Состояние религиозного образования в Азербайджане в ХХ веке и в наши дни

Abstract

The article examines the history of religious education in Azerbaijan, its place and role in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. In Soviet times, many mosques were closed in Azerbaijan, as in other socialist republics, and religious education was controlled by the state. Starting in the 1940s, the Soviet regime's attitude towards religions, including Islam, began to soften, and some closed mosques were allowed to operate. In Soviet times, there were 17 mosques in Azerbaijan. At the end of the 20th century, after Azerbaijan gained independence, mosques and religious ed-ucational institutions were re-opened, and a number of fundamental laws regulating the activities of Islamic educational institutions were adopted. In this regard, the article reflects educational activities of Islamic institutions currently operating in the country. The activities of the Republic of Turkey to establish a network of religious educational institutions in Baku and other regions are particularly noted. The author considers it inappropriate to leave religious education outside state control, since various radical religious groups may use it for their political purposes.