site.btaMuslim Denomination in Bulgaria Vows to Keep Defending National Security

Muslim Denomination in Bulgaria Vows to Keep Defending National Security

Sofia, March 28 (BTA) - The Muslim Denomination in Bulgaria will continue to implement the same responsible policy of defending the country's national security, Moustafa Hadji, Chief Mufti of Muslims in Bulgaria, said at Monday's opening of a conference in Sofia about the priorities of the Muslim community and its leaders.

Hadji said: "Considering the complicated international situation, we in the Muslim community must take some steps, such as explaining the need to protect this country's national security and avoiding contacts with persons who hold radical views about Islam." He said the Muslim community should help the government deal with the refugee crisis, exercise strict control of the sermons preached by imams and of Koran study courses, and raise public awareness of the danger of radical Islam.

"As Bulgarian citizens, we are called upon to do everything within our powers to preserve peace and democracy in Bulgaria. The Muslim Denomination should work in dialogue with the other religions in the country because we have witnessed violence against children, pupils and elderly people - this fact is partly due to the lack of religious upbringing and a resulting loss of social values," Hadji said.

According to him, dialogue between religions is not intended to change the principles of individual religions but rather to promote kindness towards all people, regardless of their religious views. "The absence of such dialogue causes conflicts in societies in many parts of the world. The people in Bulgaria are historically used to living together, helping and respecting one another. So the problems of our modern times are not due to the differences in religious beliefs, they are due to the fact that the people have moved away from religion," Hadji said.

He believes it is necessary to present the principles of Islam in understandable modern language and thus defeat the strategy of radicals. "It is a fact that those who use Islam to disguise their evil plans publish their ideas on the Internet making them accessible to every young person," he noted.

Hadji further reasoned: "Education is even more necessary in our times because the interpretation of Islamic sources by uneducated people distorts the truth and misrepresents Islam." He said the Muslim community in Bulgaria has three secondary schools and a Higher Islamic Institute, and they are all attracting increased interest. Short training courses are also available for imams. The accreditation of the Higher Islamic Institute is one of the top priorities of the Muslim Denomination, he said, adding that some mosques are non-operational because of a shortage of trained priests.