Caucasus Muslims Board, until 1992 called The Spiritual Board of the Muslims of Transcaucasia, is the highest spiritual and administrative organ of the Muslims of the countries of the Transcaucasus located in Baku.

History

Period of the Russian Empire The history of the administration begins in 1823. Thus in 1823, the post of religious leader shaykh al-Islam was established in Tbilisi to lead Transcaucasia Shias. 9 years later in 1832, the position of mufti the head of Caucasian Sunnis, also was established in Tbilisi. The first mufti was proposed by russian general Georg Rosen.

In 1872, Alexander II of Russia created the Transcaucasian Muslim spiritual administrations of Sunni and Shia schools. Madrasas (schools) were solemnly opened on January 2, 1873 in Tbilisi. In the South Caucasus two Muslim administrative organs were created the Sunni Spiritual Administration headed by the Mufti and the Shia Spiritual Administration chaired by the Sheikh. Each of these two subdivision located in Tbilisi consisted of a chairman (mufti or shaykh al-Islam), 3 members of the board, a secretary with 2 assistants, a translator, a scribe and an archivist. Shaykh al-Islam and the mufti could be appointed by the Caucasian viceroy. Until 1867 only shaykh al-Islam and the mufti received salaries from the government, but from that year other high-ranking Muslim clerics began to receive it.

The spiritual jurisdiction of these institutions extended to the Muslims of Baku, Elisavetpol, Tiflis and Erivan governorates.

Period of the Republic After the declaration of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on May 28, 1918, the government of Azerbaijan faced such an issue: the Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of the Caucasus (Transcaucasia) located in the city of Tbilisi should be transferred to the city of Baku and the post of shaykh al-Islam, which was abolished in 1917 should be re-established.

Thus, at the beginning of 1918 the Administration was transferred to Baku, and akhund Agha-Alizadeh became the only candidate for the highest clerical rank, Sheikhul-Islam. During the republic, the spiritual administration was called Mashkhati-Islamiyya.

Soviet period On April 14, 1944, it was established on the initiative of the leadership of the USSR as the Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of Transcaucasia. On May 25–28, 1944, the First Congress of Muslims of Transcaucasia took place. At the congress, Agha-Alizadeh was re-elected chairman of the Spiritual Board of Muslims of Transcaucasia and again received the religious rank of shaykh al-Islam. He is also the first shaykh al-Islam elected in the history of the administration, until then sheikhulislams were appointed by the state. At that congress, the Charter of the Spiritual Administration was approved and its leadership (the mufti and the members of the spiritual administration, along with shaykh al-Islam) were elected.

At the time of independence After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it received its modern name — "Religious Council of the Caucasus" (Caucasian Muslims Board). In 1992, Haji Allahshukur Pashazadeh was elected chairman of the Supreme Religious Council of the Caucasian Peoples by the religious figures of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Ingushetia, Chechnya, Karachay-Cherkessia and Adygea Republics.

According to the charter, the head of the Caucasian Muslims Office must be a Shia and his deputy a Sunni. This is the only such hierarchy among the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the former Soviet Union.

In 2003, Haji Allahshukur Pashazadeh was elected shaykh al-Islam for life at the 11th Congress of Muslims of the Caucasus. The last 12th Congress of Caucasian Muslims was held in Baku on August 12, 2009.

In Georgia, where 800,000 Muslims live, a representative office of the Administration of Caucasian Muslims was also opened. In August 2011, a new Islamic institution was established in Georgia, which was not subordinated to the Administration of Caucasian Muslims.

Leaders The head of the Shia community shaykh al-Islam is the chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Broad. The Mufti, who is the head of the Sunni community is his deputy.

Shaykh al-Islams The first rank of shaykh al-Islam in the Caucasus was established in 1823. So far, 12 people have become shaykh al-Islam. The period of their tenure is given in the following table: #Name1Mahammadali Huseinzadeh1823–18462Fazil Iravani1846–18623Ahmad Huseinzadeh1862–18844Mirza Hasan Tahirzadeh1885–18945Abdussalam Akhundzadeh1895–19076Mahammad Hasan Movlazadeh Shakavi1907–19097Mahammad Pishnamazzadeh1909–19188Agha Alizadeh1918–1920 1944–19549Muhsin Hakimzadeh1954–196610Ali-Agha Suleymanzadeh1968–197611Mirgazanfer Ibragimov1978–197912Allahshukur Pashazadeh1980–present

Muftis The first mufti of Muslims belonging to the Sunni Islamic school in the Caucasus was established in 1832. Until now there have been 11 muftis. Their tenure is shown in the table below:

#NamePeriod1Tajuddin Mustafin1832–18402Osman Velizade1842–18473Muhammed Muftizadeh1847–18804Abdul Hamid Efendizadeh1872–18805Mirza Huseyn Afandi Qayibov1883–19176Ibrahim Efendizadeh1944–19557Asadulla Dibirov1956–19598Sharif Velizade1960–19669Ahmad Bozgeziev1968–196910Ismail Ahmedov1969–198611Salman Musayev1989–present

See also :Category:Shaykh al-Islams of the Religious Council of the Caucasus :Category:Muftis of the Religious Council of the Caucasus Islam in the Soviet Union Islam in Russia Muftiate Taza Pir Mosque

References

Sources

Caucasus Muslims Board