BOSNIA VISIT

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ORISON CHARITABLE TRUST

 

P o box 704, harrow

Middlesex ha2 7bb

Registered Charity in the UK No. 1098822

Telephone / Fax: 01923 842 919

Email: orisonct@gmail.com

 

 

 

BOSNIA VISIT

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country is a country in South-Eastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. It borders Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the East and Montenegro to the southeast. The largest group of its population are Muslim Slavs, descendants of Christian Bosnians who accepted Islam some 500 years ago. They constitute 40 percent of the population and most of them follow the Hanafi school of thought. Sufism remains an important element in the Bosnian culture while Shi’a Islam has few hundred followers spread across the country.

 

 

In the year 1992 the World Federation of KSIMC under the leadership of Marhum Mulla Asgharali M M Jaffer (RA) embarked upon propagation of the Islamic Shi’a Ithna Ashari faith among the Bosnian community. A Bosnian desk was set up within the Islamic Education Board (IEB) under the care of Alhaj Muhsin Jaffer. The desk was then moved to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2005. It was officially registered under the name of ‘Zivot’ Foundation (Life Foundation).

 

 

‘Zivot’ Foundation (Kuca Bosanka) in Sarajevo in Bosnia & Herzegovina

 

 

The vision of the Foundation is to have an independent, confident and religiously committed Bosnian Muslim Shi’a Ithna Ashari community which is recognised and respected for its commitments and contributions to the common good. It endeavours to promote the way of life, moral values and spiritual teachings of the Ahlul-Bayt (as).
The Centre ‘Kuca Bosanka’ is the hub of activities. It houses the office, the main hall, the library and the kitchen. Congregational prayers, Du’a Kumayl, lectures and Nyaaz are held on every Thursday evening and programs are also held to mark some of the important Islamic dates as well as during the months of Holy Ramadhan and Muharram.

 

Dua’ Kumayl in session on a Thursday evening

 

 

 

Thursday evening lecture by Sheikh Abdullah Shabbar

 

 

Salaat followed by Nyaaz

 

 

TABLIGH IN BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA

Shi’a Muslims are estimated to be around 250 to 300 individuals. They are scattered in the country and due to economic reasons, many reside in remote and mountainous areas. Thus we see them and their families away from active guidance of a Shi’a religious establishment and quite vulnerable to other religious denominations.

 

Meeting a Shi’a family in the mountain area of Srebrenica

 

For the survival of Shi’a faith, a very long term vision must be formatted and consistently pursued without neglect.
Alhamdulillah a Shi’a Islamic Centre has already been established in Sarajevo. However, the regular attendees are only 30-40 individuals; and the Madrasah hosts approx 30 children on Saturdays. To ensure maximum participation of Bosnian Shi’as, the Centre will InshaAllah embark upon activities that are oriented towards building and developing the community such as:

1) Establishing daily Salaat program

2) More involvement of regular attendees in the running of the Centre

3) Visitations to Shi’a families residing far

4) Summer camps for the Bosnian youths

5) Special tuition classes as additional support for students in higher education

Publication and distribution of Islamic Shi’a literature was the original activity of the Bosnian desk under IEB. It started with the quarterly magazine ‘Muslimanski Zivot’ (Muslim Life) which openly propagated Islam from the Shi’a view point. Distributed in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in 20 other countries, it used to connect the organisation with over 1000 readers. Every issue had a feedback coupon with questions related to the articles. Readers who returned the coupons were then put on mail list for the subsequent issues. It was a powerful tool for distance education about the Shi’a faith. Unfortunately, this support has been halted due to lack of funds and needs an urgent revival.

In the last three years, the Foundation has been broadcasting weekly radio programs on the local radio station. The broadcasts were also recorded on CDs and distributed on demand. In the year 2010 the DVD ‘Story of Karbala’ project was completed in the Bosnian language with subtitles in English. This is already proving a great success in propagation of the message of Imam al-Husayn (as) especially to the youth and as such, this must continue.

 

BUILDING A SHI’A COLONY

One of the things that will serve as an immense help in community development is building of a colony near the Islamic Centre in Sarajevo to accommodate willing Shi’a families. In the recent years, few houses were built in the vicinity of the Centre that proved highly successful and brought in some families together and currently, a feasibility study of acquiring a nearby plot and build some more houses is underway.

 

Houses of Shi’a in the vicinity of the Centre

 

Recently a Shi’a Bosnian residing in Melbourne, Australia has built a housing shell that can house three reasonably spacious flats just at the adjacent of the Islamic Centre. He has kept a flat for his personal use and generously donated the other two to the Centre to let them out to willing Shi’a families and the rents procured to be used in the running of the Centre. He has also stated that after death, his own flat will be transferred to the ownership of the Centre. However, the responsibility of completing the construction work of the two flats has been left on the Centre and will cost approximately 30,000 Euros.

 

The building shell required to be completed to house two flats

 

 

EXPENSES IN EUROS

FOR DAY TO DAY RUNNING OF THE ISLAMIC CENTRE

Salaries:…………………………………… 18000 Euro
Tax/Insurance: ………………………. 5400 Euro
Heating:…………………………………… 1800 Euro
Accountant’s Services:…………….. 900 Euro
Telephone/Internet:……………….. 500 Euro
Electricity:………………………………. 360 Euro
Maintenance:………………………….. 300 Euro
Food:………………………………………. 200 Euro
Stationery:……………………………… 200 Euro
Water/ Sewage:……………………… 70 Euro

TOTAL: 27,730 Euro PER YEAR

OR 2,310 Euro PER MONTH

 

 

FOR PUBLICATION & DISTRIBUTION OF MUSLIMANSKI ZIVOT

4 issues per year will be published (500 copies each issue) of the Muslimanski Zivot (Muslim Life) magazine.
Article contributors:……..1000 Euro
Proofreading:…………….. 200 Euro
Design:……………………. 200 Euro
Printing:……………………4000 Euro
Packing:…………………… 200 Euro
Postage:…………………… 1000 Euro

TOTAL: 6,600 Euro PER YEAR (4 issues)

OR 1.650 Euro PER ISSUE

 

 

Support is also required in completion of the two flats in Sarajevo that will InshaAllah house two Shi’a families. The cost is 30,000 Euro for both. In addition, Mumineen are urged to help the Bosnian brethren in establishing a colony that will enhance their presence at the Centre and enable them to secure their faith and that of their offspring.

Mumineen wishing to participate in this ‘Sawaab-e-Jaari’ projects should contact:

Akhtar M M Jaffer, Mobile: 07796 176 376, orisonct@gmail.com

Muhsin Bhai Jaffer, Telephone: 01923 842 919 (off), muhsin@jaffer.org

Mujahidali Sheriff, Mobile: 07500 897 210, mujahidali.sheriff@googlemail.com

 

 

You may also send your contributions to support other projects such as Education, Tabligh, Medical, Housing, Mass Marriage, Mahe Ramadhan Relief undertaken by OCT in Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan, Africa, India, Pakistan, Iraq and other places. Cheques to be sent to:

ORISON CHARITABLE TRUST
PO Box 704 Harrow, Middlesex HA2 7BB
For direct remittance, our Bank details are:
ORISON CHARITABLE TRUST,
HSBC, Account No. 01576925, and Sort Code: 40-06-30.

 

 

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