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

IN CONNECTION WITH THE CEREMONY FOR AWARDING OF THE ANNUAL AWARDS

„HODZHAZADE MEHMED MUHYIDDIN EFENDI“ - 2018

Dear Mr. Grand Mufti,

Dear members of the Council of Spiritual Guides, Supreme Muslim Council and Mufti Council,

Dear representatives of the religious communities in Bulgaria,

Dear representatives of the legislature and the executive authorities,

Your Excellencies Ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions in Bulgaria,

Dear representatives of political organizations, local authorities and NGOs,

Dear guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for being together with us at the official ceremony for granting the annual awards on behalf of the first Chief Mufti of the Muslims in Bulgaria, namely the late Hodzhazade Mehmed Muhyiddin Efendi. It is a great honor for me to open this celebration of virtuousness and recognition, honor and respect. This happens exactly one year after the first ceremony, and again on December 8th, when students celebrate their holiday, for which I congratulate them. Feasts are good when they lead us to the good and when they are shared and join the society together.

The reason for today's gathering is to remember the first Chief Mufti of Bulgaria, who is the founder of the system of today's Muslim denomination. He has made efforts to uphold the rights of Muslims, to assure their happiness and to contribute to the happiness of the entire society, not only in this transitional world, but also in our eternal after-home. I am convinced that him, as well as the people who will be awarded with the prize that was established last year, have not done the good deeds with that we will mention today, in order to receive these modest awards. They have followed the ancient and wise principle of the second father of humanity Nuh (Noah) aleyhisselam. He and other Allah's followers, in whom we believe without distinction, said at every opportunity: "My reward is the concern only of Allah. He is a witness to everything." It is doubtless that Allah will render to everyone according to what he has done on this earth! And our task is to be good and to appreciate the good.

Dear guests!

A centuries-old learned wisdom states that it is easy to destroy, but it is difficult to build. Few people recognize this truth, even fewer are those who take it as a landmark in their lives. This is especially true for our time, in which the destroyers are honored. But we are called to build, as it was built by the profound Hodzhazade Mehmed Muhyiddin Efendi, who first brought the mufti system to its the feet. After that, he took care of the wakf estates, which were donated sincerely and for ever and ever. He then laid the foundations of the secondary and the higher spiritual school in the city of Shumen, called "Nuvvab", in order for his graduates to spread the seed of enlightenment.

If today we are proud with the good cohabitation that we see in our society among people with different religious beliefs, I assure you that the contribution of the late Hodzhazade and the graduates of the spiritual hearth, the foundations of which he has laid, and of the sincere employees of the religious institution, whose foundations he has built, is enormous. The price of everything achieved is not small at all... That is why we honor the builders today, and the destroyers, who were ruining the spiritual peace of the Muslim community, ruined their own future, and today no one remembers them, even those who occupy their places. That's why I think it's time we built something and not to break the results modestly achieved.

Dear guests!

Today, there is a lot of talk about religion in the public sphere, particularly about Islam, especially when fear must be spread among people. This interest in religion, and in particular in Islam, shows that it has the potential for many things, including to meet the needs of modern human. Therefore we, the Muslims, have to turn our faces entirely towards our religion.

But it is also necessary to trust the majority of Muslims, the Turks in Bulgaria. Because we deserve that trust and we have proven it with the hundred and forty years devotion to our country. We, with little help, without any support from the state, are trying to build a peaceful society. But unfortunately we do not see the helping hand ...

Dear guests!

We, the Muslims in Bulgaria, do not deserve this. Our beautiful homeland also does not deserve its children to talk about unrealized rights, especially about rights withdrawn - the right to freedom of religion expression, in their Turkish mother tongue in their mosque, from which they hear the Ezan call in Arabic. We do not deserve our rights on our way to Europe to be limited by providing certain opportunities for the denominations. The good attitude towards the Muslims does not correspond with the withdrawal of wakf estates by state institutions, because they are donated for the benefit of the Muslim community for eternal times. This is ruining, not building ...

We will continue to build. This is necessary in order to make people feel safe and happy.  In this spirit that the present awards are given. These people have built something, and I believe they will continue, and that others will follow. That is why I congratulate the winners of the second annual awards "Hodzhazade Mehmed Muhyiddin Efendi". I pray to Allah to lead us to be even better and to eliminate the evil of the evil-thinkers in order to reign justice, peace and security in individual and social terms.

I cannot pass on without mentioning the brotherly people of Yemen. May Allah bring you peace and prosperity in the very near future.

Finally I express my gratitude to all those who gave us this celebration, which has become a holiday, with their active work. Thank you, dear guests, for honoring us with your presence in this ceremony of virtue and appreciation.

8 December 2018                                               Vedat S. Ahmed

                                                                            Chairman of the Supreme Muslim Council