Renowned theologian and orientalist Seyid Jamal Azimbayli shared his thoughts on the month of Ramadan, fasting, fitra, and modern life with Modern.az. He also expressed his views on religious traditions, national identity, and the approach of youth to religion.
We present a comprehensive interview with Seyid Jamal.
- Mr. Jamal, the month of Ramadan begins in a few days. This belief, which has come down through centuries, is sometimes interpreted in different forms in modern times. What is required to be observed during Ramadan?
- Everyone familiar with the fundamental principles of Islam knows that Ramadan is one of the 5 commandments that Allah has made obligatory for us. What makes the month of Ramadan especially beautiful is the revelation of Islam's holy book, the “Quran,” during this month. The month of Ramadan is such that its atmosphere permeates everyone, believers and non-believers alike. As the author of the “Inam” program, we see that thousands of people who do not fast still help each other during Ramadan. In this month, their generosity begins to ignite. Ramadan is a blessing, a destiny for everyone, whether they fast or not. According to Allah's command, it is among the rulings of Islam that everyone who is of sound mind, has reached maturity, and is in good health should fast for these 30 days, give fitra zakat, and help others. A person who is not in good health can make up for their missed fasts after the Eid, one day for each missed day. However, sick individuals are completely excused.
- If we break our fast without a valid excuse, how many extra days should we fast?
- In such a case, it is obligatory for us to fast 60 days instead of 1 day. There are also different approaches to this issue in various schools of thought (madhhabs - ed.). People sometimes try to exploit Allah's mercy and issue rulings in His place. My view is that Allah's mercy, compassion, and tenderness are so vast that if we were to consider the sins we commit daily, we would not survive until morning. In these matters, one must act sensitively: using phrases like "if you didn't fast, your punishment will be severe" is contrary to Islam, which is a religion of mercy, compassion, and love. If Allah is the Forgiver, who are you to issue a fatwa in His place?! Because Allah says that the sins of everyone will be forgiven, except for the oppressors, tyrants, and disobedient. Ramadan is a month of mercy, compassion, tenderness, love, peace, and, in modern terms, tolerance. This month is the month of love and lovers. This month is the month of those who drink the syrup of divine love and are intoxicated by this love.
If you do it for Allah, Allah will elevate you to the rank you desire
- During Ramadan, the giving of fitra is measured by some with wheat and dates, and by others with a specific amount of money. What do you think, who should give fitra and how much in this month?
- Fitra zakat is obligatory for everyone who fasts and has financial means. However, if you fast but your financial means do not allow you to give fitra zakat, then giving fitra zakat is a sin for you. This is because all of Allah's commands are calculated for the benefit of His creations. You must love all creations and the Creator so that even if you do not give fitra zakat, your Lord accepts that love as a form of zakat. Those who do not fast can also give fitra zakat. They should not think that they cannot give fitra because they did not fast. On the contrary, this itself has great reward. Fitra zakat is about helping, it is the right of the needy and the destitute upon us. We must fulfill that right so that we may reach the next Ramadan without trouble or calamity, with the success of our loved ones. Fitra zakat is our life insurance. It is true that there are ignorant people who, when giving fitra, wave the money around their head before giving it. Doing this is an infringement on the rights of others (qul haqqı). This is behavior that incurs Allah's wrath.
In modern times, views on giving fitra differ. This also varies according to different countries. But there are people who break their fast with dates worth 100 manats on their table, and there are also people with dates worth 3 manats. If someone who breaks their fast with 3 manats worth of dates does not give fitra zakat, Allah will forgive them. Because Allah knows that their financial capacity does not allow them to give fitra. There are also people who buy 100 manats worth of dates and break their fast. In that case, you should give 50 manats from your home for fitra, not 7-10 manats. If your means are ample, give 200 manats for fitra. Let us not forget that no good deed goes unrewarded in the sight of Allah. If you make one heart happy, Allah will make your heart happy a thousand times over. If you do it for Allah, Allah will elevate you to the rank you desire. If you stroke the hair of an orphaned child and say, "Take this money, I owed your father," it is Allah Himself who says, "May Allah be pleased with you" over that child's head.
