The Council of Muftis of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza

(Patria) - The Council of Muftis of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina expresses with deep sorrow and sadness its sympathy for the innocent victims of the brutal attacks on civilians and civilian facilities in Gaza.

"With great concern, we see how the events in the Middle East are showing worrying divisions in Europe and around the world, leading to mistrust and prejudice that fuel further tensions, suffering, and hardship for a large number of people," it was announced after the session of the Council of Muftis held today in Novi Pazar. It is added that the Council of Muftis bases its work on Islamic teachings about peace, well-being, stability, and the dignity of humankind, and especially of Muslim Bosniaks in Bosnia and Herzegovina, their homelands, and all countries where they live.

The Council of Muftis emphasizes that the violence that has engulfed the Middle East like a flame affects the lives of millions of people worldwide.

"Islamic teachings do not accept violence and terrorism; they strictly condemn the killing of civilians, kidnapping of people, unjustified imprisonment, and the commission of any form of terror. The Council of Muftis calls on all state entities to respect international humanitarian law and protect human lives and sacred sites. We respect the right of citizens to express their views through peaceful demonstrations, but to refrain from speech that is not in accordance with Islamic ethics and respect for legal regulations and the positive legal order," the statement reads.

The Council of Muftis called on the authorities in BiH and the region, as well as media representatives, to refrain from generalizing assessments of the conflict in the Middle East and to avoid rhetoric that leads to religious divisions.

"The Council of Muftis of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina calls on the international community for an immediate cessation of hostilities, to protect the lives of people in Gaza, stop the killing of civilians, children, and women, establish humanitarian corridors, and ensure unimpeded access to water, food, hygiene, and medical assistance. It is necessary to respect the lives of all people equally, Palestinians and Israelis, the lives of all people, as the Quran teaches us: 'Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.' (Quran, Al-Ma'idah, 32)," the statement says.
Furthermore, the Council of Muftis today also called for a just, long-term two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, life in peace, and respect for individual and collective rights.

"Muslims and Jews in BiH share a centuries-old experience of living together. The Council of Muftis clearly expresses its stance against antisemitism and Islamophobia and calls on all believers, in accordance with the Bosnian-Herzegovinian tradition of the concept of neighborliness and togetherness, to continue building a society in which all believers and citizens feel safe and accepted in their identity," announced the Council of Muftis.