The last couple of weeks have been unusually busy. Despite my intention to write an entry about my visit to Bosnia, I have been distracted with other things. However, I’m here today to share with others a few things about my time in Bosnia. To be honest, my thoughts on paper could run well into several pages but I will summarise them here.
The two salient points that are worth mentioning about that country are its people and the landscape both of which did not disappoint.
Of those that we went to deliver immediate aid to, whether it was in the form of essential everyday items in boxes or cash donations, the humility of the recipients was very touching. They accepted graciously but not without offering first to pay it forward to their neighbour or whoever else might be more needy. In addition, many people we met were quick on hospitality and more concerned about our comfort and the trouble we had taken to travel such a distance to meet them. However much they claimed to have been honoured to receive help, the honour was more ours. It was completely humbling to see flood survivors (in Jablanica) more concerned for their neighbours; to meet a man who had saved eleven people, including his wife and young child, on the night of that devastating flood, which could easily have claimed his own life; and then the brave widow of the Srebrenice massacre in July 1995, who lost 22 members of her family and whose only remaining purpose in life is to see justice served for them.
It is impossible to describe the overwhelming awe and respect I felt for all these individuals. They were ordinary citizens not vying to be immortalised in the pages of a history book. They are quietly continuing with their lives. However, the imprint they left on my mind was permanent. I have met amazing Muslim people in my life but mostly from places where Islam is actively thriving and deeply embedded in the country’s political and social fabric. Bosnia is a country that has only relatively recently had Communisim eviscerated from its being. An entire younger generation is still coming to terms with this new identity and seeking answers in the transition phase. But the people I met on our trail of aid delivery, proved to me that the Islamic character is still at their core and was never completely annihilated. SubhanAllah! Praise is for Allah alone.
Yet it wasn’t only the local people we visited that dared to shake off the preconceptions I had arrived with. Endless conversations with the small group of four young Muslim Bosnian men and their non-Muslim Bosnian female friend, who were our guides and drivers during our trip, provided such a wonderful insight into the history and culture of this country. The bond and mutual respect they all shared for one another was on a level not seen at all here in the UK. Not only had these individuals sacrificed their own time as volunteers to help on this mission, the way they worked together so seamlessly was beautiful to watch. Everyone knew their stations, cooperation was fluid and, to top it off, their good nature and hospitality was unwavering throughout. I couldn’t help feeling that if this group was a true representation of Bosnian youth, then I imagine the country will be going from strength to strength in years to come, inshaAllah.
The other feature of this place that gripped my attention from the moment I landed, was the breathtaking landscape. Towering mountains carpeted with conifers and deciduous trees, which had surrendered their foliage to winter, flanked us on either side as we drove on winding roads through picturesque villages and towns. Transculent green rivers meandered lazily past whilst enticing the observer to their mesmerising beauty.
And then came the snow…
One night, on the way back to our hotel, driving rain had turned to sleet and within minutes that had turned to snow. A pristine white blanket draped itself across everything in its path to create a magical sight all around. It was as if we had been transported into the midst of a classic Christmas card scene. The landscape had been captivating even without the snow but now it was an infinitely more alluring place to be. Less than an hour by the time we had arrived safely back to Sarajevo and the boughs of trees hung low with their load. Red rooftiles had instantly been turned white. It was as if someone had taken a giant salt shaker from above and given the world a generous dusting of snow. It was pure delight and despite the cold, the scenery generated a warm glow within me. Once safely back in Sarajevo, we didn’t miss our chance to step out and relish the snow before it would melt away.
So, these were my two big takeaway observations of Bosnia. I have vowed to return to that place to see it properly as a tourist inshaAllah and learn more about its past, present and future. I am so enamoured of it because I could appreciate the recent struggles its people have bounced back from in terms of the post-Yugoslavian war between 1992-1995. The legacy of that dark chapter in history lives on whether it be through the stories told by the survivors or even the buildings in Sarajevo where the longest siege in modern history (1425 days) bear testimony to the conflict fought there. Despite the pain,there is a resilience which is so palpable.
Often, I had to remind myself that I was in Europe proper although so much around me spoke of Bosnia’s Ottoman/Turkish/Muslim heritage. It is a land at the cultural junction of Europe and Asia; a land where capitalism has overtaken communism; and a land where the Bosniaks are finally taking ownership of their Muslim heritage so long denied to them and their forefathers.
Both on a micro and macro level, the country is in search of its place in history as much as it is in search of its future. I feel honoured to have been allowed a small glimpse into this journey and am hopeful that, although change will be slow and painful, the result will have been worth the wait, inshaAllah.
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