Turning iftar into a feast is a sin
- During Ramadan, people invite their relatives to iftar tables. To what extent is this correct?
- I am also invited to iftar, and I go to find that they are all government officials, members of parliament, businessmen. May Allah be pleased with them. They seat me at the head of the table. I ask how many of them have fasted, and they say 5-6 people. This is extravagance, this is a sin. Invite the families of martyrs, Karabakh veterans, and those who have rights to those iftar tables. Because it is a divine feast. A divine feast is Allah's hospitality. Let us not consider Ramadan merely as a process of completion with fitra zakat. How should we act this month so that our Lord, who controls us, is pleased with our state and actions, and can bring us to the next Ramadan not with the loss of children or loved ones, or the pain of our souls, but with the peace and security of our health? Ramadan is a bargain. You will bargain with Allah - "O Lord, I do this, and I ask from You." In Ramadan, you will control not only your desires, your limbs, but also your words. If you say no to bribery, refrain from lies, slander, infringing on the rights of others, say no to calumny, and continue this process after Ramadan, you will be a perfect citizen as much as you are a perfect believer. If you cannot do this after the month of Ramadan, what you did in this one month will not be so significant.
- Can fasting be observed during Ramadan based on a vow?
- Vow and votive fasts are commendable fasts. These are not fasts commanded by divine decree. In Ramadan fasting, saying “I intend to be admitted to university” is not correct, and such an intention is not applicable to Ramadan fasting. One can do it after Eid al-Fitr. There is no specific day for it. The “Quran” was revealed in the month of Ramadan, and this is a sign of respect and favor for the month in which this holy book was revealed. Otherwise, “I want to be reunited with my beloved, I want to buy a house” – these are covenants made with Allah. This covenant fast has absolutely no connection to the month of Ramadan. Fasting in Ramadan is the command of the Lord, while the other is your own desire.
- Is it correct to fast without waking up for Suhoor?
- Our beloved Prophet says that even the sleep of a fasting person is worship. But some opportunistic religious people think that this means sleeping throughout the fast. But it is not so. Our Prophet says, "Fast, and you will be healthy." If you sleep all day, you cannot be healthy. You have work, family and household problems, and worship. By sleeping all day, you can become isolated from society. Islam is modern, functional, a religion of progress and advancement. Sleeping through Suhoor does not invalidate the fast. But our Prophet says that there is blessing in Suhoor.
A man who did not pour tea for his wife even once in 11 months now brews tea and prepares food for his wife. He wants to be forgiven for the hardship she endures every day. I have experienced this in my practice. It is very beautiful. After this, why would you not wake up for Suhoor? Not waking up for Suhoor does not invalidate the fast, but it can damage it, it can reduce the spiritual burden of the fast. We should not reduce the spiritual burden of the fast.
Restaurant menus during Ramadan are a crusade against Allah
- Are you familiar with restaurant iftar menus during Ramadan? What can you say about them?
- During Ramadan, some opportunists consider Ramadan to be a month of divine opportunity, calculating it to suit their own interests. Restaurants offer extravagant menus. Last year, they offered menus for 100-120 manats per person. This opportunism is a crusade against the principles of divine justice, behavior that can incur Allah's wrath, and is unacceptable. In fact, businessmen and restaurant owners should lower prices at that time. If we cannot free ourselves from the captivity of our desires during Ramadan, if we fill our tables with extravagant dishes, we are infringing upon the rights of the needy. This is unacceptable.
All responsibility lies with the Caucasus Muslims Board
- During Ramadan, we see that Eid prayers, and even the day of Eid itself, are observed at different times. What is this related to? Whom should we believe?
- In our “Iman” program, we fought against people who wanted to issue fatwas for Azerbaijan from foreign countries and influence its religious environment. Last year, during Eid al-Fitr, we told our millions of viewers that it was Eid al-Fitr and that fasts should be broken. We are citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The greatest danger is statelessness. The Caucasus Muslims Board is recognized by the Azerbaijani state. I am not a representative or employee of the Caucasus Muslims Board. However, in this regard, all responsibility lies with the Caucasus Muslims Board. This board makes decisions in conjunction with the Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory. There can be no error in these matters. It is possible to know about a lunar eclipse a hundred years in advance. But some people want to exploit the faith of the Azerbaijani people. They are national traitors who do not consider Azerbaijan's national interests, state interests, and sell their national interests. They are very active on social networks. We also invite them to the right path. This year, too, whatever day the Caucasus Muslims Board has designated for the holiday, we, as a people and a state, will celebrate the holiday on that day.
