Khutbah by Mufti Fazlović: Instead of village quarrels, let's talk about the land, homeland, and the state apparatus that serves everyone

(Patria) - The central Eid al-Fitr celebration of the Tuzla Mufti's Office was held at the King Abdullah Mosque in Tuzla.

The Eid al-Fitr khutbah was delivered by the Tuzla Mufti, Vahid ef. Fazlović.

We present the khutbah in its entirety:

"Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all worlds, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, the Master of the Day of Judgment. May His most beautiful blessings be upon the noble Prophet and messenger Muhammad, peace be upon him, the best example and teacher, his honorable family, and his faithful followers.

Dear brothers and sisters!

We bid farewell to the chosen month of Ramadan, thankful to Almighty Allah for the many opportunities He granted during its blessed time to achieve great and lasting blessings. Ramadan worship has spiritually strengthened us. With renewed faith, and through prayer and fasting which we diligently observed, we guarded ourselves against foul speech and bad deeds. We are in great hope that we have achieved higher levels of piety and nobility, brotherhood and unity, and that we are closer and more beloved to Almighty God. Therefore, our souls are filled with joy, peace, and contentment on this radiant Eid day.

And what is the special value that Ramadan brings to us and has far-reaching effects upon us?

Ramadan is the month of the Noble Quran. During our personal communion with this Book in our warm homes, as well as following Ramadan recitations, we had the opportunity to feel the beauty of the Quranic expression, evoked by the melodious recitation of our imams and hafizes. This connection with the Quran is essentially strengthening the bond with our Lord, Who, out of His mercy, sent us the sublime and guiding Word, to illuminate the dark corners of our daily lives and dispel the clouds of pessimism and uncertainty that often loom over us. By reading the translation of the Holy Quran, we had the opportunity to reflect on its messages, guidance, and advice, commands and prohibitions, instructive narratives, and other content. All of this has left its mark on our way of thinking and our attitude towards this worldly journey towards eternity. It helped us to contemplate the correct answers to the questions we face daily, as well as those that await us on the Day of Great Reckoning, when we stand before the Most Just and then the Only Judge. And our worldly days pass quickly, just like this Ramadan. Our martyrs' cemeteries and all other graves, which we will, God willing, humbly visit tomorrow, bear witness to this.

Ramadan is the month of fasting. The atmosphere of magnificent spirituality and unadulterated joy of souls purified by fasting is visible everywhere. The noble message of Ramadan leaves no one in the world indifferent. There is no doubt that fasting is very successful against severe spiritual diseases, such as hypocrisy and arrogance, greed and envy, intemperance and debauchery, selfishness and indifference, and in the human heart and soul it strengthens and develops piety, humility, self-criticism, patience and renunciation, moderation and compassion. By fasting, we were able to successfully improve our character and strengthen our spiritual self-discipline. We learned that the strength of our will is directly linked to our firm belief and that we can overcome even our lowest worldly impulses. Fasting taught us that we can live modestly, and in doing so, we also developed a sense of understanding towards those who are in need even outside of Ramadan. By opening the doors of their homes, we also developed the virtue of sharing with others the numerous blessings that the Almighty has bestowed upon us. And we had the opportunity to feel the beneficial effect of the prayers of the grateful. How fortunate we would have been if we could have delivered more food to the hungry and thirsty in Gaza, who, despite the unbearable conditions, preserve their faith in Almighty God. And the trust that there are still good people in the world. And every evil has an end.

Ramadan is the month of supplication, which Muhammad, peace be upon him, says is the essence of worship. In the blessed nights of Ramadan, we offered our sincere supplications to Him Who surely answers the prayer of the supplicant when they turn to Him. We prayed for ourselves and our loved ones, for our people and homeland, for all Muslims of the Ummah. We prayed that the Almighty Creator would enable all people to find their peace and security. And that He would take away the strength of the oppressors, to hinder them in their violence against the weak and unprotected. And Allah is capable of all things.

