Grand Mufti Reis Mustafa Ceric on Islam and Muslims from America
Islam and Muslims from America
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Bismillah Alhamdulillah Salaam Alaikum peace be unto you Welcome to the Dijon we greet you with the greetings that are the best of greetings Jesus greeting his followers of peace, Moses, Abraham and all the messages of God. And the last and final messenger sent to mankind the Prophet Mohammed peace be upon him. And we always have an exciting show for you. Today is not an exception because we have our guests all the way from Bosnia, Bosnia, we want to know a little bit about bosnia they got a lot of Muslims there people think oh, Bosnia is the Arab right in the desert Turkey is this that and you know, we got some Caucasian white skin, blue eyes, and we're gonna learn about them today with our
special guest. Dr. Race must have cherished the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, we'll be right back.
Salam Alaikum alaikum salam, peace be with you. Video two, how are they? How are you? Dr. Grace, most of the chariots howdy Good. Very good. Very good to see you. I thank you so much. I know you're very busy. Now many of us are busy, but you're extra busy. you're visiting us here in America. And you did like a tour of how many massages?
Live by five. When you're going back to Bosnia tomorrow and shot tomorrow. Thank you so much. And may God Almighty the credit, rewards you for finding the time to be with me. Thank you very much as being the Chicago you know, the deen show is dedicated to help clear the many misconceptions, the false fallacies that people have a lot of Islamophobia out here. And we're trying to show people what Islam is really about. Islam is really about, you know, sharing this message of peace with the world, you know, so people such as yourself who are out there, you know,
in the media, people look up to you, and we want to get some of your advice. Many people think that Islam is something that is an Arab, right into the desert, you know, has, you know, connotations with terrorism, and all these other things. So when they tune in, and they hear what we have to say to like, you know, what, Islam is not that bad. And many people accept it. So but now, when we mentioned Bosnia, some people have never for our American viewers, they've never heard of Bosnia. So we're going to get a little lesson for you today. Can you tell us we've heard this word Bosniaks Bosnian? What is this?
Well, I don't know whether we can
tell the story about Bosnia, a story of 1000 years of Bosnian history of which is 600 years of Islam. And this year, we are celebrating
11 centuries of Bosnian statehood, and there was the history of multiculturalism or the
tolerance of different religions, traditions, languages, and so on. But when we come to Islam, we want to remind your viewers that all the religions
that claim divinely inspired
revelations came from the east. And even the sun is rising from the east, as you know, so three Abrahamic religions that claim the source of the book that were at Dora and ngl, the gospel and the Quran, which are the first covenant covenant, the second covenant and the last covenant. So the prophets of Adam, Abraham, new Abraham, Abraham, no.
Moose
and Hammad Israel upon all of them, these properties made history or made changes in the humanity. All of these prophets are the common ground and common share of
Islam, Christianity and Judaism now, equally said that all religions came from the east that means there was no prophet that God has sent to Europe and there is no
European profits, they are all from the same area, which is the Middle East or Palestine or Mecca, as we know.
So there is no one, there is no geography priority for any religion in Europe, we are equal in the geographical terms. So we in the West or in Europe,
were waiting for the messages and messengers who came from the east. So some of us in Europe did hear the message of
Isa moves. And some of us heard the message of the Prophet Mohammed, but they are all the same. Historically, we have these three religions that are named by Judaic Christianity by the person Isa, and Judaism also by hood.
But Islam is not named by a person it is named by a abstract idea, which contains the very meaning of peace, because the root of Islam came from seeing neem lamb, which means peace. So Islam means peaceful submission to God. And Muslim means peaceful man, literally. Now, we can talk later why how it happened, that Muslim became the just the opposite to this. Now.
