SPEECH OF THE CHAIRMAN OF SUPREME MUSLIM COUNCIL VEDAT S. AHMED

IN CONNECTION WITH THE CEREMONY FOR AWARDING OF THE ANNUAL AWARDS

„HODJAZADE MEHMED MUHYIDDIN EFENDI“ - 2019

Dear guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I congratulate you most cordially with "Welcome!" to the next annual “Hocazade Mehmed Muhayddin Efendi”  awards ceremony. They are being awarded for contribution to the Muslim Denomination and the Muslim community, therefore to the whole Bulgarian society. Because the Muslim community is one of its most important components. I am glad that we are once again commemorating an important event, that is filled with history, reflects reality and sends a message to the future. I have the great honor and pleasure to open this celebration of activity, charity and appreciation.

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!

In 2016, the Supreme Muslim Council, which is the central collective governing body of Muslim Denomination, began a new five-year mandate. We set ourselves certain goals, among which is the institutional development of Muslim Denomination. My opinion is that institutionality is related with history and tradition. Therefore, sustainable and successful development of institutions is possible with a renewal in the spirit of the times, but by looking at historical development and observing certain, traditionally established values.

In this context, at the end of 2017, we established the “Hocazade Mehmed Muhayddin Efendi” Award. It is in memory of the first Chief Mufti and is given for really and consecutively performed activities, to bring today's good example into the future.

Dear Guests!

The Muslim community in our country has lived together for centuries in our homeland. The religious institution Muslim Confession has existed in Bulgaria for 141 years, and the Chief Mufti's Office, which was established after our country's independence, is now 109 years old. All this speaks about a community, that has strong roots. It is these healthy roots that hold us and fill us with hope for the future, despite the difficult times we have experienced in our community history.

The times during which the first Chief Mufti Hocazade Mehmed Muhayddin Efendi had served, had been extremely difficult. These were the years of the Balkan wars, but not only that, also the years of the so-called “krastilka” (the forceful conversion of the Pomaks) meant to take away the Muslims' identity in the Rhodopes. The times of the fascist touch were also difficult. The times of communist totalitarian rule were especially hard. Because the ungodly communists used almost all methods of the previous governments to assimilate the Muslims. But they were not satisfied with this…

They tried to rip off our Muslim-Turkish identity. We were banned from the circumcision, weddings, funerals, language, culture, and they even took away our names. But all that was not enough for them! And the Muslims did not accept this violation of dignity and of the most precious human rights. So they resorted to creating a psychosis that triggered deportation. In fact, this was an expulsion of some Muslims from their homeland, even though we said:

I'm not a foreigner,

I'm your son.

Your sun,

your night sky

know me.

…

My mother,

my father,

who with my own hands

I decended into the grave,

they lie in your land,

Bulgaria.

I'm your son

and mine are thy ways.

DearGuests!

Why did I get into these emotional moments? Because they must be remembered! If they are forgotten, this will be repeated... But at the same time they must be a reason for awareness of what we have. They must encourage us to be grateful, responsible and diligent, to uphold what we have and to seek justice.

After November 10th, 1989, there were times when the wheel of the totalitarian regime turned back. We took a breath of air. To some extent we touched on the heritage of our ancestors. But it is a fact that the wheel that turns back, got hung up somewhere ... Even at certain times it pushes back to the "bright" dark times.

During the last thirty years, we have not yet been able to fully convince ourselves that these "dark tunnels" in the lives of Muslims in Bulgaria are temporary, not a permanent condition. But perhaps it will be more accurate to say that there are people and environments who want to "integrate" us, taking away our identity codes... However, I believe there are also really decent people who disagree with this, even oppose these hellish desires. And we, as one of them, have a duty to support them in the good. This is what reassures us and gives us the responsibility to be good and to spread the good, to be fair and to uphold the right.

Dear Guests!

We are responsible for the future, and not just for our future… Therefore, learning from the past, let us build a truly bright future based on law, justice, knowledge, enlightenment, democratic principles and respect. Confident steps in this direction have been made - and I believe they will continue to be made - by the five who will receive the “Hocazade Mehmed Muhayddin Efendi”  award today, for which I congratulate them wholeheartedly.

And finally, I would like to express my gratitude to all the officers of the Chief Mufti's Office who, through their active work, have prepared this celebration. I am grateful to everyone who made their nominations a reason to meet these wonderful people. Sincere thanks to you too, dear guests, for having honored us with your presence in this celebration of values and hope.

8. 12. 2019                                                         VEDAT S. AHMED

Sofia                                                        Chairman of Supreme Muslim Council