President Aliyev: Attacks on Islam Have Become State Policy
President Aliyev: Attacks on Islam Have Become State Policy
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that hatred against Islam constitutes a global threat.
The 3rd International Conference on Combating Islamophobia was held in Baku, organized with the support of Anadolu Agency as a "Global Communication Partner."
President Aliyev's message to the participants of the conference was read by Presidential Assistant Hikmet Hajiyev.
In his message, President Aliyev stated: “Unfortunately, Islamophobia has recently taken on a more explicit and systematic character on a global level. Today, this negative phenomenon is observed not only in specific countries but also in many parts of the world. Hostility toward Islam, hatred, and intolerance against Muslims are becoming more widespread and are intensifying.”
Aliyev, noting that Islamophobia manifests in different forms, said: “Islamophobia appears in various forms—from racism and discrimination against Muslims in daily life, hate speech, physical attacks, stigmatization in the media and on social media platforms, to institutional discrimination and other similar practices. These unfair and biased approaches seriously hinder the ability of Muslims to integrate into society and to feel like equal citizens.”
Highlighting that in some Western countries Islamophobia has turned into an official policy, Aliyev said: “In some countries that historically engaged in the slave trade, pursued colonialism and occupation, and committed genocide—countries that now portray themselves as defenders of human rights and democratic values—Islamophobia has effectively become a form of state policy. Under the guise of protecting secular values, laws are enacted in these countries that restrict the rights and religious freedoms of Muslims, violating their basic rights such as access to education, housing, and employment.”
“Attacks on Islam and Muslims under the pretext of freedom of expression are unacceptable”
Stressing that acts that insult Islam are unacceptable, Aliyev stated: “Attempts to insult Prophet Muhammad, the burning of the Holy Quran, attacks on mosques and places of worship, and the destruction of Muslim cemeteries have all increased. Attacks on Islam and Muslims under the pretext of freedom of expression are unacceptable.”
Aliyev noted that Islamophobia is encouraged in some countries, fueled by radical movements and far-right parties, and that institutions such as the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, through their double standards, create a fertile ground for anti-Islamic sentiments.
Aliyev also pointed out the negative role of the media, stating that some media organizations deliberately associate concepts such as terrorism and extremism with Islam, creating a biased perception and fueling rhetoric that portrays Islam as a threat.
Stating that Azerbaijan is also among the countries affected by Islamophobia, President Aliyev reminded that during the 30-year occupation of Karabakh, genocide and ethnic cleansing occurred in Khojaly, and more than one million people became refugees.
Aliyev noted that during the occupation, nearly one million landmines were laid, cities and cultural heritage were destroyed, and that certain Western circles, driven by religious bias, turned a blind eye to Armenia’s occupation while attempting to portray the conflict as a religious one.
“Islam remains a spiritual pillar and guide for billions of people”
Aliyev emphasized that during the occupation, Azerbaijan’s Islamic heritage was also subjected to destruction, including mosques, mausoleums, cemeteries of global significance; some cultural sites were looted and distorted. He stated that restoration work on mosques and religious sites continues in the liberated regions.
In his message, Aliyev emphasized that Islam is a religion of peace, solidarity, and compassion: “Despite defamation campaigns, Islam continues to be a religion that embodies high moral values, justice, and kindness, and remains a spiritual pillar and guide for billions of people.”
President Aliyev addressed the Islamic world with the following words: “Modern global threats, the new challenges facing the Islamic world, as well as the rise of Islamophobic tendencies and attempts to discredit our religion, necessitate greater solidarity and unity among Muslim countries and mutual support. To combat Islamophobia, which is causing widespread concern across the Muslim world, we must stand united and raise a collective voice against this injustice and these harmful trends.”