Serbian Muslims Mark Ramadan in Division
Text by Igor Jovanovic for Southeast European Times*
Although all Muslims in Serbia belong to the Sunni branch of Islam, they are divided into two similarly named but deeply opposing groups -- the Islamic Community of Serbia and the Islamic Community in Serbia.
The Islamic Community in Serbia, led by Sandzak Mufti Muamer Zukorlic, believes that Muslims in Serbia should come under the authority of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
However, the Islamic Community of Serbia believes that Muslims in Serbia ought to have their own administration. They formed a Riyasat (supreme council) in 2007, and elected a reis (council president).
In the past several years, there have been physical confrontations between members of the two groups, particularly in Novi Pazar, where Muslims are the majority of the population.
In the run up to Ramadan, representatives of both communities called for peace and tolerance.
Islamic Community of Serbia and Serbian Mufti Muhamed Jusufspahic said "In the name of Allah the Merciful, contribute to peace and stability both where we live with others and wherever others live with us and without us."
Islamic Community in Serbia Grand Mufti Muamer Zukorlic said Bosniaks are welcoming Ramadan with a "fight for the freedom, rights and honour" for Muslims in Sandzak and Serbia. He said that fasting is "the best way to educate the soul and body in the spirit of self-restraint".
Jusufspahic told SETimes that" nobody liked" the conflict inside the Islamic community but stressed "There is no division in belief here. It is just a misunderstanding and a product of different opinions about the way our community should be organised. And this is allowed in Islam."
He added that he firmly believes Muslims in Serbia should not come under the authority of the Riyaset in Bosnia.
"God created us as free people. He looks at us to establish order, not destroy it. This is true for any time, any place. That is true today, for us; this is true for Serbia," said Jusufspahic.
Amela Zupic of Novi Pazar says "It is sad that this is happening. I hope there'll be intelligent people to calm all of this down," she told SETimes.
She said Ramadan is a great challenge because one must refrain from food and all bodily pleasures from sunrise to sunset. "You must have strong willpower for such a fast. But for this reason, we become the most close to God that month," Zupic said.
*This text is courtesy of the Southeast European Times (SET), a web site sponsored by the US Department of Defense in support of UN Resolution 1244, designed to provide an international audience with a portal to a broad range of information about Southeastern Europe. It highlights movement toward greater regional stability and steps governments take toward integration into European institutions. SET also focuses on developments that hinder both terrorist activity and support for terrorism in the region.
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