On July 8, during the second day of the First International Islamic Civilization Forum, at the panel dedicated to the presentation of new books, a presentation ceremony was held for the book-album "The Pinnacle of Brotherhood and Alliance," authored by Allahshukur Pashazade, Sheikh of All the Caucasus, and published in the Azerbaijani and Uzbek languages. The panel, which took place at the Center for Islamic Civilization, was attended by ICESCO Director-General Salim AlMalik, IRCICA Director-General Mahmut Erol Kılıç, and other officials.

The book-album "The Pinnacle of Brotherhood and Alliance," authored by the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board, Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, reflects the genuine brotherly relations between His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, and the contribution of interstate relations — which have risen to the pinnacle of alliance — to the development of our spiritual ties. The book conveys the Azerbaijani President's supreme attention and care for the sacred values of Islam and the religious and spiritual heritage of our people, the author's feeling of pride and gratitude for his active defense of the ideas of Islamic solidarity on the international stage, as well as the Uzbek President's profound respect for lofty spiritual values and our Islamic heritage, and his exemplary work in this direction. The book-album consists of 216 pages and was exquisitely printed at the "Azerbaijan Publishing House."

The author's message in this publication — a gift to our brotherly peoples — is that only true leaders consistently promote and champion their people's traditional values at all times and on all levels, safeguarding their national and spiritual heritage and contributing to its recognition worldwide. His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan — who are successfully elevating the relations between the modern, independent states of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, whose foundations were laid by our National Leader Heydar Aliyev — are precisely such leaders of the highest caliber. The book contains accounts of cordial meetings held in Azerbaijan and on Uzbek soil, speeches delivered by Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade at events in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan across different periods, conference materials, letters and reports, and photographs. The publication was overseen by Mufti Salman Musayev, First Deputy Chairman of the CMB, and compiled by Rahima Dadashova, Head of the CMB Press Service and Doctor of Philosophy in History.

Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade spoke at the book's presentation ceremony at the Forum:

"It is a great honor for me to be here with you at the presentation ceremony of 'The Pinnacle of Brotherhood and Alliance,' a publication we have dedicated to the eternal bonds of brotherhood between my native Azerbaijan and my second homeland, Uzbekistan. Published in two languages — Azerbaijani and Uzbek — the book-album 'The Pinnacle of Brotherhood and Alliance' aims to reflect the development of cultural, spiritual, and religious ties in the most recent chapter of the history of the two brotherly peoples and allied states, at a time when their relations have risen to the pinnacle of political alliance thanks to the efforts and wise steps of their powerful state leaders.

Uzbekistan holds a special place in my heart. I rejoice boundlessly at this country's every success and always pray for it to rise to even greater heights. As someone who received higher religious education in Uzbekistan and rose to the office of Sheikh ul-Islam in Azerbaijan and the Caucasus, I hold in the highest regard the importance and attention that the esteemed heads of state of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan devote to traditional national and spiritual values and to historical heritage. It is by the Grace and Generosity of Almighty Allah that, in an era when the world is experiencing a crisis of spiritual values, our brotherly peoples — under the leadership of their wise leaders — are advancing with confidence on the path of building a worthy future, drawing on their historical and spiritual heritage. His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan and His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of the Republic of Uzbekistan are breathing new life into centuries-old shared and venerable traditions, securing the future successes of the two brotherly peoples.

Esteemed participants! Uzbekistan, the heart of Central Asia, demonstrates to the world such a model of political culture, such an example of economic breakthrough, and such marvels of development that one cannot help but feel pride. With reverence for its religious and spiritual history and drawing upon its great traditions, tremendous work is being carried out in Uzbekistan today, under the wise leadership of His Excellency Shavkat Mirziyoyev, toward the academic study of the moderate values of Islam and the promotion of its humanist, universal essence. The fact that the President of Uzbekistan — the visionary and creator of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, unparalleled not only in Central Asia but in the entire world, and the author of the Third Renaissance era — places such high value on the lofty spiritual values of Islam is a brilliant manifestation of wise, far-sighted statesmanship. May Almighty Allah grant success to the deeds of the leader of Uzbekistan, who is doing unmatched work to promote our sacred religion on scientific foundations and making extraordinary efforts to introduce to the whole world such figures and values of Islamic civilization as Imam Bukhari, Imam Tirmidhi, Imam Maturidi, and Naqshbandi!

Esteemed participants! A magnificent era is unfolding today in the centuries-old shared history of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. The efforts of His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan — the author of the Baku Process with its 18-year history of intercultural dialogue, the initiator and consistent defender of the ideas of Islamic Solidarity and human brotherhood on the global stage, and a leader who demonstrates a resolute stance against Islamophobia — are a source of pride for each of us. We take pride in the efforts and deeds of His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan — a country that historically held, and today holds, the status of the spiritual center of Transoxiana and of Central Asia — who presented the Islamic world's manifesto against religious intolerance and Islamophobia from the rostrum of the United Nations. Taken together, the capable policies of the leaders of the two brotherly, allied states — their wise political course grounded in lofty spiritual ideals — constitute a supreme service to the interests of our peoples, our states, the entire Turkic world, and the whole Islamic world, and carry universal significance.

Esteemed participants of the presentation! With the pride I feel for Uzbekistan–Azerbaijan relations and with deep gratitude to the Uzbek people, it is an honor for me to present to your attention this book-album which I have authored. We express our profound gratitude to the Center for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan and its director, the esteemed Dr. Firdavs Abdukhalikov; to Muzaffar Kamilov, Head of the Department for Religious and Educational Affairs of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan; and to the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Azerbaijan for their unfailing assistance in bringing this book to life.

Thanks be to Allah, the wise path whose foundations were laid in independent Azerbaijan–Uzbekistan relations during the era of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people, our Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, is being continued and developed today. As long as the Islamic world and world politics have such wise political leaders as His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, the Muslim world and our Ummah will achieve ever greater successes, insha'Allah! May Almighty Allah protect our leaders — distinguished by their reverence for national, spiritual, and universal values — our peoples, and our states, and may He keep them forever at the summit! Amin!"

It should be noted that the presentation ceremony of the book-album "The Supreme Pinnacle of Brotherhood and Alliance" for the Uzbek public was held on July 7 in the grand hall of the Uzbekistan Cinematography Agency.

At the closing ceremony of the First International Islamic Forum in Tashkent, Sheikh ul-Islam A. Pashazade was presented with a special gift from His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and a gift on behalf of the Forum.

CMB Press Service

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