When we come to talk about Islam and Europe, we have to remember that Islam, as Christianity and Judaism, arrived in Europe, at a certain time in certain conditions, first, in the beginning of a century in the Iberian Peninsula, which is the Spain or the old name, it's called Andalusia. And it lasted for a centuries in 1492, both the Christian world the Muslims and Jews were expelled. And why you by the way, the Christians who have been expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in 1492, arrived in to Sarajevo, and were received by Muslims and saved by Muslims together with their Passover book called the Haggadah, which is known now as the Salah Haggadah, so I am proud as a grandchild of my
grand grandfather's, who did not, they didn't they were not afraid of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They were not afraid of the so called international
award watchers for the violation of human rights. But they acted on the basis of their religion, Islam, and they helped the Jews who were expelled from Christian from Spain or the loser at the time. Now, when Islam
ends ended his mission in the Iberian Peninsula, the light of Islam was in a tangle in the Balkan Peninsula, which is
the 14th century. And it has arrived in Traverse nasa. gov in
1463, where the Bosniaks they are called a debris version, or the good version x, have accepted Islam in totality, and especially Nobu Bosnian families, because previously they were practicing dualism of religion, and they were not very prone off the clergy. And when Islam came, they,
he, it was introduced to them as a natural
religion that they accepted. So from that time until now, we have Islam in was the Herzegovina with the rich tradition? Now before we go to break I heard an interesting story. Now tell me is this true that at one point in time you had those who are following Christ Jesus peace be upon him who no Muslim is a Muslim less he believes in Jesus that he was one of the mightiest messengers of God, correct. Now at this point, they were in this region, and they were called when I was when I was told and will you take off from here Bogo means that they didn't accept
God being three and a trinity or God being a man, they only wanted to worship the creator and not the creation and when Islam came to submission to the will of God, they accept it wholeheartedly. Is this true?
Well,
I wouldn't say
definitely, definitely about it
is really translate that but boggo means
they, they they were the people who practice their own religion within the frame of Christianity at the time with a particular interpretation of the of Christianity
which did not
understand where he was at Trinity as such. So we can we can say that boggle means were treated as heresy at the time because they were not fully with the
in accordance with what what the can was teaching and preaching. They were holding on unitarianism Alisha only one guess
is all about the belief in one God We'll be right back with more Grand Mufti. Dr. Race most of the chairs here on the deen show.
He is that you say that you're not believe in Jesus you have stepped outside of Islam you cannot be a Muslim is attended our faith to believe in in love Jesus Christ.
I would say this thing that you just told me it's not in the Scripture. And they would say a marginal note added by scribe. Yeah, okay, we know that. And I'd be thinking if you know, this is not the Bible, why are you preaching it as if it's gospel truth.
And if we're gonna worship something, I figured I might as well worship the Creator, instead of any of the creations.
Now, upon investigating the villages, I remember finding out the meaning of what Islam is what a Muslim is. Those who surrender themselves to God is a Muslim. Those who cement that submit to God, God's will that Islam was pure, it was just, you just pray to god you create.
Back here on the D show with the Grand Mufti Dr. Ray's most of the tears now for some people that they don't know you know, when we say Grand Mufti, can you tell us a little bit you know about yourself and what are some of your tasks and your roles that you perform back in Bosnia and all over the world actually,
your abilities the Grand Mufti is known to all Muslims who he is the you know, the most he is the first Muslim intellectual of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon he was the Mufti and the most He is the one who is a spreading the knowledge and education and he is professing
to the pupils and students and people about certain ideas. And in this case, Mufti is an intellectual who is shaping the minds of people who want to listen and to seek advice from him. So the difference between the Mufti and the cardi is that the Mufti is the man of the opinion. He is the man of intellect of intellectualism why the Adi is the one who is implementing by force, some of the federal laws that are issued by Mufti So, the most He is the one who has no the power who doesn't have the power of execution, he has the power only of teaching educating and spreading goodwill among the people and giving the advice upon the question on on about issues. So, the Grand
Mufti is this spiritual
source or reference for the Muslim who wants to know about his religion properly in all aspects of religious life. Whether it is
The worship or legal opinions or the social issues, even political issues. So, in my case, the Grand Mufti of Bosnia Herzegovina, or the title of the issue Lula is the
reference to the highest authority, religious Islamic authority for the Muslim community in Bosnia Herzegovina, sanjak or Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, and partly the Montenegro. So the
Islamic authority that is stationed in Bosnia Herzegovina, the headquarter headquarter of is not only for bosnia but also for all Bosniaks in particular, in Bosnia Herzegovina and outside. So why this institution is very important. It is important because we,
our fathers and grandfathers have adopted hannity mishap and according in accordance to the Hanafi madhhab. The Juma prayer is not Walid without the permission, or the license of the Khalifa, or the Sultan. Since we don't have now halifa.