National identity is more important than religious identity
- To what extent do madhhabs play a role in creating confusion?
- I would not separate this based on schools of thought. In Azerbaijan, there are two traditional schools of thought - Shia and Sunni. These two embrace each other, they are brothers, they are soulmates. Sunni is my soul, Shia is my blood. Those who divide them are my enemies. Those who divide the schools of thought are those who want to turn Azerbaijan into Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine. It may be that someone belonging to the Sunni madhhab says that his sheikh in Saudi Arabia has not yet issued a fatwa. There are those who say that if a certain Ayatollah in Iran has not issued a fatwa, they will not break their fast. I have no business with that, that is their own decision. But you have your own religious leader, your own country, your own soul, your own creed. Once they wrote that Seyid Jamal imitates the Azerbaijani state. I said they are absolutely right. As much as I have a religious identity, I have a national identity. I am not a person of any madhhab or any tariqa. I am a person of the Azerbaijani state and its people. My call is that for our unity and equality, both Sunnis and Shias who want to protect this should celebrate the holiday when it is celebrated in the Azerbaijani state, as this is also in accordance with the rulings of Islam. Because there is unity, solidarity, and equality at stake.
- Seyid, you are a theologian who grew up in the Karabakh environment. To what extent do approaches to religion, inter-madhhab tolerance, and the preservation of traditions vary across the southern, northern regions, and Baku villages?
- Shusha is today the cultural capital of Azerbaijan. But this city has been formed as Azerbaijan's spiritual center for centuries. Not only Shusha, but the entire Karabakh region's environment consisted entirely of spiritual people. We have seen representatives of the Prophet's lineage live and create there. A large part of the Karabakh Seyyids consisted of Lachin Seyyids. Those people were not victims of the votive business. They were scholars, and they did not use mosques as commercial objects. They formed a spiritual environment in mosques, using them as schools. In Karabakh, mosques served not only as places for lovers who drank the syrup of divine love but also as places of oath for young people in love with each other. The majority in Karabakh consisted of those who loved the Prophet and Ahl al-Bayt. This region has never been a bearer of takfiri mentality. In Karabakh, no one asked each other, "Are you Sunni, are you Shia?" The absolute majority of the Azerbaijani people do not ask this question either. If we were to ask these questions, we would point weapons at each other in the trenches, not at the enemy. Madhhab and tariqa are beautiful, but sectarianism and factionalism are dangerous.
- Did your family influence your religious beliefs?
- I am from a lineage of Seyyids in Karabakh. They did not instill religion in me through coercive means. They made me love religion through their own actions and deeds. They told me about the important practices of religion not because I am a Seyyid, but because I am a Muslim. Naturally, they told me that because I am a Seyyid, I have more responsibility, that I am a representative of a hearth that has been a place of faith for the people for hundreds of years, and that these things are important. I remember each of them with mercy. They made me love religion, my homeland, and my land. They explained to me that Azerbaijan's national interests are not separate from religion.
Islam is the greatest democracy
- In your opinion, how does religion affect people's personal freedoms, and generally, how should the balance between individual freedom and societal interests be maintained in Islam?
