Another Side of Islamic Fundamentalism (or The Truth is Out There)

Srecko Latal

It is related to the other meaning of the term “fundamentalism” which in this case I chose to use in reference to “religious movement based on literal interpretation … and return to former principles” (see Encarta English Dictionary).

In another words, this is a story about the return to the basics of any faith. I deliberately haven’t used the word religions since I see a major difference between these two concepts. Religions have become the most profitable business focused on controlling the masses by threats of eternal suffering. On the other side, the basics of faith are about love and respect we cherish for our Maker – no matter which name we use for Her or Him – as well as love and respect we cherish for ourselves, all human beings, other creatures and the whole Universe which surrounds us.

For most of my life I thought I was atheist. At the beginning it was because I was raised that way by my parents. Later, atheism became my conscious choice after my intercourses with religions told me that instead of love, respect and blessings, God was all about threats, hate and vengeance. It all made no sense to me whatsoever.  Only later I have become aware of the difference between the concepts of faith and religion. Then I discovered paths which led me in the direction in which I wanted to move and which eventually started making sense.

Surprisingly (or not so) one of those paths thought me that there is still some faith in some religions after all. That path has been leading me and hundreds of other Sarajevans to the Bosnian Cultural Center, BKC, old and decrepit theater where every last Thursday in a month Hafiz Sulejman Bugari gives his sermons (Hutba).

For the uninformed, this Hafiz – which stands for Islamic scholar who has learned Holy Book of Koran by heart – has over the past couple of years become almost a legend whose popularity, fame and charisma has already exceeded geographic as well as ethnic borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Sulejman Bugari’s singing voice, contagious smile, positive attitude and loving sermons have already won crowds all over Bosnia as well as Croatia. In addition to his regular appearances in Sarajevo, Zenica, Bihac, Zagreb and other cities in the region, he has published two books, gave interviews to all main media organizations and appeared on most radio and TV stations. He even has his web site, which I guess every 21^st century prophet should have (http://www.sulejmanbugari.com).

For the past two months I had the pleasure of attending these sermons in the BKC. On both occasions the tickets were sold out in only a day or two and the theater was filled to its maximum capacity of 700 and some seats.  All income from the sales of the tickets goes to support a local drug-rehabilitation center.

After the latest sermon, I have decided to write a blog about my experience and pass on some of Bugari’s messages of love and respect. Yet now, I feel it would be inappropriate for me to quote or interpret Hafiz Bugari. After all, we all hear only those messages that we can understand at the present stage of our personal evolution. Therefore, whatever I have carried away from Bugari’s sermons was meant only for me and somebody else’s experiences and memories were only for him or her to bear.

However, if you are confused and dissatisfied with what you think the world has to offer to you today, and if you happen to be reading this blog, than there may be a very good reason for that. Maybe your personal path is leading you in some new directions and maybe there is out there a message that is waiting only for you.  Whether you would get it from Bugari on one of his next lectures, or whether there is some other messenger waiting only for you in your own neighborhood, it really doesn’t matter. The truth is out there, waiting for you to discover it.