Ramić: Bosniaks have succeeded in preserving the original teaching and belief of Islam

Although Bosnian-Herzegovinian Muslims are far from the sources of Islam and the Islamic world, they have, generally speaking, managed to preserve the traditional teaching and belief of Islam, Dr. Šukrija Ramić, a prominent expert in Sharia law, told the Bosnian news agency Patria (NAP).

Commenting on the scientific conference "Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah – The Tradition of Balkan Muslims," which opened today at the Gazi Husrev-beg Library in Sarajevo, Professor Ramić said that the application of morality, which is unchanging and implies that people do not lie, do not steal, do good to others, do not gossip about others, and adhere to other human principles, are in fact the essential issues of the tradition of Islam that came directly from the source, i.e., from the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

- Anyone who does not adhere to this practice and steps outside these frameworks, no matter how much they invoke tradition, is not within the tradition of Islam - said Ramić.

In response to a question from a Patria journalist about whether there is a Bosnian Islam, as many today wish to portray, stating that the Islam practiced in BiH is much more moderate than the Islam practiced in the Arab world, Professor Ramić said that the principles of Islam are unchanging regardless of which part of the world it is practiced in.

- The principles of Islam are unchanging. And, if a person strives to understand these principles, then they are on the path of the true tradition of Islam. So, the tradition of Muslims in these areas is nothing other than the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him - he said.

Ramić believes that today's conference is a significant step forward for the Islamic Community in BiH. He hopes it will contribute to a better understanding of Islam and bring Muslims in these areas closer together.

- I hope it will also contribute to a higher quality presentation of Islamic teachings to non-Muslims, and that they will see Muslims as quality people, honest fellow citizens – he said.

The opening of the conference "Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah – The Tradition of Balkan Muslims" in Sarajevo today was also attended by the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bakir Izetbegović.

He said he is confident that over the two days of the conference, strong scientific arguments will once again confirm the importance of preserving tradition, which, as he stated, is based on moderation, rationality, and openness towards others and those who are different.

- The Muslims of the Balkans have preserved such openness even though they have faced a series of cultural shocks in the last 150 years. It was not easy to constantly adapt to new social circumstances that came one after another – said Izetbegović.

The opening of the conference "Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah – The Tradition of Balkan Muslims" was also attended by the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Rabita, Abdullah ibn Abdul-Muhsin al-Turki, the representative of the Presidency of Religious Affairs of Turkey, Ramazan Altintas, and the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the conference, Džemaludin Latić. More than thirty prominent scholars from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, and Sudan are participating in the conference, NAP reports.

The organizers of the conference are the Islamic Community in BiH and the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Sarajevo.