Azerbaijanis

Pre-Islamic religious environment. Before the spread of Islam, local cults, Zoroastrian and Christian traditions existed in various parts of the region. The surviving Caucasian Albanian Christian manuscripts belong to a separate linguistic and ecclesiastical history. They cannot be called texts in the ancient Azerbaijani language. Historical geography of the materials. The medieval region of Azerbaijan, Arran and the modern Republic of Azerbaijan do not coincide in their borders. Bosworth treats them separately. Information about the conversion of one region cannot be transferred to the entire area of the present-day settlement of the people. Zoroastrianism and the sacred fire. Adur Gushnasp in the historical region of Azerbaijan, on the territory of present-day Iran, was a significant Zoroastrian sanctuary. Its history belongs to a specific religious environment; it does not prove that all the ancestors of modern Azerbaijanis professed a single faith. Language and religious change. The Iranian Azari of medieval sources differs from modern Turkic Azerbaijani. The linguistic transition took place over centuries and did not coincide with conversion to Islam. Distinguishing between the languages helps avoid the mistaken projection of present-day identity onto the ancient population. How Islam arrived. The military campaigns of the Arabs, the establishment of the authority of the caliphate and the settlement of Muslim groups from the 7th century created the conditions for the spread of Islam. Political conquest and the conversion of the population were not a single event: religious changes occurred gradually. Cities, communities and education. Mosques, religious education and everyday ties drew the population into the Islamic cultural environment. The medieval history of the regions north and south of the Araxes differed; the date of a single campaign cannot be considered the day of conversion of the entire people. Oghuz migrations. The spread of Turkic languages and Islamization are connected but do not coincide in time. The arrival of Oghuz groups changed the linguistic and political environment in which Islam was already present. The modern confessional map cannot be projected onto the early Middle Ages. Sunni origins of the order. Safi al-Din was a disciple of the Sunni Sufi master Zahid Gilani. The early Safaviyya arose in this environment; its subsequent Shia orientation was the result of historical changes, not an unchanging property from its foundation. Sufi networks and the Safavids. The Safavid movement grew out of the religious order of Ardabil. Its beliefs and political goals changed; the early movement cannot be fully identified with the later official doctrine. Junayd and new followers. In the 15th century, Junayd attracted Turkmen followers from Anatolia and Syria. Under him, the veneration of Ali and the political claims of the order intensified. This helps explain how Sufi networks became the support of the future dynasty. Criticism of hagiographic materials. "Safwat al-safa" by Ibn Bazzaz, completed around 1358, mainly recounts the miracles and teachings of Safi al-Din. Later editions reflected the interests of the dynasty; the hagiographic account must be compared with other materials. Consolidation of Shiism. In 1501, Shah Ismail proclaimed Shiism the state religion of his state. The establishment of Twelver Shiism involved authority, preaching, education and coercion; it continued for generations and did not eliminate the Sunni presence. Sunni communities. Sunni traditions persisted in the region, including under the conditions of Ottoman-Safavid rivalry. Political borders, migrations and local history influenced religious life. It is incorrect to describe all Azerbaijanis as followers of a single branch of Islam. Muharram, Ashura and ziyarat. For Shia communities, the memory of Imam Husayn is important. Commemorative poetry, gatherings and visits to shrines have local forms. Modern field research shows changes and disputes within the communities themselves, rather than a single obligatory ritual. Ateshgah and Indian pilgrims. The Surakhani complex is associated with the veneration of fire and with Indian trade and pilgrimage connections. Descriptions mention Zoroastrians, Hindus and Sikhs. The later buildings and the practices of visitors cannot be considered direct proof of a single ancient religion of all Azerbaijanis. Secular thought of the 19th century. The enlighteners discussed social and religious orders. Mirza Fatali Akhundzade developed secular criticism and reform projects. His views are the position of a particular author, not evidence of the unbelief of the whole society. Soviet restrictions and continuity. Anti-religious campaigns restricted open worship and rituals. At the same time, certain family and local practices continued and changed. The revival of public religious life after the USSR does not mean that faith had completely disappeared before that. Contemporary religious life. Among Azerbaijanis there are Shia, Sunni and secular people; the degree of participation in rituals varies. The Republic of Azerbaijan is a secular state. National statistical indicators of religion cannot, without additional research, be presented as the confessional composition of ethnic Azerbaijanis throughout the world. Novruz and the folk calendar. Novruz is associated with spring renewal, family gatherings and wishes for well-being. It is celebrated by different peoples and religious communities. The presence of fire or other symbols does not make it possible to determine automatically the religion of a modern participant in the holiday.