President congratulates Muslims on major holiday

President congratulates Muslims on major holiday

In the note of congratulations, Nikolić wished that they may celebrate"in happiness and peace in our mutual homeland' where life of peace, understanding and tolerance between all citizens, regardless of their religion and ethnicity, brings progress and betterment," the president's press service said.

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić also congratulated the holiday to the country's Muslims.

President of the Meshihat of one of Serbia's two rival Muslim organizations, the Islamic Community in Serbia, Mufti Mevlud Dudić said in his message that the Muslim holiday of Ramadan Bayram represents an opportunity to pray for the suffering Muslim people, especially in Gaza, and call for genuine peace among all peoples.

Dudić said in his note that this Ramadan "will be remembered for the long days marked by 18-hour fasting, mosques full at prayer time and a large number of the young among the mosque-goers, but it will also be remembered for the unprecedented suffering of the Muslims in Palestine, incineration of a living 16-year-old boy Mohammed in full sight of everyone, especially Muslims, for slaughters of children and entire families just because of their Islamic confession."

"Bayram is a chance to show exceptional love for our parents, children, loved ones, neighbors and all people. Muslims are praying to Allah to help the suffering Muslim people, especially in Gaza, and to instil genuine peace among all peoples," he wrote.

Reis ul Ulema of the Islamic Community of Serbia Adem Zilkić congratulated Muslim believers on Sunday with the message that Muslims are living in a very difficult situation today which has brought about by several factors but, as he said, strength lies in faith and success lies in patience.

According to Tanjug, In his note of congratulations, Zilkić reminded Muslim believers that "there is no exit without patience and no ultimate goal without sincere obedience and unity in the community."

"Bayram is a chance to leave aside all the controversial issues which separate us and tear apart the flesh of unity, and to hug our brother tightly and forgive each other, because without forgiveness, there can be no healthy individual or community," Zilkić said.

Deputy Reis ul Ulema of the Islamic Community of Serbia and Mufti of Serbia Muhamed Jusufspahić condemned in his Bayram note on Sunday the Israeli violence against Muslims from Gaza and Palestine.

"We pray to Allah the Almighty to give peace to everyone, both to ourselves in Serbia and especially to Muslims in Gaza and Palestine with whom we sympathize in their fights and struggles, and we condemn the Israeli violence done to them," Jusufspahić said in the note sent on behalf of the Riaset of the Islamic Community of Serbia to mark the beginning of Bayram on Monday.