Thursday, February 16, 2012

News / From Our Bureaus

Azerbaijani Officials Demolish Offshore Mosque

The Oily Rocks mosque

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May 15, 2009

The only offshore mosque in Azerbaijan, on the man-made town called Oily Rocks, has been razed, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports.

State oil company SOCAR says the reason for the demolition is due to preparations for Oily Rocks' 60th anniversary, in which structures without a certain architectural style are being demolished.

SOCAR spokesman Nizameddin Quliyev said the mosque was also built on a weak foundation.

But some religious NGOs say there are political reasons for the mosque's destruction, namely a fear that Islam is strengthening in Azerbaijan.

Haci Shahin Hasanli, imam of Baku's Mashadi-Dadash Mosque, said "some officials are trying to take Azerbaijan back to Soviet times, and regard religion as a danger."

A mosque in the Yasamal district of Baku was pulled down last month. A Turkish mosque in central Baku was closed for restoration purposes earlier this month, and last year the Abu Bekr Mosque was closed for security reasons.

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by: benyamin from: london

May 17, 2009 20:53

Azerbaijan is learning from zioniest regime to battle Islam.Mosque's destruction by muslim,s forbiden in Islam,but Azeri governmnt togather with Isreal they want to Fight with GOD.We know who is the winner dont we?

by: SuzyQ from: UK

May 21, 2009 22:07

Where are all the churches in the Islamic world - under Shari'a all non-Muslims are meant to be suppressed and if they still don't want to convert to Islam - then they must pay the jizya tax or live in a subjugated status.

To all who disagree - its in the Koran.

Worst - Muslim envisage Shari'a as the rule of law all over the world - which means that we will have to then suppress and subjugate all those among ourselves who do not wish to follow Islam - to live under the Shari'a we would effectively have to make - all non-Muslims among us - lives uncomfortable enough - if not darn right miserable - so that they would too have an incentive to convert to the 'ONE true' religion.

Muslims should show more respect for others in their own regions - that way others will believe them when they claim Islam is tolerant and promotes peaceful co-existence with others.

At the moment Muslims say one thing - but do another. Turkey for example is confiscating 1300 year old church property at the moment -- Muslim men are free to marry anyone in Syria - but a non-Muslim will have to 'convert' to Islam in order to marry freely - even if the person is a non-Muslim. 200 churches have been burnt down in Indonesia - five years for having a bible in Algeria - absolutely no freedom of religion in a single Islamic country... but they agitate for rights and respect or consideration for the Islamic religion in almost every country on earth.

It's hard to believe Muslims - when they are clearly taking everyone else for stupid.