WITH a proud history going back many centuries, the people of Azerbaijan celebrate their Independence Day this week on October 18 by remembering more recent achievements. In fact, Independence Day recalls independence from the Soviet Union as recently as 1991. In just 21 years, though, and despite fighting a war with one of its neighbours over disputed territory, the country has made great strides and Azerbaijan now looks forward to the future with great hope. Indeed, with two thirds of the country rich in vast reserves of oil and natural gas, Azerbaijan, a country of just over nine million people, of whom 95 per cent are Muslim, is set to reach for the sky. Nothing could symbolise this aspiration more than the recently built Flame Towers in the country's capital, Baku. Whilst roughly half of Azerbaijan's population is rural, the other half is urban, and Baku, the largest city of all, is as modern a city as any. The Flame Towers are an extraordinary feat of modern engineering, consisting of three skyscrapers rising almost 800 feet into the air in the shape of flames of fire. Some suggest that the name Azerbaijan comes from two ancient Persian words meaning “guardians of the fire," and in Azerbaijan's past, there was a history of fire worship, making the towers a modern day link with the nation's ancient past. When Azerbaijan proudly hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, having won the competition in 2011, the Flame Towers were seen again and again on every postcard of the nation's capital. As iconic as the PETRONAS Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Baku's Flame Towers are a modern image of how far Azerbaijan has come in just 21 years and they showcase a nation and a city both ancient and modern. The most western of the towers contains 355,000 square feet of flexible Class A Commercial Office space, whilst the other two contain residential and hotel space. In a prominent hillside site overlooking the Caspian Sea, the towers are connected at the base by retail and leisure buildings. Azerbaijan has borders with Russia to the North, Georgia to the North-West, Armenia to the West and Iran to the South. There is also a short border with Turkey to the North-West and the Caspian Sea is to the East of the country. Baku's long Corniche is on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Lying on the ancient Silk Road, Azerbaijan's history goes back many centuries, although it was not always one country and not always known by this name. In fact, at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, the rock drawings at Gobustan date back to 10,000 BC. The people who lived in a number of small states in this region were the forerunners of the Mamlukes, who would come to Egypt as its rulers for almost three centuries. In the early 19th century, these small states were incorporated into the Russian Empire. When that empire fell apart at the end of the First World War, the nation of Azerbaijan was born. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was established in 1918, but was to last only 23 months. The Soviet Union looked greedily at Azerbaijan's oil wealth and re-conquered the country in 1920. It is said that as many as 20,000 Azerbaijan soldiers died in this conflict. Although the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was short-lived, it made some very significant marks on history. Azerbaijan, for example, was the first modern parliamentary democracy in the Muslim world. In extending voting rights, it was the first Muslim country in the world to grant equal rights to women. A further significant achievement of this precursor to modern Azerbaijan was the establishment of Baku State University, the first modern university in the Muslim east. And not only was education of great importance, but culture, too, always played a prominent role in the nation's life. Thus, it is that Azerbaijan was the first Muslim majority nation to have operas, theatres and plays. Unfortunately, soon after breaking free from the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan fought a war with Armenia over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. With the territory still disputed, all sides need to come together in order to avoid another conflict. With over half of Azerbaijan's land mass made up of mountain ranges, crests and plateaux, the country is naturally beautiful and rich in history and art. Muslims read in the holy Qur'an in Surat Al-Baqarah: “Their similitude is that of a man who kindled a fire; When it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in utter darkness. So they could not see." (2: 17) In this image in the Qur'an, the man wanted light, so he lit a fire. The fire raged for all to see, but then burned itself out and left all around it darker than it was before. People are often like this. In our attempts in this world to make greater and greater advances, we sometimes end up losing what we had before we began. “Progress" does not always leave us better off. Inshallah, Azerbaijan and its Flame Towers have a lesson to teach us this week. The Flame Towers can remind us all not only of the country's Independence Day celebrations, but also that all of us depend on Allah Almighty for any progress we make, whether as a nation or as individuals. If our efforts are based on Him, we can reach upwards for the sky and they will surely be rewarded, inshallah. British Muslim writer, Idris Tawfiq, teaches at Al-Azhar University. The author of nine books about Islam, he divides his time between Egypt and the UK as a speaker, writer and broadcaster. You can visit his website at www.idristawfiq.com and join him on Facebook at Idris Tawfiq Page
