Being constitutionally recognized as a secular country, due to its Muslim majority Azerbaijan is known as a Muslim country in the world. Most of the Muslim population belongs to Shia sect, which is a minor part of Muslims all over the world and this peculiarity differentiates Azerbaijan from other Islam dominated countries. The issue of division of Islam shows itself, not that distinctly, but somehow in Azerbaijan too. Considering the geographic position of Azerbaijan that is one of the crucial factors being lucrative for the foreign actors to some extent led to an imbalance between the Sunni-Shia sects. Since the analysis of Sunni-Shia controversies, the history and spread of Islam in Azerbaijan are being studied by a number of researches, this article will not be focused on the same issues. The reason why Azerbaijan does not witness Sunni-Shia controversies comparing with other Islamic countries has always been a topic of discussion and this article aims to shed a light on some aspects of this question. However, the fact that the recent developments in rivalry between sects due to internal and foreign influences makes us concern about its nature to cause hazardous situation in all spheres of life.
References
[1]
Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, Aq Qoyunlu.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aq_Qoyunlu
[2]
Aleskerova, N. (2007) Sufism in Azerbaijan. The Caucasus and Globalization, 1, 111-119. https://www.ca-c.org/c-g/2007/journal_eng/c-g-4/11.shtml
[3]
Nazeer, A. (2001) History of Islam. An Encyclopedia of Islamic History.
https://historyofislam.com/contents/the-land-empires-of-asia/the-emergence-of-the-safavids/
[4]
Bearman, P., Bianquis, Th., Bos-worth, C.E., van Donzel, E. and Heinrichs, W.P. (2001) Middle East and Islamic Studies. Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition.
https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/browse/encyclopaedia-of-islam-2/alpha/i
[5]
Laina, F.-H. (2002) Charles Melville, ed. Safavid Persia: The History and Politics of an Islamic Society. Comparative Civilizations Review, 47, Article 13.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/ccr/vol47/iss47/13
[6]
Chehabi, H.E. and Mneimneh, H. (2006) Distant Relations: Iran and Lebanon in the Last 500 Years. Centre for Lebanese Studies and IB Tauris & Co. Ltd., Oxford and London.
https://www.lebanesestudies.com/portfolio-item/distant-relations-iran-and-lebanon-in-the-last-500-years/
[7]
Goyushov, A. (2012) Islam in Azerbaijan (Historical Background). The Caucasus Analytical Digest, 44, 2-4.
[8]
Cornell, S.E. (2006) The Politicization of Islam in Azerbaijan. Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program, Washington DC.
https://www.silkroadstudies.org/resources/pdf/SilkRoadPapers/2006_10_SRP_Cornell_Islam-Azerbaijan.pdf
[9]
Balci, B. (2004) Between Sunnism and Shiism: Islam in Post-Soviet Azerbaijan. Central Asian Survey, 23, 205-217. https://doi.org/10.1080/02634930410001310544
[10]
Сампиев, И. (2008) Исторические параллели исламской политики России на Северном Кавказе. Кавказ и глобализация, 2, 63-73. (In Russian)
https://cyberleninka.ru/article/v/istoricheskie-paralleli-islamskoy-politiki-rossii-na-severnom-kavkaze
[11]
Swietochowski, T. (2002) Azerbaijan: The Hidden Faces of Islam. World Policy Journal, 19, 69-76. https://doi.org/10.1215/07402775-2002-4009
[12]
Svanberg, I. and Westerlund, D. (1999) Islam outside the Arab World. Curzon, Richmond.
https://www.amazon.com/Islam-Outside-World-Ingvar-Svanberg/dp/0700711244
[13]
Ismayilova, S.A. (2016) Az∂rbaycan tarixinin öyr∂nilm∂sind∂ b∂dii ∂d∂biyyat m∂nb∂ kimi (XIX ∂srin II yarısı Şimali Az∂rbayсan b∂dii ∂d∂biyyatı üzr∂), Bakalavr hazirliği üçün, D∂rs v∂saiti, Az∂rbayсan Respublikasi T∂hsil Nazirliyi, Baki Dövl∂t Universiteti, Avrora, Baki. Translation of Title to English: History of Azerbaijan (on the Literature of Northern Azerbaijan in the Second Half of XIX Century (2016)). The Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan Republic, Baku State University, Avrora, Baku. (In Azerbaijan)
[14]
Seyidzade, D. (2011) Azerbaijan in the Beginning of XX Century: Roads Leading to Independence. Second Edition, Baku, 38-100.
http://www.anl.az/el_en/s/sd_abXX.pdf
[15]
Goyushov, A., Caffee, N. and Denis, R. (2010) The Formation of Contemporary Azerbaijani Society: The Role of the Russian Conquest in the Rise of a New Elite. Azerbaijan in the World, 3, 16-17.
http://biweekly.ada.edu.az/vol_3_no_16-17/The_formation_of_contemporary_Azerbaijani_society_The_role_of_the_Russian_conquest.htm
[16]
Motika, R. (2001) Islam in Post-Soviet Azerbaijan. Archives de sciences sociales des religions, 115, 111-124. http://assr.revues.org/18423
https://doi.org/10.4000/assr.18423
[17]
Goyushov, A. (2008) Islamic Revival in Azerbaijan. Current Trends in Islamist Ideology, 7, 66-81.
https://www.hudson.org/research/9815-islamic-revival-in-azerbaijan
[18]
Баберовски, Й. (2010) Враг есть везде: Сталинизм на Кавказе, Российская политическая энциклопедия (РОССПЭН). (In Russian)
http://mirknig.su/knigi/history/59414-vrag-est-vezde-stalinizm-na-kavkaze.html
[19]
Беннигсен, А. (1983) Мусулманив СССР. YMCA Press, Paris. (In Russian)
https://vtoraya-literatura.com/pdf/benigsen_musulmane_v_sssr_1983_text.pdf
[20]
Fazlur, R. (1979) Evolution of Soviet Policy toward Muslims in Russia: 1917-1965. Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs, Journal, 1, 28-46.
https://doi.org/10.1080/02666957908715792
[21]
Yemelianova, G. (2014) Islam, Nationalism and State in the Muslim Caucasus. Caucasus Survey, 1, 3-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/23761199.2014.11417291
[22]
Valiyev, A. (2005) Azerbaijan: Islam in a Post-Soviet Republic. Middle East Review of International Affairs, 9, 1-13.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/293054146_Azerbaijan_Islam_in_a_Post-Soviet_Republic
[23]
Valiyev, A. (2005) The Rise of Salafi Islam in Azerbaijan. Terrorism Monitor, 3.
https://jamestown.org/program/the-rise-of-salafi-islam-in-azerbaijan/
[24]
Göyüşov, A. and Rövş∂noğlu, K. (2018) The Brief History of Salafism in Azerbaijan. Baku Research Institute.
https://bakuresearchinstitute.org/az/a-brief-history-of-salafism-in-azerbaijan/#_edn36
[25]
Mammadli, N. (2018) Islam and Youth in Azerbaijan. Baku Research Institute.
https://bakuresearchinstitute.org/az/islam-and-youth-in-azerbaijan/
[26]
(2013) Many Sunnis and Shias Worry about Religious Conflict. Pew Research Center, Religion & Public Life, 7.
http://www.pewforum.org/2013/11/07/many-sunnis-and-shias-worry-about-religious-conflict/
