Grand Mufti: Academics are a bridge between past and future

“The investigation of the Islamic culture in the lands of Bulgaria is still a matter which yet has to be developed. It has started to be explored more seriously after the democratic changes in Bulgaria. From this point of view we have a long way to go until we reach this, on the one hand to be understood the situation in which we are, and on the other hand to give the necessary response of the contemporary challenges improved by our times in a global aspect”, said the Grand Mufti Dr. Mustafa Hadzhi during the presentation of the academic yearbook of the High Islamic Institute (HII)
Dr. Sefer Hasanov, Assoc. Prof. Stefan Andreev, Assoc. Prof. Zhorzheta Nazarska, Dr. Arif Abdullah and Assoc. Prof. Ibrahim Yalamov presented their reviews. The publication was issued with the financial support of “Denominations” Directorate of the Council of Ministers and presented in the Grand Mufti’s Office on 2nd of December this year.
“We live in times when Islam is misunderstood not only by foreign but also from its own followers. There is one very important question to which we have to pay attention, and it is: Could not Islam be modernized? Is it so hard to be adapted to the contemporary life conditions, in order to be better understood by the people living in the 21st century”, said the religious leader.
According to him the specific thing for Islam is that there are postulates which do not change and there are issues which are changed according to the time and the situation in which we are. Unfortunately for some matters in the Islamic religion we read mostly from fiqh from books written before year 800-1000.
 “Is not it possible that we can make the contemporary interpretation of these principles so that they can be, if I can say so, translated into modern understandable language, simple for the society”, further said the Grand Mufti. According to him this is also a work of the academics that are a locomotive which drives the society forward. They are those who will help in finding a bridge between the past, the present times and the future.
“Their work could help to overcome many obstacles, for the better understanding and the co-existence”, emphasized the Grand Mufti Dr. Mustafa Hadzhi.