Reisul-ulema Kavazović in Novi Pazar said: Unite, protect your communities!

(Patria) - The Reisul-ulema of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Husein-ef. Kavazović, addressed the celebratory academy in Novi Pazar tonight on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Mešihat of the Islamic Community in Serbia, and called on the Muslims of this country to unite around the Mešihat and to become one community and a united force.

He also stated that it is necessary for everyone to do their utmost, because only united can they achieve further development and improvement of the local environment, and face the challenges that lie ahead.

„I call on all Muslims in Serbia to gather around the Mešihat of the Islamic Community, around Mufti Mevlud Dudić and our ulema, imams and muderrises, around our leaders, around your mosques, and to make a personal contribution and participate in every good deed you are called to. And protect your communities like sanctuaries, may Allah help you“, said, among other things, Reisul-ulema Kavazović.

The MINA agency transmits his address in its entirety:

"Bismillahir-rahmanir-rahim,

Honorable Mufti Dudić, honorable muftis from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia, respected members of the Rijaset and Mešihat, dear colleagues, respected ulema, guests and friends, brothers and sisters.

Today we gathered in this beautiful city of Novi Pazar to mark a significant anniversary, the 30th anniversary of the Mešihat of the Islamic Community in Serbia. It was a blessed day for our Islamic Community, a day that Almighty Allah blessed, because what was founded that day has already yielded extraordinary results and borne numerous diverse and delicious fruits. It was a day when the Islamic Community in Sandžak, and in all of Serbia, stepped into a new era, a new time.

Perhaps it was not foreseen at the time that it would be a kind of 'time of happiness', a time of great material and spiritual achievements and progress, a time of our pride. It was a time of our birth in blood, a time of resistance to the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a time of spiritual and material renewal in Sandžak. The work of the Gazi Isa-beg Madrasa was renewed, an Islamic kindergarten was opened, the Faculty of Islamic Studies was founded, the administrative building was built, a large number of religious buildings were renovated and built, and a healthy administrative structure was established, and religious education was introduced into schools. What is more important: a strong energy of renewal in all directions flowed through our collective being, and we were completely proud.

Brothers and sisters!

Today we mark the thirtieth anniversary of the beginning of that process, led by the late Mufti Muamer-ef. Zukorlić together with all of you.

That is not a short period, and a lot of good has accumulated. Namely, whoever introduced a good custom, initiated a beneficial process, or simply participated in it, receives rewards from it as long as it lasts and yields results.

Therefore, as our Prophet, peace be upon him, taught us, the best deeds are those that are done continuously, regularly, because the good of such deeds increases every day. 'A person sometimes gives a morsel of food to the hungry,' it is stated in a hadith, 'and Allah accepts it from him, and over time it grows so large that it is like a mountain!'

For Allah is Rabb, the Sustainer and the Grower, so what He grows increases more each day. I pray to Allah, the Exalted, to reward the late Mufti Muamer Zukorlić and all of you abundantly!

Brothers and sisters!

Anniversaries, just like birthdays, are there for us to pause and reflect, to see how successful we have been in the past and whether we should perhaps change something, whether there were any mistakes. We will do that, God willing, and consider what was not good and how to correct it.

There were several minor omissions, and they are unavoidable in any process – simply because it is led and managed by man – who is not a perfect being. Unfortunately, we also had a great trial: division occurred in this area, which slowed down our brilliant rise and diminished our strength and fruits. The enemy never sleeps.

The Quran warns of something like this in several places. In one place, it says that Pharaoh ruled by 'dividing people into factions' and warns believers to beware of this as much as they can, as it takes away their strength and effectiveness.

'Allah loves those who fight in His way united, like a solid fortress!' I will remind you: Arabs before Islam were disunited, divided into tribes and functioned separately from each other. As such, they did not represent any significant factor. Moreover, they attacked each other, killed each other, and were in constant conflict. Therefore, their results were nil, and therefore they enjoyed no respect. Then Islam came, and Allah united their hearts through it, extinguished the flame of hatred that burned among them, and brought them together in one faith and one collective that strived for one goal. We know what the result was: a new spirit flowed through them, such energy was released that in just a few decades they became a strong regional factor, and then the number one world factor. It was a great spiritual, mental, cultural, social, and economic transformation that brought with it a host of progress and prosperity.

I also call on all of you, my brothers here, to make an effort and unite around the Mešihat, to become one community, one united force. Take Gaza as an example, where those who gave them verbal support are now. Alejkum enfusekum! Do not delay in doing so. Then we will all feel relief and gain new impetus for further development and improvement of both our local environment and society in general. This way, we will be able to successfully cope with the challenges that lie ahead. And they are, know this, great and complex.

Thus, our children will also be proud to belong to it, to this faith and culture, to this collective, and they will be grateful to us for it. Do it, may Allah help you!

Brothers and sisters!

As you can see, the situation in the world is becoming increasingly complicated, and no one, except God Almighty, knows what will come of it. We cannot significantly influence what is happening, but we can – and are obliged to – do what we can to protect ourselves and our families. The best protection is to gain the support of God Almighty, and that is gained by respecting His word and avoiding what He has forbidden, and then by calling for unity and order. This is a Quranic command to us. And unity means maintaining a good atmosphere in the family, gathering in mosques and other places, and making these gatherings dedicated to good, and caring for each other and for the common good. And then cultivating good and friendly relations with our neighbors, especially those closest to us, with whom we share common space and with whom we meet daily.

I call on all Muslims in Serbia to gather around the Mešihat of the Islamic Community, around Mufti Mevlud Dudić and our ulema, imams and muderrises, around our leaders, around your mosques, and to make a personal contribution and participate in every good deed you are called to. And protect your communities like sanctuaries, may Allah help you.

Once again, I express my happiness and joy that we have reached this anniversary. I hope there will be many more, that we will mark them in peace and that we will talk about our successes and contributions in everything that benefits people and that our Exalted Lord loves. I pray to Almighty Allah to reward abundantly those who initiated these processes, who lead them, and who participate in them in any way.

Allah will reward those who strive and spend in His way and fight, forgive them and admit them to the gardens of His mercy. Love each other, brothers and sisters, accept each other and take care of each other, may Allah reward you!

May our 30th anniversary of the Mešihat, one of the pillars of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the pride of all Bosniaks, be happy and blessed. Thank you!”