The state of Azerbaijan is secular. That's what it says in the Constitution. Religion here does not interfere in the affairs of the country. It exists separately. It's peaceful in the republic
believers of different faiths coexist.
Legislation of the Republic
Free choice of religion in the country is guaranteed by the state. In 1992, a corresponding law was adopted. Anyone can perform those ceremonies that are accepted in his religious denomination. At the same time, the state takes care that believers do not conflict with each other, preventing the dissemination of materials that incite interfaith hatred.
The religion of Azerbaijan is Islam
According to statistics, 99% of the population are Muslims. Most of them are Shiites-Imamits. Although the openness of the republic contributes to the penetration of other currents into its territory. Historically, the territory has become mostly Islamic, although representatives of other faiths lived here before the spread of this religion. Spreading from the Arabian Peninsula, Islam was imposed on the population by the conquerors. This is what happened with Azerbaijan. Only idolaters andJews living in this territory did not submit. They had to pay a considerable bribe to the conquerors for patronage. Now the Islamist confession is the strongest in the republic, although it is represented by various trends.
The ancient religion of Azerbaijan is idolatry
This belief existed in the territory before 500. Its basis is the worship of many deities. People honored the souls of their dead. Also in honor were trees and rocks. Natural phenomena were considered separate divine beings. Subsequently, the fire-worshippers emerged from idolatry. They believed that the flame cleanses both physical and spiritual filth. Their individual representatives are found in the republic to this day. Over time, Zoroastrianism, which is also based on the service of the flame, separated from the fire worshipers. But the base is in
this faith is different. All life is a continuous struggle between good and evil. Some researchers call Zoroastrianism the oldest faith.
The religion of Azerbaijan is Christianity
This religion was brought to the republic by Jews around the year 100. They described to people the miracles performed by Jesus. Under their influence, the first Christian communities arose. They still exist today. On the territory of the republic there are many Orthodox churches, there are famous monasteries. Christianity is represented by various currents, including Catholicism and Protestantism.
The religion of Azerbaijan is Judaism
This is the religion of the Mountain Jews who moved to the country from India. They live in the countrymore than 15 centuries, but managed to preserve their traditions and way of thinking. They consider themselves descendants of the sons of Israel.
Catholicism and Zoroastrianism as well as other movements and religions exist in the country. Therefore, there is no single answer to the question of what religion is in Azerbaijan. Everyone is free to choose what to confess. Interfaith conflicts are rare here. But most of the citizens profess Islam.
