Hafizović for NAP: Bosniaks can survive only if they become the best people in BiH

Rešid Hafizović, one of the most respected theologians from the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Sarajevo, says in an interview with the Patria news agency that Bosniaks, as well as Muslims in the world in general, are in a rather difficult situation. Instead of being a lamp that should be a way out for all of humanity, some kind of darkness has crept into them.

For the grayness, or rather blackness, he blames the political leadership, the institutions they created or that created them, but he does not absolve ordinary individuals of responsibility either.

And, when he thinks more deeply, he says, he sees the crown of all problems in the fact that Muslims have distanced themselves from science. Except, he admits, for rare individuals. Had they not rejected it as they have, the picture of the world would be completely different. After all, it would be better in Bosnia and Herzegovina itself as well. For everyone.

Hafizović was among the first to point out the problem of BiH citizens going to foreign battlefields, as well as the emergence of new, self-taught emissaries who bring discord and unrest among Bosniaks. From that time, his famous sentence remained: „They are coming for our children.“

Due to his open and sharp views, he was targeted by radical circles, and a monetary reward was offered for his head two years ago. However, despite all the pressures, he managed to publish dozens of scientific papers and books, recognized from east to west.

- Today we have a state of taqlid. And taqlid is blind imitation and wandering, following some distant authorities, who in their time may have reacted excellently, but they could not have had our dilemmas and our challenges, so they could not have offered the right answer to our challenges either. Unfortunately, we still use their paradigms – says Hafizović.

For such an opinion, he says, the arguments are provided precisely by the fact that the Muslim world is still not the lamp that was supposed to be a way out for all of humanity.

- Ghazali is an authority read by all ages, but Ghazali lived several centuries ago, he could not possibly have known what times were coming and which generations and with what problems future generations would face – added Hafizović.

Although Islamic scholars should be composed of all possible professions, „the book has been reduced to two letters.“ Muslims, says Hafizović, have pushed some scientific disciplines out of life. And that should never have happened. If for no other reason, then because it is a direct opposition to God.

- It is wrong to prefer only some sciences, in this case only spiritual sciences, and then you also take away all power from those spiritual sciences, immediately imprison them with some distant authorities and their knowledge, which may have been sufficient for their time, but for our time they are not sufficient. And then you get some people in Maoča who say that their children will not study biology. Well, that is a shot to the heart of God's name – says Hafizović, adding that he is not only sure that no scientific discipline should be rejected, but he is sure that some may be even more important than theology.
Botany is as important as theology, and if you really want my opinion, perhaps even more important than theology itself – says the academician.

For the bad state of society, says Hafizović, all individuals in society are responsible, in the case of Bosniaks - Bosniak politics, institutions, but also every individual.

- We are all somewhat to blame for that, of course, the responsibility is divided so that we are not all equally to blame, but we are all as Muslims responsible according to our capacities, that is without any doubt. Because every Muslim as an individual must engage in knowledge according to their talent, some have a sense for technology, some for art, some for science...

- All these are vast fields from which science springs, and Islam does not renounce any of these fields. On the contrary, for Islam every knowledge is equally important – says Hafizović.

For him, there is no dilemma - he is sure that Bosniaks can survive only under one condition - they must be the best of the best in their work, whatever they do – writes Patria.