Ramadan is the month of obligatory, as well as numerous voluntary acts of worship. Allah, may He be glorified, sends down blessings like the most fertile rain in this month. With His wisdom and nobility, He facilitates the more consistent performance of farz (prayers, fasting, zakat), as well as many sunnah and voluntary acts of worship. Our Tarawih prayers always show how strong our spiritual tradition is and how devoted we are to following the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. This is confirmed by other nafl prayers, especially in the last ten days of Ramadan. Then, how intensely is i'tikaf observed in many of our communities and practiced with special devotion by our righteous imams, muezzins, and other community members. All of these are efforts from whose lessons one draws wisdom long after the time of Ramadan.

Ramadan is the month of our stronger connection. Many believers improve mutual trust and achieve a higher level of unity. The Ramadan row is stronger. Young people, boys and girls in our nation, have best testified to this. They have given us much hope and satisfaction. We will not be mistaken if, alongside the example of their Ramadan row, we add the Quranic words: As if they were a solid wall. But, not only from the young, but from all of us it is expected that the Ramadan благост (blessing) be reflected more in our responsibility and readiness to draw closer to one another, to, in the name of the Merciful Lord, resist together the trials we encounter.

Brothers and sisters!

On this day, the messages of our spiritual leader are especially important for all of us, so allow me to convey to you a part of the Eid al-Fitr khutbah of the Reis-ul-ulema of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Husein-ef. Kavazović:

The health and strength of our society, and our community, are not reflected in the numbers of one group compared to another, in political or economic power, but exclusively in respecting everyone's rights, establishing social justice, and solidarity among people.

Dignified and meaningful dialogue is an obligation for all of us. It must not have anything to do with, God forbid, violence and coercion. Conversation among people must be conducted solely for the purpose of establishing new value, which will include everyone's right, not for destruction and issuing ultimatums. In that conversation, no one should be cornered; everyone must show composure and prudence.

The basis of that dialogue is open and continuous communication. We must not make easy promises, just to achieve any result. The most important thing is that we respect the laws of our country, that we do not undermine its institutions, that we reach agreements patiently, through conversation and dialogue, that we trust each other, and that we keep our word.

The Lord of the worlds has said:

O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely and perfectly, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.

This country of ours cries out for peace. Conflicts, fruitless discussions, blockades, and quarrels have exhausted our people. Young people watch all this with disbelief and look for salvation elsewhere. At the same time, foreigners are spreading out here as if it were their own.

We must reject the politics of village quarrels if we want to join the civilized, normal world. The first thing we must do is not to threaten each other, and instead of quarrels and discussions, to start talking about the land, the homeland, and the state apparatus, which will serve all of us equally. Is that so difficult?!

We must understand and accept that this country is our common destiny. No one will be able to change that, no matter how hard they try and wish. One cannot escape their own skin, as the folk saying goes.

It is our homeland, a heritage carried in the heart, defended with property and life. It was so in the past, it is so today, and it will be so tomorrow.

In the world we live in, there are many poor and unfortunate people. In the blessings with which we are endowed, their right is also included. Our hearts must be with the people, children, and women of Gaza and Ukraine. In today's world, there is little remembrance of God, turning to God, and much violence and injustice. We have forgotten God, so He, the Almighty – as He promised – has made man forget himself. Meaninglessness and the disappearance of happiness, sincerity, love, and human warmth have prevailed in the world, but also the disappearance of many blessings. It has long been time to return to the Right Path, siratul mustaqim, and to bring meaning, divine order, and arrangement into our lives.

Let us pray that these wars stop. Let us point fingers at the criminals, seeking justice for the victims. Let us never stop doing so, no matter who it concerns.

May Allah accept our worship, our good deeds, and may peace prevail among the believers.

Let us not lose hope in Allah's mercy and forgiveness.

We can always rise on the wings of faith and overcome the obstacles before us and our weaknesses.

If we fear God, the fear of people will disappear.

I wish you all happy and blessed Eid days.

Let us spend them in the company of our families and friends.

Cherish neighborly relations, for that is the sunnah of Muhammad, peace be upon him.

I pray to the Almighty to ease the sorrow of the grieving and gladden their hearts, to grant health to the sick, and to make the poor wealthy from His treasures of goodness.

To all Muslims in this part of our homeland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, to all members of the Tuzla Mufti's Office, especially to our brothers and sisters in Podrinje and Posavina, I extend my heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.

Eid Mubarak!"