The Third Meeting of the Council of Heads of Muslim Religious Boards of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held in Baku and Susha on 19-20 October 2022.
The program started with the religious leaders’ visit to the Alley of Honors and the Alley of Martyrs.
Co-hosted by Sheikh ul-Islam Allahşükür Paşazade, Chairman of Caucasus Muslims’ Board, and Baghdad Amreyev, Secretary General of the OTS, the meeting was attended by the highest religious authorities of Turkic States – Nauryzbay Otpenov, Head of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan; Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş, President of Religious Affairs of Türkiye; Nuriddin Haliknazarov, Head of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Uzbekistan; Yalkap Hojaguliyev, Grand Mufti Turkmenistan.
In his opening address, Secretary General Baghdad Amreyev emphasized the main outcome of the meeting is the establishment of the Council of Religious Leaders of the Turkic World for the first time in the Turkic history. He stated that the Islamic tradition of the Turks has brought up many prominent figures who have rendered great services to Islam, such as Imam Maturidi, Ebu Hanife, Imam Bukhari, in the fields of akaid, fiqh and sunnah. The Secretary General Amreyev also underlined the necessity of taking joint actions against modern threats such as political and religious radicalism and extremism targeting the nations and society and taking a common stance in the fight against Islamophobia and hate speech.
The Chairman of Caucasus Muslims’ Board, Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh expressed his pleasure to host the Muslim Religious Leaders of the Organization of Turkic States at the Baku meeting, and pointed out that the eternal friendship and fraternal relations of the Turkic States, which was institutionalized in Nakhchivan in 2009, has entered a new stage in 2021 during the 8th OTS Summit in Istanbul and will successfully continue in November of this year in brotherly Uzbekistan.
Sheikh ul-Islam also noted that the current crises and intense geopolitical events make spiritual unity and Islamic solidarity even more necessary. In this context, he commended the valuable efforts of the OTS Heads of State that spurred the realization of the spiritual unity of religious leaders from an organizational point of view.
He also conveyed his thanks to Secretary General Bagdad Amreyev for his efforts in the establishment of the Council of Muslim Religious Leaders of the OTS and the organization of its third meeting in Baku and Shusha.
The Grand Mufti of Kazakhstan Naurizbay Taganuli expressed his belief that this meeting will strengthen the bonds of brotherhood. He said that cooperation on religious education is of great importance, the Turkic World should be united against Islamophobia and there is a need to prepare a common fatwa mechanism. He also underlined the importance of religious tourism. He suggested having a clear road map for achieving common goals.
President of Religious Affairs of Türkiye Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş in his speech elaborated on the various severe problems in Islamic geography today and stated that Muslims have the ability to solve the problems in their geography. In this context, he pointed out the importance of conveying religious values to the new generations as knowledge, understanding and perception. He underlined that Muslim religious leaders can successfully contribute to the work to root the sense of justice and mercy that will cover all people, to prevent the abuse of faith, and especially to prevent terrorism and anarchy through religion.
In his address Mufti of Uzbekistan Nuriddin Kholiknazarov said that the agenda of today's meeting includes issues related to education, instilling moral values in young people, experience and student exchange. He said that starting next year; Tashkent Islamic University will be welcoming foreign students including those from Turkic States.
Turkmen mufti Yalkab Khojaguliyev expressed his gratitude to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the Chairman of Caucasus Muslims’ Board, Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, for organizing this event. He expressed his belief that today's meeting will further strengthen the fraternal relations between the Turkic States, and give a boost to joint projects.
In continuation of the program the next day, the Heads of Muslim Religious Boards of OTS visited the liberated territories of Azerbaijan and Shusha, the Cultural capital of the Turkic World for 2023.
In Shusha, the OTS Muslim leaders signed the “Regulation Establishing the Council of Heads of Muslim Religious Administrations of the OTS”, as a significant effort for furthering cooperation in the field of religious affairs among the Turkic States.
The Religious Leadres also adopted the “Joint Statement of the Council of Heads of Muslim Religious Boards of the OTS”, by which they commit to improving religious affairs among the Turkic States, developing concrete projects and strengthening ties between the relevant structures by creating joint scientific and religious centers.
The parties agreed to hold next meeting of the Council of Heads of Muslim Boards in Uzbekistan, and announced that the first experience exchange program on the institutional infrastructures and activities of the Religious Administrations will be held in Ankara in 2023 with the participation of experts. In addition "Turkic States 1st Ulema Forum", proposed by the Mufti of Uzbekistan at the 1st meeting held in Istanbul, will be organized in Uzbekistan on the margin of the next meeting.