The after building Congress, when Washington was annexed by the austro Hungarian Empire, the Shea who Islam of Istanbul issued a mature
the document by way of which he legitimize for the Muslim community, that they can have their they own religious had super
supreme had in Bosnia Herzegovina, that will take the responsibility of Khalifa or or the Sultan, meaning that he will issue ijazah license to each and every Imam and each and every tip, to be able to preach Islam in the mosque so that
we don't go astray and do not miss represent Islam, and this preach. So this is why we are investing has to go to United Community, this is why we are institutionalized. And this is why we are uniformed. And we don't have any religious,
this this
disturbance are based on internal Muslim intolerance that you have for Islam in other places, because we are very disciplined in that. So my responsibility is done mostly by the
merit of receiving the mature is that
Muslims gave me the authority to execute or to apply the Sharia rules that are connected to the way we are worship, worshiping the way we are teaching our religion, which is based on peace and tolerance and understanding of each other. And that's what Islam is all about. Islam says love all mankind. And that's why we're sharing because we care. And we want to get this message out to the world. Because purpose of life. You know, everybody has that God given right to know why they did, where they go and when they die, and what is pleasing to the Creator. So we as those who obviously have chosen to submit only to God worshipping the Creator, not a stick, not a stone at a man that a
monkey, not elephant, no one but the creator and not as Christian. And following the teachings of the last and final messenger the same way if we were living during the time of Jesus, we would have been following him or Moses or Abraham, but it just so happens to be that problem homies the last and final messenger. So it doesn't matter if you're Italian, Greek, Serbian, Croatian, if you want to submit to God, you can submit to God and be a Muslim, but tell us now, and that neck of the woods and that in that region here, you know, some sad events happen. You know, there was a genocide and people who were declaring that I just want to worship God who were living as Muslims, you know, a
people No, it was it was war torn Bosnia, it used to be Yugoslavia then split up. Can you tell us just in briefly, what's going on to prevent something like that happening? That sad event that innocent men, women and children were being killed? How can people be more aware to create awareness of this to prevent this from ever it happened like 11 times Is that true? To prevent it from happening for the 12th time, we're almost out of time. So in short, what can people do? You know, and like I said, we got love for all mankind. So we want the best for everybody. But we just want people to be aware. So
We can try to help this prevent this from happening again, whatever one can do a lot to what I can speak what Muslims should do. First of all, we have a man which is the notion of security inside. So, the moment the the the the the one who is
a trustworthy, who is spreading the security outside in the public sphere is the one who has the security and self confidence in himself. So, first of all, you have to be clear in your mind,
which means that the tolerance comes as a sign of strength, intolerance is the sign of your weakness. So, if you know who you are, you know your identity, you know the purpose of life and you know,
the value of humanity and human beings, you have no need to be intolerant to others you. On the contrary, you like to see different people living with you and you sharing, sharing your experience. Now, once we establish our self confidence in our mind in our heart, then Islam teaches us that you have to spread the peace, and Muslim is the Islam means submission. But
this is not a full meaning of Islam. Islam means peaceful submission, there cannot be submission by
compassion. This is why we have this principle in Islam. Like I have a theme there is no compulsion in religion. This is the this was the historic
affirmative action in eighth century that Islam wrote to the to the mankind. So when we say Islam is a submission, we have to add all the time, that it is peaceful submission, and the Muslim means literally a peaceful man. Now how it became that the Muslim, not every terrorist is not every Muslim is a terrorist, but every terrorist is a Muslim, you're on what's going on? Yeah, yes. This is this is partly Muslims are responsible for themselves and partly because Muslims are hated by some people without any reason. So we cannot change those who hate Islam and Muslims, but it can change out we ourselves. So that means we should not do foolish things, and then damage the meaning of Islam. And
we should learn that only God accept your religion, if you are accepting it peacefully, and you're submission to God, if it is peaceful, God will accept it because God Himself is a Salam. He is peace himself. So if you force somebody to become a Muslim, this is why we have this statement in the Quran. Like I have the deen it came as a result because one person, one father came to the prophet and said I, I forced my son to accept Islam from Christianity. And Prophet Mohammed told him no, you should not do this, because God told you that there is no compulsion in Islam. And then finally, we have this concept of a sun, which came from the world huson which means beauty. So and when Prophet
was asked what is a sun he said unto him in a bit like unlike a DA who was in love inlanta Rafa in Iraq, the sun, which is righteousness, this is well, well being this is good and goodness means
that you should worship God as if you see him. Because if you don't see God, God sees you. So that means you righteousness must come from your
motivation, that you do this not because people praises you only, but because God is seeing you what you are doing and therefore, you are a beautiful, you are smiling, you are spreading the peace and security around the world, because God is appraising you for that not because somebody is going to write that you are violating human rights. No, because God is pleased that you are spreading the kindness, the goodness, the peace, the security around the world. Now this is what we Muslims have to learn and this is what we Muslims have to teach others about.
