

Below are the results of the attitude of society to religion:

83% see themselves as believers; 3.8% said they had not been believers, but had become believers now; 10.3% said they were believers in the past, but now had become more religious.

Thirty eight per cent of respondents identified themselves as Shiites, 14%  Sunnis, 45% do not differentiate and consider themselves just Muslims. Another 2% said that they had never thought about it, and 1% were undecided.

As for the attitude to namaz (prayer), 57.6% do not make namaz, 10.9% make daily namaz, 3.5%  make namaz from time to time,  and 1.2%  make namaz only on Fridays.

At the same time, 22.1% said they planned to pray, and this, according to the authors, shows the growth of religious feeling. At the same time, 4.7% used to make namaz, but do not do it now. 

Every year 17% keep fasting, and 14.1% do not keep it every year. Only 5% regularly attend mosques, and the same number of people support the establishing of an Islamic religious state in Azerbaijan.

About 90% of the respondents respect other religions, and 4% hate them.

Only 2.6% of respondents share the ideas of Salafism (Vahabism). 42.8% consider it an alien ideology; 12.4%. do not like the appearance and behavior of the Salafis, 30.2% have a negative attitude to the Salafis, assuming that they are promoting fanaticism,  religious radicalism and ekstremizm.—06C-