Russia, Moscow, June 17 / Trend , I. Bragina/
Caucasus Muslims Clerical Office head Sheik-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade proposed to establish advisory council of the CIS Muslims.
"I propose to establish an advisory council of CIS Muslim, which will include distinguished muftis and religious, scientific and cultural figures and hold annual meetings of that body," Pashazade said in Moscow on June 17. "I think, a meeting of religious leaders of the CIS Muslim Ummah will allow us to discuss current religious issues related to the life of the Ummah, and most importantly to solve them. This would be invaluable step in coordinating our efforts."
Muslim leaders of CIS member states held an international scientific-practical conference "The CIS Muslims for Inter-religious and in$ter-ethnic Harmony." The conference was held at the initiative of the Supreme Council of Muslims of the Caucasus and International Islamic Mission. The conference is attended by 40 Muslim religious leaders from the eight member countries of CIS, as well as the heads of Russia's traditional faiths.
The greetings by the Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Ilham Aliyev were read out at the conference. The keynote address was made by co-chairman of the Chairman of the CIS Inter-religious Council of Muslims of the Caucasus Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade.
He said this is first meeting at such a high level and in such a large scale for the last 18 years.
Sheikh Pashazade paid tribute to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II, who did much to preserve inter-confessional relations.
"The CIS area is home to Muslims who were not citizens of any state. Good relations between the peoples of the CIS this is an important historical treasure," he said.
He said CIS religious leaders strongly oppose the forces that infringe on territorial integrity, security and stability of States. "I deeply convinced that we can effectively repulse a solid spiritual treacherous aggression of the CIS area only by uniting efforts of our State and religious organizations," Pashazade said.
Religious leaders of the CIS are concerned that in different regions of the world there are attempts to introduce Muslim as extremists and fundamentalists. Essence of Islam is maliciously distorted. Islam is a religion of peace that abhors terrorism and extremism in all its manifestations, he said.
Pashazadeh mentioned the Karabakh problem. "We pray to God that the heads of Azerbaijan and Armenia, patiently overcoming all difficulties and contradictions, have reached a mutually acceptable solution," he said.
Pashazade said he is confident that meetings such as today's will not only strengthen the existing spiritual connection, but also deepen and broaden the benefit of the entire Ummah.