Azerbaijani parliament speaker Oqtay Asadov has called on mullahs in the country to perform their prayers in Azeri, not in Arabic. During a parliamentary session, Asadov said that since all the verses of the Koran have been translated into Azeri, it would be better if all the prayers during sermons or events linked to religious services were performed in Azeri to make it easier for people to fully understand the prayer. But Islamic regulations say all prayers must start with Koranic verses in Arabic -- which even in that language have different interpretations -- and afterward continue in a native language.
Azerbaijan's head mufti has not yet responded to Asadov's call.