Nedzad Grabus elected as the new Grand Mufti of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The electoral body responsible for the decision comprised members of the Assembly of the Islamic Community, muftis, presidents of executive councils, deans, directors of Islamic institutions, chief imams, and local council presidents. Through a secret ballot, the body selected Grabus to serve as the spiritual leader of Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad.

The newly elected Grand Mufti will officially assume his duties on November 15 during a solemn ceremony at the Gazi Husrev-bey Mosque in Sarajevo. The President of the Assembly of the Islamic Community will present him with the Mansur, the legal and religious document confirming his appointment and authorizing him under Islamic law to delegate authority to subordinate religious officials, where he will also take his oath of office.

Born in 1968, Grabus brings extensive academic credentials and administrative experience to the role. He graduated from the Gazi Husrev-bey Madrasa in 1987 before pursuing higher education at the Faculty of Islamic Sciences in Sarajevo, obtaining his bachelor's degree in 1994, his master's degree in 2001, and his doctorate in 2008. He also completed postgraduate studies in philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy in Sarajevo between 1995 and 1999.

Grabus began his career within the Religious and Educational Service of the Rijaset before joining the Faculty of Islamic Sciences in Sarajevo, where he became a full professor in April 2021. His academic appointments extend internationally, including teaching roles at the Faculty of Theology at the University of Ljubljana and guest lectureships at the Faculty of Law at the University of Vienna. He has served as a mentor and thesis committee member across universities in Sarajevo, Bihac, Ljubljana, and Zagreb.

From 2006 to 2021, Grabus served as the Mufti of Ljubljana and President of the Executive Council of the Islamic Community in Slovenia. His tenure in Slovenia was marked by his leadership of the Islamic Cultural Centre project in Ljubljana from 2008 to 2020, overseeing site selection, land acquisition, design, and construction through to the opening of the mosque in February 2020. Since September 2021, he has served as the Mufti of Sarajevo.

A fluent speaker of Arabic, English, and Slovenian, Grabus has authored numerous books, scholarly papers, and translations. He is an active participant in international academic conferences focused on interreligious dialogue, religious diplomacy, and cultural exchange.