This morning, March 22 (Sunday), at the age of 92, the highly respected intellectual and former rector and a lecturer at the Higher Islamic Institute (HII) Dr. Ismail Dzhambazov left this world forever.

Dr. Ismail Dzhambazov was born on June 10, 1928 in the village of Brezen, Ardino. He was brought up in a poor family with 9 children in total. He began working from his early childhood in order to help for the living of his family. When he was 9 years old he went to school in his native village, after which he continued his education in a secondary school in Kardzhali.

His never-ending pursuit of knowledge led him after that to the madrasah “Nyuvvab” in Shumen. In 1949 Dr. Ismail Dzhambazov entered the Faculty of Law of the University of Sofia “St. Kliment Ohridski” in Sofia, and graduated from it with excellence only 4 years later. Subsequently he graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of “Alma mater”.

40 years of his life Dr. Ismail Dzhambazov was dealing exactly with journalistic activity. In the beginning of the Transition he took an active part in the establishment of the Higher Islamic Institute – he was a rector and a lecturer in it. He was the author of dozens of books on the history, the life and the problems of the Muslim community in Bulgaria.

In 2018 Dr. Ismail Dzhambazov become one of the winners of the honorary award “Hodzhazade Mehmed Muhyiddin effendi” – for achievements and outstanding contribution to the development of the Muslim Denomination and the Muslim community in our country.

Undoubtedly, by the will of Allah, today we have lost a great Person and researcher, a representative of the Turkish intelligentsia in our country, who gave a lot to the Muslims in Bulgaria and was the “living history” of the community. We do believe that “the light of the knowledge” that Dr. Ismail Dzhambazov left, will shine forever in the benefit of the Islamic community!

The management of the Muslim Denomination expresses its sincerest and heartfelt condolences to the family and the relatives of Dr. Ismail Dzhambazov. We ask the Almighty Allah to accept his good deeds, to forgive his wrongdoings and to grant him the Gardens of Paradise! And for the mourners – the Most Merciful to grant them patience in this difficult moment of loss!

The funeral of the late Dr. Ismail Dzhambazov will be today, March 22 (Sunday), 2020, after the Asr prayer at the Muslim cemetery in Botunets quarter in the capital.