A talk to a spirit...

About the Book

The book is dedicated to Tofig Gasim Oghlu Kocharly, academician, a wonderful man and talented historian. The thoughts are transmitted in a form of a dialogue with him. The author has chosen this style exclusively as a sign of deep respect to his blessed memory. Such an approach seems to give readers an opportunity to feel his presence best of all. The book is dedicated to the blessed memory of my wife Nushaba khanim’s uncle, Prof. Tofig Kocharly, a historian, recognized public figure, speaker, wonderful and joyful interlocutor, and famous researcher on the history of Garabagh, a pearl of Azerbaijan, where I was born, grew up in, and studied. May his soul shine in heavens, among stars, like on the cover of the given book. I was talking to him at that state of heart though he was keeping silent, just changing his facial expression from time to time. All this underlie the book, A Talk to a Spirit. May Allah save all of us and take the souls of those who left a rich instructive heritage of life… I am sure that life on earth is worthy of saving the relation with those who are close and dear…

About the Author

Rafig Aliyev, doctor of philosophy, professor, and founder of IRSHAD Center on Islamic Studies since 1990 was born in Agdam Region of Azerbaijan in 1947. He worked as head of the department and deputy director on foreign relations at the Institute on Oriental Studies, director of the Center for Islamic Researches in the Caucasus of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. June 21, 2001, to June 26, 2006, he headed the State Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the Work with Religious Associations. Since June 27, 2006, R. Aliyev worked as director of the Center on Islamic Studies. He is member of World Peace Academy of Professors international interreligious committee. He is the author of more than 250 scientific articles and 17 books, books of political nature: Poverty, Dictatorship, Injustice (252 pages); In Recesses of Being (464 pages); New Europe without Capitalism (150 pages); The Child of Romanticism (116 pages); Family and Marriage in Islam (226 pages), and Islam (332 pages). The above listed books, except Islam, have been translated into English and published by Trafford Publishing in the USA (www.trafford.com). They can be bought in online stores. Rafig Aliyev is married and has two children.