Imam Juma Lilan: Banning the education of veiled girls in Azerbaijan is a violation of women's rights

Lilan- The imam of Juma Lilan criticized what he called the ban on the education of veiled girls and teachers in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

According to Mehr reporter, Hojjat-ul-Islam Javad Rathi, in his Friday prayer sermons this week in Leylan, referring to the reports regarding the restrictions on the presence of veiled students and teachers in the schools of the Republic of Azerbaijan, stated: If a woman is banned from attending the classroom due to wearing a hijab, her right to education has been affected by the restrictions related to clothing.

Criticizing the positions of countries that claim to defend human rights and women's freedom, he added: Those who always talk about women's freedom and rights should also have a clear position against the restrictions that hinder the education of women and girls.

Imam Juma Lilan raised the question whether education and acquiring knowledge is not one of women's rights, and said: How can we talk about women's freedom, but turn the choice of clothing into a factor for depriving them of education? If such a restriction were applied in Iran, what would be the reaction of the claimants of women's rights and freedom?

Criticism of religious restrictions in the Republic of Azerbaijan

Referring to the history of his alleged restrictions in the field of Islamic rituals in the Republic of Azerbaijan, Rathi claimed that after Ilham Aliyev took office in 2003, restrictions were imposed on religious activities.

Referring to issues such as the holding of the Muharram ceremony, Quranic activities outside mosques and the presence of veiled women in some social arenas, he recalled: In 2009, the issue of banning veiled students from entering the schools of the Republic of Azerbaijan was also raised, which, according to him, was met with public protest and resistance.

Referring to the Muslim population of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Imam Juma Lilan considered the implementation of extensive restrictions against the hijab incompatible with the religious context of this country's society and emphasized the need to respect the religious and social rights of women.

Hijab and chastity at the center of cultural differences

In another part of his speech, Rathi criticized currents which, according to him, seek to weaken the status of hijab and chastity, and stated: Hijab and chastity should not be attacked with derogatory terms, and women should not become consumable tools in society.

Pointing to what he called an attempt to weaken religious symbols in Iran, he claimed that some foreign currents, along with political and economic pressures, have also targeted the issue of hijab and the position of the clergy.

Imam Juma Lilan also pointed to the words attributed to the Prime Minister of the Zionist regime about the role of women's hijab and clerics' turbans in the failure of this regime's goals in Iran, and considered this as a sign of the importance of cultural and religious components in political confrontations.

Warning about the political consequences of developments in the region

In the continuation of his political sermons, Rathi warned about the possible consequences of religious restrictions in the Republic of Azerbaijan on the country's relations with Iran and claimed that some currents may attribute the internal protests in Azerbaijan to Iran and thereby harm the relations between Tehran and Baku.

He emphasized that the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan have the ability to make decisions about their country's internal issues, and according to him, Iran was not involved in the possible protests of this country.

Referring to regional developments, Imam Juma Lilan considered some foreign actions and political movements to be the cause of increasing tensions and said that the Islamic Republic of Iran is more prepared to deal with threats than in the past.

In the final part of his speech, referring to the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, he claimed that the decrease in ship traffic in this passage has affected the calculations of the United States and assessed the country's defense readiness as an important factor in facing threats.