Baku: Armenians have allegedly sold rare copies of the Quran, taken from mosques in Western Azerbaijan, at auctions abroad, according to Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office (CMO). Speaking at a meeting of the CMO’s Council of Elders, Pashazade emphasized the importance of cultural and spiritual sovereignty following the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Pashazade highlighted the historical role of qadi institutions under the CMO, which have served as a religious center in the Caucasus. These institutions have not only addressed religious and moral needs but have also contributed significantly to national self-awareness and representation, upholding the Islamic civilization’s high-level representation to which Azerbaijanis belong.

Pashazade further noted the impact of ethnic cleansing and deportations on Azerbaijanis from their ancestral lands, now part of Armenia, which resulted in the suspension of religious judiciary activities in these regions. Recalling his tenure as the Qadi of Iravan-Nakhchivan in 1978-79, he shared his experiences of visiting over 300 mosques and sacred sites in present-day Armenia and the subsequent tragic situation there. He accused Armenians of committing acts of vandalism against Azerbaijani national and cultural monuments, including the destruction of mosques and cemeteries and the looting of properties, in an effort to erase Azerbaijani presence from these lands.

Pashazade also claimed that rare copies of the Quran and exquisite manuscripts, originally belonging to mosques in Western Azerbaijan, were looted and sold at auctions in foreign countries.