ASKING GOD FOR KINDNESS AND PEACE

In 2008, the Hajj - the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia - and its main rituals begin in early December. The pilgrimage to the holy sites is the fifth and last requirement of faith prescribed by Islam. Every able-bodied Muslim should perform the Hajj at least once in their lifetime if they have the wherewithal to do so. The Hajj is performed on the first day of the lunar month of Dhu al-Hijja and reaches its culmination on the 9th day of the month. The fete of Qurban Bayram coincides with the end of the annual pilgrimage ritual and will take place on 8 December this year. On the day of the fete, pilgrims sacrifice sheep and lambs in the Mina Valley, which symbolizes the Prophet Ibrahim's readiness to sacrifice his son Ismail to God. Allah sent Ibrahim two sheep instead to reward him for his faith. On that day, Muslims all over the world perform the ritual of sacrifice, hand out the animal's meat to the poor and have a festive meal at home. Every Muslim who sacrifices an animal should hand the meat to seven different houses. This tradition is thought to develop a feeling of charity and support for one's neighbours. Qurban Bayrami begins with a special festive prayer. In the Muslim world, the festivities last three days. Muslims ask their family and friends for forgiveness for their wrongdoings, they visit the graves of their ancestors and pray for kindness and peace. For Muslims, Qurban Bayrami is not only the main religious festival, but also an opportunity to ask Allah to remit their sins.

Festivals of the faith and the nation

Qurban Bayram has always been celebrated in Azerbaijan. Even in the Soviet era, when celebrations of religious holidays were strictly forbidden, people celebrated it in secret. Official celebrations began after Azerbaijan regained its independence and, in 2006, the Azerbaijani Parliament officially declared two days of the festival to be non-working days. Despite the fact that our country is a secular state, two religious festivals are celebrated officially: Qurban Bayrami and Ramazan Bayrami. This is a clear example of closing the gap between religious and secular forms. In Kazakhstan, for example, Qurban Bayrami is only one holiday under the Labour Law. A lawyer from that country, who takes an interest in these issues, noted a significant fact in his interview with our correspondent. "In Azerbaijan, Qurban Bayrami is not only a national holiday. It is also a holiday declared by the Directorate of the Muslims of the Caucasus, and this is stated in law. This is a major step forward compared to the Kazakh model. Officially, for example, Ramazan Bayrami is neither a holiday nor a non-working day in Kazakhstan. This is sad for a country where the vast majority of people are Muslims. But be that as it may, Kazakhstan is a democratic, secular, law-governed and socially oriented state," he added.

Incidentally, the fact that Azerbaijan is an example to the whole world for its secularity and freedom of speech was noted at the international conference "Different types of Islamophobia and xenophobia: influencing youth and youth activities to prevent them," which was held in early November in Baku. The event, under the slogan, "Without religious differences," was organized by the Azerbaijani Ministry for Youth Affairs and Sports, the Council of Europe, ISESCO, the European Youth Forum and the Youth Forum of the Organization of Islamic Conference "For Dialogue and Cooperation."

Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Azad Rahimov noted in his speech to the conference that more than 80 ethnic groups live in Azerbaijan today and they are all Azerbaijani citizens. And the policy of the Azerbaijani state is creating an atmosphere free of ethnic or religious discrimination.

For his part, Ahmed Said Ould Bah, head of the Cabinet of the ISESCO Director, said in his speech that after the events of 11 September, attacks on Islam have become more frequent. "There is an unjustified animosity towards Islam and Muslims. Unfortunately, there are instances of Islamophobia even in the social and political sectors. That those who speak against Islam remain unpunished, encouraging others to do the same. There is a need to combine our efforts to address this problem."

Participants in the conference discussed methods of working with youth to prevent manifestations of Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and other forms of xenophobia, and the eradication of religious strife. The conference adopted the Baku Youth Initiative, which urges the youth organizations of the world to work together in this field.

There is one God

We mentioned the conference in the context of Qurban Bayrami for a reason. Experience shows that co-existence of the religious and the secular is sometimes thought controversial. And perhaps it would be worth stressing that different religious denominations and rules of state government have always co-existed in a miraculous manner. This is true harmony. Our magazine often writes that Azerbaijan gives birth to and raises people who are broad-minded on a large scale. It was no accident that the emblem of the above-mentioned conference was a painting by 17-year-old Ilqar Talibov, "The being and unity of God," which he painted when he was 7. The organizers not only remembered Ilqar's painting 10 years later, but also asked him to come from the United States, where he is currently studying at one of the universities, to take part in the conference.

Like all his peers, he grew up in a difficult period of Azerbaijan's history. Nonetheless, already by 7, Ilqar realized that this world is guided by one God. And he painted this message from heaven:  the symbols of the three major world religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam were painted next to one another on his canvas.

"It seems to me that Islam as a science is misrepresented to youth. The Koran is an ethical code and a source of invaluable knowledge which was sent by God to mankind. It is full of unrevealed secrets and combinations of sounds which delight all listeners. Islam is a science of moral values, mutual respect, forgiveness, spiritual purity and culture. It is a religion which shows the bright road to justice and peace.  Islam protects us from violence and evil," said Talibov in one of his interviews.

And precisely these values lie at the heart of Qurban Bayrami. The ritual of sacrifice has become in Islam a symbol of spirituality, piety, charity and readiness of the Muslim to ignore his or her own personal interests and desires for a just cause. And if everyone reflects on the true purpose of this ritual and its postulates, there will be much less evil in this world.