Reisul-ulema in Bihać: Preserving peace is a sacred duty

(Patria) - The Reisul-ulema of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Husein-ef. Kavazović, today delivered a sermon in the City Mosque in Bihać as part of the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Bihać Mufti's Office.

At the beginning of the sermon, he pointed out the value of Friday prayer and prayer in general, as well as the blessings of time, telling believers to take good care of it.

“In the written works of our ulema, may Allah have mercy on them and be pleased with them, there is hardly any section or chapter that is not dedicated to the concept of time. They constantly warned us to take care of time and not to neglect ourselves in heedlessness and lose the blessing of time. They warned us that time is not an inexhaustible resource, which has no end. Faith teaches us that everything created has its beginning and its end,” said the Reisul-ulema.

Among other things, he emphasized that the very spirit of prayer is an extremely important issue for Muslims today.

“Prayer should never be a subject of debate among Muslims. Unfortunately, troublemakers very often sow discord in what is most sacred among us. For Allah, it really doesn't matter which way we turn. Just as our turning towards the Qibla preserves our ritual unity, so does the form itself, the way we perform prayer, preserve our ritual and national unity in the community. Religious rituals: prayer, fasting, zakat, hajj... connect believers into a community, into a congregation, and ensure a shared sense of connection, closeness, unity, and belonging to the community of believers,” stated the Reisul-ulema.

He added that this is especially important to emphasize “here in Krajina, because you best understand the destructive nature of divisions for our people and our community.”

“What I sometimes see in our mosques saddens me. Some ignorant people have abandoned our ritual practice, based on the Quran and Sunnah, accepted by our learned ancestors and great scholars, such as Hasan Kafija Pruščak and Sheikh Juja. No sensible person should abandon what is valuable for something foreign, because that foreign thing is always foreign, it is recent, and one who becomes a parvenu has not arrived anywhere. Preserving our direction (Qibla) and our ritual practice is a farḍ 'ayn for our ulema, learned people, and Muslims in general. Because that is how the unity of the congregation is preserved,” the Reisul-ulema conveyed.

The strength of prayer and what it consists of is the next important issue, as the Reisul-ulema explained, emphasizing that the true effect of prayer is shown when it is performed in congregation.

“Of course, it is not necessary for it to be exclusively in the mosque, although they are the most beloved places to Allah, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) informed us. A person can perform prayer in congregation at home with their family, for whom Allah said: And enjoin prayer upon your family and be steadfast in it yourself (Ta-ha, 132). Prayer can also be performed at the workplace, with colleagues,” said the Reisul-ulema.

Emphasizing that the spirit of every prayer is strengthened when it is performed in congregation, he conveyed that Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina must never forget the warning left to them by the Prophet (peace be upon him) when he said that “Allah’s strength and help come in the community, in congregation.”

This applies equally to the congregation in both religious and social terms. Muslims should always act in congregation, because therein lies their strength and protection.

“Let us be vigilant, let us watch over the boundaries of faith. Let us respect and value obligations and promises above all else. Let us not make promises or commitments lightly, but when we make them, let them be our sacred trust. Muslims have always been recognized by that. Our word is our oath. Let us not postpone obligations that we should fulfill today until tomorrow. Let us take care of what ensures our safety and not let these matters slip from our hands. We are a people against whom genocide was committed, therefore we have the right to not allow anyone to decide about our safety. Let us take care of ourselves, our dependents, children, mothers, and the elderly, that is our obligation. Let us work to preserve peace. Preserving peace is the sacred duty of every Muslim,” the Reisul-ulema conveyed.

Among other things, he also pointed out that, besides family, the neighbor is the most important.

“Let us be each other’s guarantee in preserving neighborliness. Let us always be ready to help each other. A neighbor is a person with whom one lives and cooperates, one with whom one shares joy and hardship. Finally, I call on you to be patient and strong. Every result requires time, work, and patience. Never side with the oppressor, no matter how strong they are. Allah has obligated us to do so,” said Reisul-ulema Kavazović.