REISU-L-ULEMA MUSTAFA EF. CERIC MET WITH FORMER SOLDIER OF ADOLF HITLER - POPE BENEDICT XVI

VATICAN CITY, Vatican (November 6,2008) - The Grand Mufti of Bosnia Reisu-l-ulema Mustafa Ef. Ceric met today with former soldier of Adolf Hitler - Pope Benedict XVI, at historic talks held in the Vatican City aimed at defusing tensions between Muslims and Catholics.

He thanked the pope for his "warm hospitality," and reminded the pontiff that his predecessor, John Paul II, had prayed for him during the three-year siege of the Bosnian capital Sarajevo during the Serbian aggression against Bosnia in the 1990s.

Reisu-l-ulema Mustafa Ef. Ceric, who headed the Muslim representatives in the forum, said the talks represented a "great step," both for Muslim-Christian relations and for "the whole of humanity."

The forum was to wrap up three days of talks at the Vatican with a public session later today.

"I was pleased to learn that you were able at this meeting to adopt a common position on the need to worship God totally and to love our fellow men and women disinterestedly, especially those in distress and need," Pope Benedict told attendees of the Muslim-Catholic Forum.

The forum stems from an October 2007 open letter sent by 138 Muslim representatives to the pope and to the heads of other Christian churches, inviting them to engage in dialogue.

The letter proposed working together to avoid a repetition of incidents such as the violent protests in the Islamic world triggered by the 2005 publication in a Danish newspaper of cartoons depicting the Messenger of God, Prophet Muhammed.

Under the theme "Love of God, Love of Neighbour," the talks also represent the latest move in rapprochement between the Vatican and Muslims since Pope Benedict XVI (who was a soldier of Adolf Hitler during the World War II...click here and here to find out more about this historical fact) offended Islam in his controversial speech in 2006. The pontiff's speech sparked outrage in the Muslim world..

Benedict on Thursday, stressed "fundamental human rights," which he said, Christians and Muslims shared.

"Political and religious leaders have the duty of ensuring the free exercise of these rights in full respect for each individual's freedom of conscience and freedom of religion," the pontiff told forum members, including representatives from Europe, Asia and Africa.

Pope Benedict XVI (Latin: Benedictus PP. XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI was born Joseph Alois Ratzinger on 16 April 1927).

When he was 14,Pope Benedict XVI became a Hitler Youth member.

When he was 16, Pope Benedict XVI became a soldier of Adolf Hitler's genocidal fascist German army......he was a helper in an anti-aircraft briagde.In 1945, he was put through basic training and stationed near his hometown in Bavaria.

In 1945 Pope Benedict XVI was captured by American soldiers and spent the remainder of the war in a POW camp.

(click here and here to find out more about these historical facts)
.

BOSNIA CELEBRATES EID UL-FITR

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 1,2008) - Bosnia marked the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid Ul-Fitr (Bosnian: Ramazanski Bajram) yesterday with Bosnian leaders calling for unity among all Muslim nations.The central ceremony in Bosnia was held in the Gazi Husrev Beg’s Mosque in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo. The leader of the Bosnian Islamic Community Reisu-l-ulema Mustafa Ef. Cerić led the prayers and delivered two sermons afterwards.

He called on all Muslims in Europe and the rest of the world to unify their ranks.He also urged the rich Muslims to give a hand to the poor people in any part of the world to alleviate their suffering.

Reisu-l-ulema Mustafa Ef. Cerić also called yesterday for better cooperation between all Bosnian citizens.

“It’s not hard to find reasons for conflicts, but it takes wisdom to find reasons for cooperation,” he said in an interview with the Bosnian daily Dnevni Avaz.

The Muslim communities in Albania, Kosovo, Sandžak,Croatia,Macedonia Slovenia and Montenegro also held festivities to mark the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.


Bosnian Muslims pray outside Begova mosque in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo as they welcome the Eid Ul-Fitr holiday, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, September 30,2008.



A Bosnian boy prays with other Muslims outside Begova mosque in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo as they welcome the Eid ul-Fitr holiday, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, September 30,2008.



Bosnian Muslims greet one another after morning prayers in the northern Bosnian city of Banja Luka, on the first day of Eid ul-Fitr to mark the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, September 30, 2008. Muslims of Banja Luka gathered for prayers in a building next to the Ferhadija mosque which was destroyed during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

Eid ul-Fitr or Id-Ul-Fitr, often abbreviated as simply Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Eid is an Arabic term meaning "festivity" or "celebration" while Fitr means "to break the fast" and can also mean "nature" from the word "fitrah" and therefore symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period.

On the day of the celebration, a typical Muslim family is awake very early and then after praying the first normal everyday prayer, is required to eat in a small quantity, symbolizing the end of Ramadan.

Muslims then attend special congregational prayers held only for this occasion in mosques, in large open areas, stadiums or arenas. The prayer is generally short, and is followed by a sermon (khutba). Muslims greet and embrace each other in a spirit of peace and love after the congregational prayer.

After the special prayers, festivities and merriment are commonly observed with visits to the homes of relatives and friends to thank God for all blessings. The 2007 Eid ul-Fitr took place, for some on Friday, October 12th and others Saturday, October 13th.

For Muslims, Eid ul-Fitr is a joyous occasion with important religious significance, celebrating of the achievement of enhanced piety. It is a day of forgiveness, moral victory, peace of congregation, fellowship, brotherhood and unity.

Muslims celebrate not only the end of all that fasting but also thank God for the help and strength that they believe he gave them throughout the previous month to help everyone practice self-control. It is a time of giving and sharing, and many Muslims dress in holiday attire.

Eid Ul-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shaw'waal, at the completion of Ramadan. Shaw'waal is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. The Eid-al-Fitr is a very joyous day; it is a true Thanksgiving Day for the believing men and women. On this day Muslims show their real joy for the health, strength and the opportunities of life, which Allah has given to them to fulfill their obligation of fasting and other good deeds during the blessed month of Ramadan.
.