Our religion, security, a man,
peace, Islam and
beauty, goodness, righteousness LSR che we'll take a break, and we'll be right back to close it up. Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back. Everybody in deep down, they believe that there is a God. Yeah. And as much as they deny,
if God exists, and he does, if God says prophets, and he does if God reveals books, and he does, should he not tell me how to live my life? Doesn't that make sense?
They feel more secure and safe now, inside the religion of Islam than they ever felt out in the streets.
The best way to bring true profound happiness through profound peace, true, profound tranquility, is by following the guidance that God has given. You.
See, for yourself, what Islam has to say, because it really is the path to happiness and truth in life comes to you the truth, and the attribute of the one who created you that he's one and alone, running this universe, that he doesn't become bored, he doesn't die, he doesn't eat and then go to the bathroom. This is not got problems here. Yeah, this doesn't make sense. Who is Jesus worshipping? This is recorded in the gospels. And despite all of the other issues about the Gospels, we put those aside, we just say it's mentioned there that Jesus, worship God.
Back here on the deen show, thank you for tuning in. Thank you again for being with us. We have just a few more questions that I want to ask you. I want to go off on a tangent real quick. Have you ever had a chance you know, I listened to your tacos on Bosnian I speak broken Bosnian, but I understand better. And it's very nice to hear you listen, you really get the people comfortable? You get them smiling and laughing? You're serious? Also, at the same time? Have you ever had a chance to sit? I'm sure you have. But what some atheists people don't believe in God? And how do you like refute this? Or how do you do have dealt with an atheist someone who just like you know what? They're confused.
They say I don't believe in God. What do you like to tell an atheist?
world? I don't believe that there are people
who don't believe there is
a book recently was
released that about the face of faceless You know, there are no people that don't have faith. Because you see, even in the language, when we say taste an atheist what is eight is the atheist is the one who is denying
faith. So what how can you deny something if it doesn't exist, I mean, you deny you you can deny something that is already exists. So, when we when we have to change the the perception of an atheist and
but we know that there are people who are not sure about the existence of God
and they are called agnostics, agnostics or agnostics or agnostics that means that those who think that this is not possible to know whether God exists or not, and therefore they are indifferent or they don't want to tackle this. But on the other hand, if if you meet somebody who who is disputing with you about your faith, I think you should be patient about it. It is level as equal. As if somebody faced you like challenging your faith, you should
say to Salaam and you should walk humbly and just go you your way. And God has told us that Holic nonconforming come coffee with me Come on, come on man. God has created all man and some of them are
are believers and disbelievers, and some of them believers. So we humans have freedom to choose, if they are, but the the freedom of choice for in Islamic understanding is not your freedom to choose an evil, you have a freedom to choose the higher, you have freedom to choose good, which this is why in Islam if the art is came from the world higher, which means good. So, we are free to choose this way or other way. And because of that we are responsible, because if you don't have free freedom to choose, by your own will, then how can you be responsible. So, if when I talk with somebody who does not share with my religion, I appreciate his thoughts, I can listen to him, I disagree with him. And
also he has right to disagree with me,
with me, but I also feel that I am enriched by by his by talking to him, because he is giving me a chance to check my faith, my faith, and to strengthen my argument against those who are trying to confuse me and to challenge my argument. So
God has created all of humanity,
female and male, so that we may know each other and we may know teach each other and we may learn from each other. Before a couple more points before we come to an end. We know that for a long time, you know,
the Creator of the heavens and earth into verbatim Word of God, the Quran tells us to be united, we have the Quran, unchanged on temper, temper free tamperproof for 1400 years has been there preserved, memorized by millions. So living miracle. And we have the way the Sunnah of the last and final messenger sent to mankind. So we hold fast to that and we start our best to be committed to it. Now you've heard us being called Mohammed ends at one time. All those are the Turks, oh, all these names and labels being put up, and the media trying to divide. And you've heard a new term coming up is called some wavy Wabi Sabi shabby something like that, have you heard this term? Can
you clarify Have you heard this also this term? And what is this all about? Well, it is how do you say well he
or she,
this is
this is very complicated question to answer. But is there such a thing?
