Election of Bosnia's Grand Mufti set for October 10

In September, the Assembly of the Islamic Community in BiH confirmed the candidacies for the 14th Grand Mufti of the Islamic Community in BiH. The candidates are Mostar Mufti Salem Dedovic, Sarajevo Mufti Nedzad Grabus, and Director of the Riyasat's Administration for Religious Affairs Mensur Malkic.

Mostar Mufti and Grand Mufti candidate Salem Dedovic believes that the Islamic Community must be independent and credible, financially supported by endowments, while its priorities should be missionary work and ensuring a dignified status for imams.

Dedovic particularly stresses the need for a stronger presence of the Islamic Community among Bosniaks in minority communities, where it should serve as their moral voice and safeguard their religious and national identity.

Sarajevo Mufti and Grand Mufti candidate Nedzad Grabus believes that the Islamic Community must be an autonomous, institutionally strong and effective community of values that ensures order, security and continuity.

Among his priorities, Grabus highlights improving the material and social status of imams, developing endowments, preserving institutional unity, improving education, and greater involvement of young people, women and the diaspora in the life of the Islamic Community.

Grand Mufti candidate Mensur Malkic believes that the future of the Islamic Community rests on quality education, empowering imams and improving their status, as well as stronger engagement with young people and families while adapting to contemporary social and digital challenges.

Malkic advocates preserving the institutional stability and autonomy of the Islamic Community, alongside reforms that would make it stronger, better organized and more responsive to the needs of its members and the times in which they live.