The program concluded with prayers at the Yukhari Govharaga Mosque in Shusha.
The program started with the religious leaders’ visit to the Alley of Honors and the Alley of Martyrs.
Co-hosted by Sheikh ul-Islam Allahşükür Paşazade, Chairman of Caucasus Muslims’ Board, and Baghdad Amreyev, Secretary General of the OTS, the meeting was attended by the highest religious authorities of Turkic States – Nauryzbay Otpenov, Head of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan; Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş, President of Religious Affairs of Türkiye; Nuriddin Haliknazarov, Head of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Uzbekistan; Yalkap Hojaguliyev, Grand Mufti Turkmenistan.
In his opening address, Secretary General Baghdad Amreyev emphasized the main outcome of the meeting is the establishment of the Council of Religious Leaders of the Turkic World for the first time in the Turkic history. He stated that the Islamic tradition of the Turks has brought up many prominent figures who have rendered great services to Islam, such as Imam Maturidi, Ebu Hanife, Imam Bukhari, in the fields of akaid, fiqh and sunnah. The Secretary General Amreyev also underlined the necessity of taking joint actions against modern threats such as political and religious radicalism and extremism targeting the nations and society and taking a common stance in the fight against Islamophobia and hate speech.
The Chairman of Caucasus Muslims’ Board, Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh expressed his pleasure to host the Muslim Religious Leaders of the Organization of Turkic States at the Baku meeting, and pointed out that the eternal friendship and fraternal relations of the Turkic States, which was institutionalized in Nakhchivan in 2009, has entered a new stage in 2021 during the 8th OTS Summit in Istanbul and will successfully continue in November of this year in brotherly Uzbekistan.
Sheikh ul-Islam also noted that the current crises and intense geopolitical events make spiritual unity and Islamic solidarity even more necessary. In this context, he commended the valuable efforts of the OTS Heads of State that spurred the realization of the spiritual unity of religious leaders from an organizational point of view.
He also conveyed his thanks to Secretary General Bagdad Amreyev for his efforts in the establishment of the Council of Muslim Religious Leaders of the OTS and the organization of its third meeting in Baku and Shusha.
The Grand Mufti of Kazakhstan Naurizbay Taganuli expressed his belief that this meeting will strengthen the bonds of brotherhood. He said that cooperation on religious education is of great importance, the Turkic World should be united against Islamophobia and there is a need to prepare a common fatwa mechanism. He also underlined the importance of religious tourism. He suggested having a clear road map for achieving common goals.
President of Religious Affairs of Türkiye Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş in his speech elaborated on the various severe problems in Islamic geography today and stated that Muslims have the ability to solve the problems in their geography. In this context, he pointed out the importance of conveying religious values to the new generations as knowledge, understanding and perception. He underlined that Muslim religious leaders can successfully contribute to the work to root the sense of justice and mercy that will cover all people, to prevent the abuse of faith, and especially to prevent terrorism and anarchy through religion.
In his address Mufti of Uzbekistan Nuriddin Kholiknazarov said that the agenda of today's meeting includes issues related to education, instilling moral values in young people, experience and student exchange. He said that starting next year; Tashkent Islamic University will be welcoming foreign students including those from Turkic States.
Turkmen mufti Yalkab Khojaguliyev expressed his gratitude to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the Chairman of Caucasus Muslims’ Board, Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, for organizing this event. He expressed his belief that today's meeting will further strengthen the fraternal relations between the Turkic States, and give a boost to joint projects.
In continuation of the program the next day, the Heads of Muslim Religious Boards of OTS visited the liberated territories of Azerbaijan and Shusha, the Cultural capital of the Turkic World for 2023.
In Shusha, the OTS Muslim leaders signed the “Regulation Establishing the Council of Heads of Muslim Religious Administrations of the OTS”, as a significant effort for furthering cooperation in the field of religious affairs among the Turkic States.
The Religious Leadres also adopted the “Joint Statement of the Council of Heads of Muslim Religious Boards of the OTS”, by which they commit to improving religious affairs among the Turkic States, developing concrete projects and strengthening ties between the relevant structures by creating joint scientific and religious centers.
The parties agreed to hold next meeting of the Council of Heads of Muslim Boards in Uzbekistan, and announced that the first experience exchange program on the institutional infrastructures and activities of the Religious Administrations will be held in Ankara in 2023 with the participation of experts. In addition "Turkic States 1st Ulema Forum", proposed by the Mufti of Uzbekistan at the 1st meeting held in Istanbul, will be organized in Uzbekistan on the margin of the next meeting.
The program concluded with prayers at the Yukhari Govharaga Mosque in Shusha.