- The greatest democracy is in Islam. The greatest protection and safeguarding of human rights is in Islam. The greatest protection and safeguarding of women's rights is in the “Holy Quran” by Allah. 1400 years ago, when newborn girls were buried alive, it was Prophet Muhammad, the Sultan of hearts, who introduced and endeared Islam to us, who prevented their burial, protected women's rights, and declared the protection of these rights as one of the essential commands and fundamental principles of Islam. In his last sermon, which is called the Farewell Sermon in Islam, our Prophet told us that he makes the protection of women's rights obligatory upon you. He conveyed his command to us. That is, whoever does not protect women's rights is not part of this Ummah. The fundamental principles of Islam, its rules, approaches, and the rulings in the “Holy Quran” and Hadiths provide proof that women and men have equal rights. It is a pity that there are some in Azerbaijan who seem to be waging a crusade against women's rights. This is going against the Prophet, this is going against Islam. Women are your trust. Protecting them is obligatory and a command for you. Going against this command is behavior that incurs Allah's wrath. The recognition and respect for women's equal rights by men in society is also among the fundamental principles of Islam. Those who approach these principles violently, who do not adhere to them, who treat women violently, who do not recognize their rights and freedoms, have no connection whatsoever to Islam. In short, the protection of women's rights is one of the commands of the “Quran,” perhaps even the first. It is among the commands of Islam how important it is for a man to ensure the rights and financial well-being of women even when they are divorced. Slander and backbiting against divorced women are cursed by Allah. Today, the guarantor of religious, national, and moral values in Azerbaijan is the secular head of state, Ilham Aliyev. This is a great blessing for Azerbaijan.
- As we know, polygyny is permitted in Islam. It would be interesting to know your stance on this as a religious figure...
- Unequivocally, I strongly condemn polygyny. One name for the path to Allah is love. With how many women does love exist? In that era of Islam, violence, the rights and freedoms of women, and their morality were suppressed. Our Prophet permitted polygyny during that period. This is completely understandable. But when you investigate this, you see that the great figures of Islam married only one of the 6-7 women they took under their protection. They took the others under their protection to safeguard their honor and dignity. And those who do not want to know or comprehend these matters must understand.
- Should Islam keep pace with time? For example, polygyny was a requirement of that era, but now...
- Even today, many people write that for 10 years, my husband has had another wife. There is only one name for this, and that is betrayal. I believe that we must accept Islam as it is. If we can instill Islam as it is in society, we will see that such a man will not betray his wife. Islam is a religion for all times; it is simply misunderstood and misrepresented. I do not think that the religion of Islam will ever spread differently. This is impossible, because Allah completed the institution of prophethood with Prophet Muhammad.
I do not accept temporary marriage (sigheh)
- According to Islam, is temporary marriage, known as sigheh, acceptable?
- I can say one word: I do not accept it.
- When we talk about individual freedoms, children also come to mind. We also see young girls wearing hijabs in schools. This has become a seriously debated issue. Many of us think that this is not right, as children are not in a position to make their own decisions. In your opinion, how should this process be regulated in modern times?
- In families, underage children, especially girls, do not yet understand the importance, essence, and philosophy of hijab at an early age, and it cannot be imposed by force. I cannot approve of hijabs worn with the thought, "If you don't wear a hijab, your father will cut off your head." This is a matter of love. In a family, whether it's a wife or a daughter, you must first set your own moral example. If you wear a hijab and then turn a blind eye to your 14-15-year-old daughter marrying at an early age, this is going against the rulings of Islam and is unacceptable. We live in a secular country. It is important for everyone to abide by the laws of Azerbaijan. We will not allow those who want to exploit the Azerbaijani religious community under the guise of hijab, by appropriating religious rulings, to fall prey to foreign countries. The state will do this. Many of our people live with the belief that protecting the Azerbaijani state is protecting their own honor. We can now enter millions of homes by speaking the truths of Islam. Islam is not a religion of violence, but a religion of invitation, peace, and love. Islam cannot be endeared, nor can hijab be worn, through coercive means. Women who wear hijab by force do not end up with happy results. There are thousands of mothers of martyrs who do not wear hijab, and they taught their children to die for this homeland.
- You also touched upon the issue of marrying 14-year-old girls. Since July of last year, early marriage and cousin marriage have been abolished in our country with all exceptions. Some then stated that religion permits this. What is the approach to early marriage in Islam, and if such a tradition existed, is it absolutely necessary to maintain it in modern times?
