Hafiz Ismet-ef. Spahic, former Deputy Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a long-time professor at the Gazi Husrev-bey Madrasa, and preacher at the Gazi Husrev-bey Mosque in Sarajevo passed away Friday night at the age of 84.

Hafiz Spahic was a distinguished Islamic scholar who dedicated his life to serving the Islamic Community and his people with unwavering commitment. He was awarded the “City of Sarajevo Plaque” and numerous other recognitions, including honors for his contributions to the promotion of Quranic memorization (hifz) studies in Bosnia.

Born in 1940 in Puhovac near Zenica, Spahic completed his studies at the Gazi Husrev-bey’s Madrasa in Sarajevo in 1959. He went on to complete a degree in Economics in Zagreb in 1968 and continued his studies in Belgrade.

In 1962, he began his career as an imam in the town of Visoko, where he later became the chief imam of the Islamic Community Council in Visoko from 1965 to 1978. He joined the Gazi Husrev-bey Madrasa as a professor of Quranic recitation (kiraet) in 1978 and achieved the honourable title of Hafiz in 1980.

In 1985, he was appointed as the head imam and preacher of the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque. His leadership extended nationally when he was elected Deputy Grand Mufti in 1993, a position he held until his retirement in 2012. In 1998, he took on the role of Acting Director of the Gazi Husrev-bey Madrasa, and until his passing, he served as the head of the Hifz Commission of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Hafiz Spahic was also a prolific writer, publishing religious articles in the Islamic Community’s journal “Preporod” and other publications. He authored a collection of sermons published by El-Kalem, adding to his legacy as a respected religious leader and educator.