Reis Kavazović's sermon: It is important for all humankind to learn from Srebrenica

SARAJEVO, (patria) - The Reis-ul-ulema of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Husein ef. Kavazović, held a sermon today in the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque in Sarajevo, dedicated to the anniversary of the Genocide against Bosniak Muslims. We present the sermon in its entirety:

"Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds, known and unknown. We thank Him for sending us the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and for showering us with His countless blessings. It is our duty to always remember His blessings, to reflect on His verses, and to learn from them.

Dear brothers and sisters!

On this chosen day, we perform the Friday prayer and glorify Allah, the Almighty. We ask Him to accept our deeds, forgive our sins, and protect us from straying.

Today, in our prayers, we especially remember the martyrs of Srebrenica and Podrinje, and all the martyrs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We do this in all our communities and mosques. Only a few days separate us from July 11th, the day when we will perform the funeral prayer for the martyrs of the Genocide against Bosniak Muslims in Srebrenica and Podrinje, and when the world will mark the 24th anniversary of this planetary crime.

A few days later, in another part of our homeland, where the gravest crimes were committed by the same hand of evil during the Aggression against our country, we will perform the funeral prayer for the martyrs of Prijedor and other places in the Sana River valley.

These are difficult days for us. We stand in silence before such an amount of evil that has befallen us. But we humbly pray: Dear Allah, grant them the most beautiful gardens of the hereafter that You have created, and to their executioners, the greatest criminals of this world, what You have destined for them.

Allah, the Almighty, is the Creator of all that exists. He created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, as well as all the diversity of earthly creatures. In this, the greatness of His power and boundless wisdom is evident. He is also the Creator of all people, whom He made different.

Dear brothers and sisters.

Differences among people, as well as differences in all created worlds, are a given that is not tied to human will, but to Divine Will. Man's role in relation to this is to regard these differences as Divine Will and to take the correct stance. It is often emphasized that differences are essentially a richness and deserve a positive human attitude towards them, but it is also emphasized that man, due to his weaknesses, is not always strong enough to understand them correctly and accept them with approval.

Many take these differences as a reason for negative attitudes, suspicion, and malice, and at the end of this ugly path, for hatred and open enmity.

In a world of diversity where positive and civilized relations have been established, people build mutual communication based on understanding and agreement. They make agreements and build a strategy that offers a promising bright future and keep their word.

They stand behind their signature and are consistent in implementing their agreements. They are ready to support the agreed-upon principles on which their mutual interests are based.

In a world of diversity, where negative relationships have long prevailed, people distance themselves from each other precisely because of the misunderstanding of differences and because of the tendency to communicate inappropriately and negatively with others on a daily basis. In such a world, attempts to establish a basis for constructive agreements are accompanied by numerous prejudices. Such relationships necessarily lead to mistrust and constant anticipation of consequences that manifest in pessimism and fear in people's daily lives. All of this carries much greater weight if such consequences are linked to a people whose wounds are so deep due to the genocide committed in this country in the recent past. Although a crime of such magnitude happened to Muslims in the sight of the whole world, although the highest international courts have pronounced the final human truth about the Genocide in Srebrenica, the victim is still insulted and hurt by those who want to hide their responsibility, and moreover, they continue to make life difficult for people every day, wherever they can. Regarding such people, judgment was passed long ago in the truth that Almighty God reveals: "And when it is said to them, 'Do not cause corruption on the earth,' they say, 'We are but reformers.' Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they do not perceive." (Al-Baqarah, 11-12.)

Respected brothers and sisters!

This planet of ours is so perfectly arranged that the Almighty and Wise Creator has subjected everything on it to human needs. All its potentials are at the service of man: the earth, water, air, a large number of animals on land and in the sea, natural laws... The blessings are innumerable. However, instead of gratitude and using the gifts for Good, modern man chooses paths of destruction of these gifts, polluting the earth and air, water, destroying the plant and animal world to a degree that threatens his own self-destruction. It is not surprising, then, when such a person turns towards another and different person, sees him as a threat to his comfort and his mundane goals, and decides to fight against him. Without a doubt, that same person will sacrifice another like him, even the closest one, tomorrow, in order to have more space for his selfish being.

Where is the way out? What is the solution? As easy as it may sound to say, we should never stop believing in the root of good that the Almighty God has instilled in people. When we begin to doubt the power of truth and justice, the possibility of human nobility and goodness, that will be our end. Let the best and most conscientious among people work more and influence more strongly and improve the world we live in. Why is it impossible for us to achieve more mutual understanding and true human community?