- In our country, religion is separate from the state. However, the state should not leave the religious environment unsupervised. Because hundreds of people from various madhhabs and tariqas would encourage those who do not share their views, and if they had a little more opportunity to advance, they would do other things as well. The state systematically implements this control mechanism. There is no violence here; on the contrary, there is enlightenment. If someone claims in the name of religion, saying, "I know best, my daughter is 14, I am marrying her off," and exploits his daughter in the name of religion, law enforcement agencies must immediately prevent him on legal grounds, and if necessary, those parents must be arrested. In this work, the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, various NGOs, and my wife Ms. Sevinc's "New Horizon" Public Association for the Promotion of Spiritual Heritage have dozens of educational activities. There is no such coercive force here.
There are people who exploit Azerbaijan's religious environment
- In recent years, people have emerged who approach religion more romantically to capture the masses, presenting it as a collection of their own attitudes towards individuals and events. What do you think about them? Especially since they are given space on serious platforms...
- It is a fact that they pit society against each other. A control mechanism for social networks is impossible. What saddens me is that there are sectarian, factional individuals who will create a fertile ground for division in Azerbaijan, exploiting the country's religious environment under the guise of being theologians. They act with the intention of staying in the spotlight through scandals. Although not many, they have managed to gather a certain audience. What saddens me is that some news websites and television channels supported by the state interview these individuals under the name of theologians, provide them ample opportunities, and disseminate their views as if they are based on the principles of Islam. Unequivocally, these websites and channels are betraying the Azerbaijani state. One cannot be tolerant towards them. Those who instill radical ideas, sectarianism, factionalism, and trample upon the national interests of the state are building a base. That base could one day turn against Azerbaijan. The relevant state bodies must absolutely address these issues.
- How do you assess the approach and inclination towards religion among the youth of modern times?
- Research centers have different reports. But last year during Ramadan, as the “Iman” program, we conducted monitoring every evening. We had also invested in this. On the Night of Qadr alone, we received over 20,000 voice messages. I suggested that we monitor these 20,000 people, who are they? We saw that over 4,000 of them were young people. But we did not have the opportunity to investigate all 20,000. In Azerbaijan, three processes are underway regarding the youth's approach to religion. No one can hide this. There is a group of young people who propagate atheism. They are proponents of the idea that religious rituals do not belong to Azerbaijan, and they say that one should not even use weapons against the enemy. There is also a group of youth (they constitute the majority) who, without showing allegiance to any tariqa or madhhab, adhere to their own madhhabs and beliefs, prioritize Azerbaijan's state interests above all else, and live transparent lives.
There is also a group, and this is a dangerous group. They seem to accept spending their days and nights exactly as their masters, their sheikhs, their religious elders dictate, as if it were Allah's command. They are few in number. It is important to know that if there is no state, there is no religion. In Syria, radical power centers were formed, they beheaded 12-year-old children, exploited 12-year-old girls. They neither protected their honor nor their daughters. Even today, they cannot rebuild their cities and mosques.
- Azerbaijan is a tolerant country, and there are no restrictions on the representation of various religions here. Can the diversity of religions and religious movements create any problems?
- On the contrary, Azerbaijan is the only secular country where tolerance is increasingly developing not only between madhhabs and tariqas but also between religions and nations. Tolerance can not only create problems, but it is an indicator of Azerbaijan's growing international prestige for the protection of the Azerbaijani state.
- Seyid, did you see the Ghazanchi Church when you went to Shusha?
- Yes.
- Over 30 years, that church was built by Armenian Christians. After the Second Karabakh War, it is being restored by Azerbaijan. What do you think about this?
- This itself is a warning to the enemy. It is the value given to values. Azerbaijan's role as a guarantor of all religions at the state level shows what kind of country we are.
They buy their tickets to heaven and hell in this world...
- Some say that the idea of heaven and hell was invented to make people submissive. What do you say to those who deny the concepts of heaven and hell?
- They are already those who do not believe. Heaven and hell exist. If a believer does not believe in heaven and hell, their faith is incomplete. I believe in the Day of Judgment. I am a Muslim who believes in the afterlife. But I am also among those who believe that the ticket to heaven and hell is bought in this world.
- Undoubtedly, you have read the “Quran.” But which books of other Abrahamic religions have you read? And what are your conclusions?
- I have read the “Quran” 40 times. I have also read all religious books. I read continuously, and I also love world literature. Currently, I am reading Leo Tolstoy. Ignorance rages where there is no knowledge. If we can make Islam beloved through knowledge, we will see that it is functional and modern. I would also advise young people to read a lot.
