CONFERENCE ON BOSNIAN ISLAMIC TRADITION BEGINS IN SARAJEVO

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 14,2007) – The Bosnian Islamic Community announced that a scientific conference on Ithe Bosnian Islamic tradition will begin today.The conference will take place on 14, 15 and 16 November in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo. The main topic will be “Bosnian Islamic Tradition : Sources, Development and Perspectives”.The conference will be held at the Gazi Husrev-Beg’s Medressah in Sarajevo.

The conference on the Bosnian Islamic tradition has been organized on the occasion of 1.240 years of Abu Hanifa’s death and celebration of 470 years of Gazi Husrev-Beg’s Medressah in Sarajevo, 120 years of Mektebi-nuvaba and 30 years of Faculty of Islamic Sciences in Sarajevo.

Abu Hanifa, (699 — 767 CE / 80 — 148 AH) was the founder of the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence.

A grand ceremony was held in Sarajevo in January of this year marking the 470th anniversary of the establishment of the first Islamic School in the Southeastern Europe.

The first Islamic School in the Southeastern Europe was established in Bosnia in 1537 by Gazi Husrev-Beg (1480–1541),who was a Beg (Duke) in the Ottoman Empire during the first half of the 16th century.

He was born in Serres, Greece, to a Bosnian father and a Turkish mother, who was the daughter of the Sultan. Thus, Gazi Husrev-Beg was Sultan Beyazid II's grandson. A brilliant strategist and politician, in 1521 he became the governor of the Ottoman province of Bosnia.

Today it is difficult to imagine Sarajevo, or even Bosnia, as we know it, without the contributions of Gazi Husrev-Beg. He is remembered chiefly as the greatest donor and builder of Sarajevo, and as a Bosnian national hero. Thousands visit his tomb and give a prayer every year.

Head of the Bosnian Islamic Community Reisu-l-ulema Mustafa Ef. Ceric will make a speech at the conference.