The world is facing an enormous challenge as the virus is devastating many families and societies and now one’s faith is expressed through discipline, Bosnia’s Grand Mufti told believers during his early morning sermon on Eid al-Adha, one of the two biggest Muslim holidays.
“There are many who have lost their loved ones. There are many who are sick. But we can overcome this ordeal as before with strong trust in God, strong will, discipline, perseverance and the battle against it,” Grand Mufti Husein Kavazovic said.
Muslims across Bosnia and Herzegovina are celebrating Eid al-Adha or the ‘Festival of Sacrifice’ on Friday, but this year without any massive gatherings due to the coronavirus crisis.
Usually, the holiday includes early morning prayers in mosques, coffee and sweets with family and friends.T
he morning Eid prayers and sermons took place in mosques throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina this year as well but were only attended by the imams, muezzins and members of the congregational committees while other believers were urged to respect measures introduced to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and pray at home.
Eid al-Adha, in Bosnia called Kurban Bayram, is the second of two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year, with Eid al-Fitr being the other.
It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God's command. Before Abraham could sacrifice his son, God provided a lamb to sacrifice instead.
“Today, like Ibrahim in his time, we face our challenges and trials, worldly desires and vows, not only in the religious sense but also morally and professionally. Ibrahim taught us that we should serve what each of us vowed to do. Every one of us should remain committed to being what they are: a teacher of the faith to the faithful, a parent to our family, a politician to politics, a statesman to the state, a doctor to medicine, a master of their craft, and an artist to art,” Kavazovic said.
He said he regrets the fact that some have abandoned the idea that everyone has to carry out his profession skillfully, morally and professionally.
“People of faith, official service and expertise should not allow themselves to be instruments of manipulation in such difficult circumstances that we are experiencing. The quarrelsome tones we hear in the public, as we fight for people’s lives and health, bring unrest and concern among us. The fury we see in the communication among public figures and educated people is surprising and worrying,” he said.
The religious leader stressed that Eid is a time when we should approach each other and ask for forgiveness.
“These chosen days are ideal for us to begin a long and difficult struggle against our divisions, feuds and public quarrels. Let the first step toward this be Adam's (Adam) realization that we are wrong, that we often make mistakes and exaggerate,” he said.
Kavazovic urged believers to take care of their health and that of their family and friends as “we are facing circumstances which we have not seen before in recent history.”
“Our friends and acquaintances are dying in terrible agony and going through difficult and painful physical and mental conditions. Doctors are struggling to help and alleviate suffering, aware that there is still no cure for this contagious disease. The easiest thing we can do for ourselves and others is to help ourselves with self-protection, wear masks, maintain the prescribed distance to each other and take care of hygiene,” he said.
One’s faith is expressed through discipline at this time, he said, adding that “when someone causes someone else’s life to be saved, that counts as if he saved humanity.”
“Let us not allow differences to distance us from each other. Do not judge people about what God is the ultimate judge of. We do what is required of us, help each other and compete for the good,” he said.
