REPORT ON BOSNIAN ISLAMIC WEB SITES FEBRUARY 2004 BBC Monitoring Service

REPORT ON BOSNIAN ISLAMIC WEB SITES FEBRUARY 2004
BBC Monitoring Service - March 9, 2004

The Bosnian Islamic web site www.dzemat.org posts Friday prayers given by Nezim Halilovic Muderris (Bosnian scholar in Arabic studies, former commander of the 4th Glorious Muslim Brigade, currently hatib in Sarajevo mosque and member of the main board of the Bosnian Muslim Party of Democratic Action) in the King Fahd Mosque, Sarajevo, on 27 February 2004.

Muderris talked about Bosnia's Independence Day on 1 March, and the war. "We should remember those days and be proud of having been participants in the times of the crucial battle for our country and for having been those who had defended and not attacked, for having obeyed the Islamic principles and the international war norms, for not having committed war crimes and for being able now to say that Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) have remained an honourable people despite the numerous victims, who cannot be lectured by anyone, particularly not by the Christians, about good behaviour".

Muderris recalled the events of the previous week, mentioning a "shehid" (martyr) operation in Jerusalem, when eight Israelis were killed and 60 injured. He also spoke about "the innocent civilians being killed in Palestine" and the Israelis continuing to build the "Security Wall", "which confirms the Israeli occupation of Palestine". Muderris prayed to Allah "to help our bothers in the smaller entity of Bosnia-Hercegovina (Serb Republic), Palestine, Kashmir, Chechnya, Iraq and any other place where Muslims are attacked by enemies of Allah's faith..."

The same web site posts a poll on the following question: "Which of the Islamic movements/parties/organizations do you trust the most?" The different options and current results are as follows:

Islamic Community - 23.61 per cent (379 votes); Selefi movement - 23.68 per cent (380 votes); Ihvani movement - 10.97 per cent (176 votes); Sufis - 19.94 per cent (320 votes); Hizb ut tahrir - 2.06 per cent (33 votes); Teblig dzemat - 0.81 per cent (13 votes); Al-Qai'dah - 11.03 per cent (177 votes); none - 7.91 per cent (127 votes).

Another Bosnian Islamic web site at www.islambosna.ba published two fliers on 14 January 2004. Flier No 13 is called "The Priorities of the Islamic Movement" and is actually an excerpt from a book by Sheikh Yusuf el-Qaradawi. The flier is 6.6 cm wide and 14.3 cm long and has been printed in 24,000 copies. In this flier, the meaning of the Islamic Movement is explained as "a joint and organized activity of people aimed at bringing Islam back to the leading position in the society and life as a whole." The Islamic Movement is defined as "continuous and hard work, which is not in any way limited to mere words, speeches and lectures". Its goal is "to gather the Ummet around the Honoured Qur'an, support friends of Allah and oppose His enemies, free Muslim territories of every aggression or foreign domination, re-establish the Islamic hilafet system, in the way Sheri'at requires, and renew the obligation of extending the call of Islam". The flier says that individual actions are not sufficient for the Islamic Movement and that it needs collective and organized work.

Flier No 14 is called "Raise Our Heads" and is 6.6 cm wide and 14.3 cm long. It has also been printed in 24,000 copies. It is composed of an excerpt from a text published in the El-Hidaya magazine in 1942, which was written by an ideologist of the Young Muslims movement, Shehid Esad Karadjozovic. In this text, Islam is described as a "social, political, economic, state and above all, moral and ethical system". Both fliers can be ordered by phone or e-mail and can be delivered throughout Bosnia-Hercegovina and Sandzak, as well as to other places upon agreement.

The same web site launches a poll with the question: "How much are you engaged in da'wah (Islamic missionary work)?" The answers are as follows:

I do not wish to take part in it - 12.22 per cent (22 votes); I do not at all, but will try to improve - 12.22 per cent (22 votes); I do it a little bit - 63.89 per cent (115 votes); and I am fully engaged in such work - 11.67 per cent (21 votes).

A number of texts posted on this web site criticize the animosity towards the hijab in some countries. An interview with Ahmed Kutty, lecturer and scientist in Islamic Studies from Toronto, Canada, is posted on the web site. The discussion revolves around the issue of the hijab in France. Kutty says that everyone should do their best to put pressure on public opinion to change the law that would prohibit wearing the hijab in schools. "They (the French) should take this prohibition as a challenge to their identity", he says and adds: "As Muslims, we must stand up and fight for our rights using all available legal and constitutional resources and means. With the adoption of this law, they (the French) are undermining the fundamental spirit of their nation".

Six lectures by Sheikh Yusuf el-Qaradawi are posted on www.islambosna.ba as well as a quiz about his book, "The Priorities of the Islamic Movement". Three people win a prize, a copy of the Bosnian translation of El-Qaradawi's book.

The Bosnian Islamic web site on www.bosnaislamskadrzava.com stresses its goal: "Our goal is to achieve Allah's pleasure, our idol is the Prophet, our constitution the Qur'an, our way Jihad, and death on Allah's road our greatest wish". This web site regularly posts news from Bosnia-Hercegovina, the Palestinians, Chechnya, the Arab world, the USA and other world news. There are links to seven videos of mujaheddin in Bosnia and 42 of mujaheddin in Chechnya.

The Bosnian Islamic web site www.bosnjaci.net runs a poll on the question: "Do you want the name of Titova (Tito) street in Sarajevo to be named after Alija Izetbegovic (late Bosnian president)?" A total of 524 people, or 78.68 per cent, have voted Yes, while 142, or 21.32 per cent, have voted No.

Sources: As listed

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