VIDEO Ferhadija Mosque Fascinates with Beauty, Everything Ready for Grand Opening

Final preparations for the grand opening of the Ferhadija Mosque in Banja Luka are nearing completion. The restoration of this mosque, demolished to its foundations in 1993, lasted 15 years. Attention was paid to every segment of its construction to restore its original appearance, reports Patria.

Armin Džindo, a civil engineer, has been at Ferhadija every day for over ten years. He says that each phase of the work brought its own challenges.

Most mosques in Banja Luka have been restored today, points out the chief imam of MIZ Banja Luka, imam Muhedin Spahić.

What remains after the restoration of the buildings is the work on restoring the communities. Youth gatherings that bring together students, and the Quran school for the elderly, are among the activities carried out by the women's association operating under the Islamic Community Council of Banja Luka, headed by Ehlimana Spahić.

As the future rests on the youth, the care for the youngest residents of Banja Luka is the focus of the Islamic Community Council of Banja Luka. The 'Pahuljica' kindergarten was founded in September 2015, reminded director Alma Osmičić.

The grand opening of Ferhadija will send a message that the evil that sought to destroy both mosques and Bosniaks did not succeed, but also that coexistence is possible. Banja Luka Mufti Osman ef. Kozlić recommended, for those who wish to attend the mosque's opening on May 7th, to contact the relevant Islamic Community Councils for instructions on how to attend.

Report by RTV IZ BIR from Banja Luka.