Why do those who dream of a Sharia state in Azerbaijan flee to Europe rather than Iran or Afghanistan?

The greatest contradiction among certain circles in Azerbaijani society that oppose the secular state system in the name of religion and dream of theocratic rule becomes apparent in their lifestyles and choices for the future.

These individuals speak at length about Sharia rules and the supposed “advantages” of religious governance. Yet, when they come under pressure or decide to leave the country, they somehow do not turn to the places they promote ideologically.

This raises a simple and logical question: if the religious model of statehood is so ideal, why do you not choose Iran, Afghanistan or Syria as your destination? Why, instead of heading to countries where Sharia law is implemented, do you line up to seek refuge in the secular West — in Germany, France, Sweden and Canada — places you denounce and describe as “immoral”?

This situation lays bare several uncomfortable truths.

Different slogans, different realities: While promoting religious laws as the only path to salvation, these individuals choose, when it comes to their own lives, the prosperity, social security and legal protection provided by secular systems.

The need for rights and freedoms: When seeking asylum in Western countries, they rely on human rights conventions, freedom of expression and fair judicial systems — precisely the secular values they want to abolish in Azerbaijan.

The disaster they would impose on society: Advocating a system of poverty, restrictions and religious pressure for others while seeking to build a future for their own families in democratic, secular countries is a profound display of insincerity.

A person’s true beliefs and values are revealed not by grandiose speeches on social media, but by the choices they make for their own lives. Those who promote intolerance and darkness in the name of religion among the people living in Azerbaijan would, if they genuinely believed in their ideas, seek refuge in the centres of the theocracies they aspire to establish rather than in Europe’s secular capitals. Their hypocrisy in seeking to experiment with other people’s lives is no longer a secret to anyone.

Ismayil Shahli