- There are also people who memorize the holy book of Islam with a pleasant voice. Recently, we also came across videos about hafiz being trained in various mosques in the regions. What do you think about this tradition?
- The Prophet's wife was asked to describe the Prophet's life. What was his life like? She said one word: "His life was the “Quran”." It is important with what intellectual development one reads the “Quran.” This is not poetry for you to rhyme. If you do not know the interpretation of the “Quran,” if you appropriate Allah's commands there, if you issue fatwas from yourself, this is not your adherence to religious values. This means remaining captive in ignorant bondage.
- At one point, mollahs were undergoing attestation. Do you think this process should continue?
- The examination of mollahs and imams continues, and it should. I wish for this mechanism to be functional.
- In your opinion, will examinations reduce attempts to abuse religion? Generally, do you think mollahs and other religious figures abuse the religion of Islam?
- The number of those who abuse religion is high. I believe that in Azerbaijan's spiritual environment, there are also people who, despite not being able to pass the examination at the State Committee for Religious Affairs, possess sufficient religious knowledge and consider the state and national interests of Azerbaijan. It is imperative that the state also works with them.
- According to some observations, in recent years, couples getting married, even if they have a civil marriage, do not tend to have a religious marriage (kabin). Is kabin very important?
- In Azerbaijan, if there is no civil marriage, a religious marriage cannot be performed. However, I believe that there are many people who do this secretly. There are also cases where people do not enter into a religious marriage after a civil marriage. Anyway, when entering into a civil marriage, there are witnesses present. This itself validates the religious marriage. It's just that religious marriage is one of the traditions of Islam in our country. I would like this tradition to continue.
- In Azerbaijan, there are those who change their religion from Islam to Christianity. At the same time, the number of young people turning to the Salafi madhhab in the country is increasing. Do you also observe this? What is your attitude?
- From time to time, a vacuum has emerged in Azerbaijan's religious environment. The existing vacuums in this religious environment have created conditions for radical thought centers to influence Azerbaijan's religious environment. This stems from that. But today, the state has been able to establish a control mechanism. Both the State Committee for Religious Affairs and the Caucasus Muslims Board operate in this field in the country.
You must remain as Allah created you
- In Azerbaijan, the State Committee for Religious Affairs operates as a state institution, and at the same time, the Caucasus Muslims Board, which emerged from a long tradition, also operates in our country. How do you evaluate their activities?
- The Caucasus Muslims Board and the State Committee for Religious Affairs strive to carry out their duties. But what I desire most is for both institutions to operate systematically. As someone who wants to support these processes from the outside, this is what I wish for.
- Unpleasant tendencies are also increasing in society, such as those who change their gender, and those who promote immodesty... What is the attitude towards them in religion, and did these processes exist in Islam 1400 years ago?
- In modern times, Islamic scholars have different views on this. I was in London recently. A religious scholar there said, "If that person's life depends on organ alteration, why would Allah be angry with them?" However, I believe that you must remain as Allah created you.
- You were also involved in politics previously. How do you think religion and politics converge and diverge? What is your current political ideology?
- I defend the activities of President Ilham Aliyev. Religion is separate from politics. In our country, so many corrupt people have been involved in politics that when a person engages in politics, they are viewed negatively. In Azerbaijan, the separation of religion from politics must always be maintained as a system. However, the state's control mechanism over religious institutions must be functional.
- Do any of your children follow in your footsteps?
- No. They are all in different fields.
- Mr. Jamal, you have turned 55. What did you ask from Allah at this age?
- I thank you. Coincidentally, our interview fell at such a time. 55 years is the greatest blessing from the Lord to me. 55 years is seeing our Karabakh liberated from occupation; this age is also a responsibility, a transfer of great works I will do for my religion and my state, my homeland, my children. Until now, my wish from Allah was the liberation of Karabakh from occupation. Now, the rest of my life is to serve my homeland and my state with my children and family, and to hear the good news of Western Azerbaijan from the President, to go there, and to worship in the ancient lands of Azerbaijan.
