RNA – Speaking at a welcoming ceremony upon the arrival of Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Nouri-Hamadani in Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, Hujjat al-Islam Ali-Akbar Ojaqnejad, Ayatollah Khamenei’s representative in the former Soviet republic, stated that the purpose of the Iranian source of emulation’s visit to this Islamic country will help strengthen the unity between Muslims and the solidarity between Iran and Azerbaijan.
Mohsen Pakayin, Iran’s ambassador to Azerbaijan, Ebrahm Ebrahimi, Iran’s cultural attaché in Azerbaijan, Shaykh al-Islam Allahshükür Hummat Pashazade, Azerbaijan’s highest religious figure, and a number of Iranians living in the country were also present at the ceremony.
Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani stated that the unity and solidarity of the Islamic ummah (community) and Muslim countries was essential in order to deal with the enemies of Islam.
The revered source of emulation has announced that he will meet with Azerbaijani scholars and participate in a meeting with the Caucasus Muslim Board and a group of Shi’a believers at a newly-built mosque in the predominantly Shi’a country.
Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani will also visit the historical cities of Shamakhi and Ganja during his five-day visit to Azerbaijan, which began on August 31.
His Eminence also made a pilgrimage to the Holy Shrines of Lady Hakimah, the daughter of the seventh Shi’a Imam, Musa al-Kadhim in Baku and Sayyed Ibrahim ibn Imam Muhammad al-Baqir in Ganja and visited the Friday Prayers Mosque of Shamakhi, the Heydar Mosque in Baku, the tomb of Nizami Ganjavi and gave a lecture to a group of Azerbaijani clergymen and Iranians living in Baku.
The senior Iranian scholar was invited by a group of Azerbaijani scholars, intellectuals and elites to travel to the country, who’s population of about ten million is about 95% Shi’a Muslim.
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