Religious-cultural event 'Lastavica 2024' held: Bosnia is our land and our border

(Patria) - With a religious program on the Lastavica plateau, and in the presence of a large number of believers, the religious-cultural event 'Lastavica 2024' concluded today.

The president of the Organizing Committee of this event, the mufti of Zenica, hafiz prof. dr. Mevludin-ef. Dizdarević, stated that Lastavica is important because it nurtures the needs of the human soul, as well as the needs of man as such.

„People are social beings. As much as we are individual and special, we need other people, their warmth, socializing with them, but also their services. Therefore, it is understandable why people at all times and in all meridians have sought appropriate time and place for socializing and meetings. Our ancestors found this very place, and they chose the time of sunny days when the uncertain harvest arrives, which is security and life. And whenever believers gather, it is proper to mention Allah, because every gathering in which His name is not mentioned is harmful, and every gathering in which Allah's name is invoked is blessed and with His grace. And thus Lastavica was created, this place of prayer and Bosniak gathering as an expression of man's spiritual and general human needs“, he said.

Through the example of the program activity of the 'Visiting Lastavica' event, in which members of the Youth Network participated, the mufti pointed out the need to strengthen youth with Bosnian soil and rich Bosnian history. He stated that a nation that does not develop pride in its past and its ancestors cannot succeed, and certainly has no future.

„A nation that does not develop love for its land and native soil cannot survive. For a long, long time, generations of our youth were raised to despise their history, because they were not taught it, to be ashamed of their past, to seek foreign heroes because they were unaware of their own. Thank God, we have reached a time when we can, in peace and freedom, teach our children about our writers, great heroes, and glorious ancestors. And there are many of them“, emphasized the mufti.

He also stated that „this historical place is an opportunity for us to look at each other and to realize that all of us together, and each individually, have a responsibility for the future of this country and this nation“.

„The blackest betrayal of our martyrs and all our ancestors who died for the homeland and freedom would be if we are not aware of the moment and the responsibility that lies before us“, emphasized mufti Mevludin-ef. Dizdarević.

The chief imam of Zenica, mr. Sumedin-ef. Kobilica, among other things, stated that Lastavica is „a beautiful custom and a beautiful gathering in the area of the Mufti of Zenica“.

The Lastavica message today was delivered by the director of the Administration for Religious Affairs of the Riyaset of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, hafiz dr. Mensur-ef. Malkić.

„We come to our places of prayer, to the beautiful areas of our homeland Bosnia and Herzegovina, among other things, to glorify and praise Allah, the Almighty, together with nature, with rocks, with mountains, with birds at dawn and during the day, with good people, aware that the seven heavens, and the Earth, and all that is on them, glorify Allah, the Almighty, and that there is nothing that does not glorify Allah, praising Him, but man often does not understand this glorification, this tasbih. And by coming to the places of prayer, we remind ourselves of the obligation to thank Allah, the Almighty, for the tasbih, as well as the fact that Allah, the Almighty, created us to be obedient to Him“, said, among other things, Malkić.

He emphasized that at the places of prayer „we also come to remind ourselves of our history, of who we are and what we are – to remind ourselves that we are Muslims, devoted to Allah, the Almighty, and that we are Bosniaks, sons and daughters of this beautiful homeland of ours, Bosnia and Herzegovina“.

„Be proud of your homeland Bosnia and Herzegovina and your roots. Therefore, always keep in mind that you are Muslims, that you are Bosniaks, that our homeland is Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia is our land and our border. Many of our brothers and sisters gave their lives for it. Here in Bosnia are the graves of our fathers and grandfathers. We should all take care of our homeland, Bosnia“, emphasized Malkić.

He also called on those gathered to preserve values.

„Be obedient to your Creator, adhere to our beautiful faith and our beautiful tradition, be good people, be good Muslims, be good Bosniaks. Preserve the values that our unique Islamic Community, led by the respected reisul-ulema dr. Husein-ef. Kavazović, promotes and advocates, preserve the chastity and values of your families, preserve your prayers, preserve the unity of our rows, our jamaat and our Community. Preserve the nur, the light of our beautiful faith, dini-islam“, said, among other things, in the Lastavica message, hafiz dr. Mensur-ef. Malkić.

The program concluded with the recitation of the Lastavica prayer.

The 'Lastavica 2024' event began on July 26 and included numerous religious,
cultural, and sports activities. Lastavica is a place of prayer and gathering where for centuries the inhabitants of the surrounding villages gravitating to this location have gathered and socialized. It is located on the border of the municipalities of Zavidovići and Kakanj, and the City of Zenica.