What if you want to be straightforward? Yeah, you have, you do your way straightforward.
There are different people who see different things. So I, I am not obsessed, or I'm not.
I don't have time to think about all these kinds of
different names of different people, I for Muslim, for myself, I know that I am Muslim, we're Muslim, and I know what it means, but at the same time, I am Virginia. So, we have multiple identities, I am at the same Muslim Bosniaks, Bosnian European, and you name it, then I can associate to my village, to my town and all this, but what is important that it is each of these identities that are clear in your mind. So they are not excluding each other, they are inclusive. So you, you you have different identities, multiple identities, but each identity you put priorities, some religions and nationalities and ethnicities sample, I mean, must have different school teaching
and so on. What is important with that you do not become aggressive, nor that you don't become exclusive, that you don't
endanger other people and you don't provoke other people, by your identities, but you take this as something which is yours, and then you will love your identities, but you respect the abilities of others. And therefore, it is not
anything particular about Muslims to have different opinions about all other religions, cultures, traditions, and as we said, we are told by the
a tradition that if the love will mature the differences
Have biomed is a mercy is something that should give us the creativity and competition in good deeds and so on so on. So we cannot have unified the world because if God wanted he he could create us to be one in everything one religion one color one this, but he created a so colorful, so different. So we have to enjoy this diversity in the unity. So there's no such thing as a Mohammedan. There's no, there's no such thing as we've heard. I've heard you say this in an interview. So there's no such thing as this name. And people shouldn't call each other names. I shouldn't call you a name you should call me in a we should be loving, kind merciful toward each other. We shouldn't divide each
other. So there's no such thing as a hobby or hobby. There's no such thing.
Well, you see, there are some people are saying before that there isn't, oh, who are giving labels of different kinds. So I don't want to get into this with this
mess. If you like a mess. I I just want to say that.
For those who want to know about Islam and Muslims, that there is only one legitimate name for all of us, and that is Muslim. The the first the one who was called first time in the history was Ibrahim Alayhi. Salatu was Salam. So we are, I am a Muslim in the sense of on the national sense, but in the sense that I am willingly and peacefully are
submitting or obeying or listening to the will of God. And this is what is the meaning of my understanding of religion and being a Muslim. So we're ones who have submitted to the will of God was Jesus and Muslim.
Abraham was mentioned Abraham, Prophet Muhammad, all these messengers was once who submitted to the will of God, anyone who is peacefully submitting himself isn't was the will of God, we can call him by a general meaning a Muslim, so we're muscle and the whole universe is Muslim, because the whole universe is submitted to the will of God and the universe, the laws, the physical laws, that God has
put into the function. These physical laws are functioning, our and our Callahan willingly or unwillingly by God's will. So the whole universe is a Muslim in the sense of a peaceful or submission to the will of God, because in the final analysis, we are beginning comes from God, and we will return to God all of us whether we know it or not, closing comments or suggestions for all the millions who are tuning in to the deen show, and for our brothers in humanity, any closing comments or suggestions that you have for humanity? May God bless you all.
And give you the will,
for peaceful submission to God's mercy and blessings. My God Almighty the creditor law rewards you for being Thank you very Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you very much. And thank you for tuning in to another episode on the deen show. And we had a special guest Grand Mufti of Bosnia. And that's the message where all Muslims were once was submitted to the will of God, you could be a Muslim Jesus was a Muslim, Abraham was a Muslim, nor was a Muslim. The son is a Muslim. All of the things around you that are submitted to God are Muslims. So you can call us right here 162 Islam you like we had to say? Send us your feedback, your comments to get a free copy of the verbatim Word of God. Call us one 800 662 Islam visitors here every week on the deen show. Don't forget to pick up the new dinya to Dean and we'll see you next
time God willing. Until then, peace.
Ismail Al Hamdulillah, Salaam Alaikum. Peace to everybody. How are you you come to get some food for the soul. You've been replete with everything else, but it's not satisfying the soul Money can't buy that happiness. It won't bring you peace. Not even a six pack a piece. You can't buy it.