CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VII (1, 2) Contemporary-Eurasia-3new | Page 165

KRISTINE MARGARYAN
dition, as estimated, the number of pilgrims increased by 33%, counting
for around 30,000 Azerbaijanis during 2017 87 , although it cannot be stated
that there were no any other intervening variables motivating people to
visit Karbala.
In addition, children have been noticed participating in Ashura cere-
bration and rituals such as self-fl agellation. It is hardly likely that those
children, wearing hijab, have a clear understanding of their religion. Such
actions contribute to the radicalization of the society. The legislation was
proposed over prohibiting the involvement of children in such ceremonies
as Ashura. However, the idea has been criticized by Ayatollah Ali Khame-
nei, who commented “We should appreciate this great opportunity and
the glorious mourning ceremonies of the Shiites in Azerbaijan, because
they will strengthen the identity of Azerbaijan’s nation and country”. 88
All these actions show the tendency of Iran’s increased infl uence.
What should be mentioned is that in line with having oppressive mea-
sures and indiscriminate persecution, people are becoming more vulner-
able to external religious infl uence, which is proved both by the increased
level of persecutions, religiosity and external infl uence in the face of Iran
and Syria and Iraq. Therefore, the internal factor of oppressive policies
push the Azerbaijani society towards looking for other means of express-
ing their religion, while the external infl uence fuels the willingness and
involvement in international terrorism is seen as the best alternative for
the Azerbaijani society.
Conclusion
The analysis of the present study confi rms that there are both domestic
and external factors infl uencing the religiosity and radicalization of Azer-
baijan’s society. It seems that the stages of Islamization, radicalization
and involvement in international terrorism are visible in case of Azer-
baijan. The revival of Islam in the country was the result of ideological
gap and suppressed religion under the Soviet legacy. Later on, being in-
fl uenced by Iran, missionaries penetrated from Gulf countries and jihadi
fi ghters from Chechnya after Russo-Chechen wars, Azerbaijani society
witnessed the increase in radicalization, which later on pushed them to-
wards the involvement in international terrorism.
87
88
“Azerbaijan Wrestles with Rising Iranian Infl uence,” Eurasianet, December 27, 2017,
https://eurasianet.org/azerbaijan-wrestles-with-rising-iranian-infl uence (accessed May 4,
2018).
“We Must Solemnly Oppose Disruption of Iran-Azerbaijan Fraternal Relations,” Khamenei.
ir, November 2, 2017, http://english.khamenei.ir/news/5253/We-must-solemnly-oppose-dis-
ruption-of-Iran-Azerbaijan-fraternal (accessed May 5, 2018).
165