History reveals examples when human virtues led nations to their common good. The brightest chapters of human history are connected with the missions of God's favorites. About one of the greatest figures of humanity, Abraham, peace be upon him, the Holy Quran says: "Abraham was a precedent, devoutly obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the polytheists. He was grateful for His favors. Allah chose him and guided him to a straight path. And We gave him in this world [something] good. And indeed, in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous. Then We revealed to you, 'Follow the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth, and he was not of the polytheists.'" (An-Nahl, 120-123.)

No matter how much hatred, as the sister of evil, has tried to kill compassion and nobility among people throughout long human history, it has never succeeded. Sometimes, due to a partial view of the world, which is much larger than the piece visible to them at a given moment, it seemed to people that hatred and evil were gaining the upper hand. If they looked at the whole, their confidence would return that the constructive endeavor always finds its place in the real world.

Therefore, we should emulate the best of Adam's sons, such as the prophets of faith and good news, that truth and justice, sincere words, and good deeds are possible on earth among people. Let us strengthen our love for dear God, for our faith and homeland, for people and nature. From this love and humanitarian commitment will be born the desire to actively and continuously resist destructive attempts to endanger the world in which we live.

Let us actively strive for Good to shine brighter in our present reality. This world, through which we pass briefly, is worth improving. It is up to us to strive and to benefit people with our words and deeds as much as we can. Allah, the Almighty, says: "So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it (and will be rewarded for it), and our Prophet, peace be upon him, says: The best among people are those who are most beneficial to other people.

However, there is another side to man's medal, and therefore the Creator warns: "And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it (will be held accountable for it), and Muhammad, peace be upon him, continues and completes his judgment: And the worst among people are those who cause harm (and evil) to other people.

Therefore, let the evil committed by the people around us remain on their conscience. They cannot escape their evil; they can only repent for it. This is a law that is stronger than man. Such people will not be able to escape the truth either, and that is quite evident. Regarding justice, it is different. It is slow, but it is also inevitable. We will not lose hope in justice and will never falter in the fight for it to be fulfilled. Let those who are just with us know this, as well as those who behave dishonorably towards God's and human judgment and who wish to escape justice.

Dear brothers and respected sisters.

In a few days, a difficult event awaits us, a day when we all remember in a special and different way the martyrs of the Genocide in Srebrenica and Podrinje and all the innocent people killed in this country. We do this out of respect for them, who gave their lives on the path of our freedom and security, and out of deep compassion for their families. We call on you to fulfill our great obligation on Thursday, July 11th, and perform the funeral prayer for our brothers and sisters at the martyrs' cemetery of the Genocide against Bosniak Muslims in Potočari near Srebrenica. For all of us, and especially for the families who will lay their loved ones to rest in the graves, it is a painful moment and a difficult day. For all people, this is a day of great lesson and admonition. And indeed, it is inexpressibly important for all humankind to learn and take the lesson from Srebrenica about what kind of evil deeds the people of our time are capable of. And not only to learn the lesson but to, starting today, remove the possibility for any criminal to commit evil, especially for those who have already committed the greatest evil.

Our Lord, You are capable of all things, so make our breasts spacious, and lighten our burden. Allow the Truth to rise as much as is necessary to suppress falsehood. Instill in our hearts the comforting hope that relief comes after hardship, for You have decreed that with hardship there is ease. Bless our sincere and good deeds, so that when we complete them with good fortune, we may draw even closer to You. (Al-Inshirah, 1-8.)

Our Lord, to You belongs all greatness and power, You who have created everything, You are the Ever-Living who does not die. We implore You by the Light of Your Face, which illuminates all parts of Your Throne, to answer the prayers of those who turn to You.

Our Lord, indeed You will gather all people, all of humanity, so that they may see with their own eyes, individually and collectively, the Day of their complete accountability and Your just and final judgment, of whose coming there is no doubt!

Our Lord, do not let burdens fall upon our shoulders that we cannot bear, erase our sins and grant us forgiveness – bestow Your mercy upon us.

We implore You, O our Allah, bestow Your noble forgiveness upon all our martyrs and admit them into Your spacious abodes with Your mercy. Strengthen the patience of their loved ones. Show all people the path of truth and justice.

You are our Almighty Lord, so help us against those who deny the truth.

Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and protect us from the punishment of the Fire!