In the premises of the Mejlis of the Teslić Islamic Community, a ceremony was held yesterday, where the mufti of Zenica, hafiz prof. Ph.D. Mevludin-ef. Dizdarević, presented the “Vakif of the Year” award to Hajrija Kovačević, highlighting her foundation as an exceptional example of selfless dedication to the community and lasting good that transcends individuals.
On that occasion, Mufti Dizdarević thanked Hajrija Kovačević for her generosity, stressing that her act represents a strong message of solidarity and concern for future generations.
He especially pointed out that such endowments are a permanent value that benefits the entire society.
Hajrija Kovačević, who lives alone in Teslić, said that the support of the Islamic Community and Međlis Teslić means a lot to her, and that the waqf is her way of leaving behind something valuable and lasting.
Her endowment includes a residential building with an area of 92 square meters and a yard with an area of 333 square meters, and the property is located in the very center of Teslić, about 300 meters from the Municipality building.
The value of the endowment was estimated at more than 250,000 convertible marks. This is the first foundation that, since the establishment of the Islamic Community in 1924, is located in the inner city zone of Teslić.
Efendija Hodžić emphasized the importance of this act, recalling the long tradition of wakifs in the area of Teslić.
“From the founding of the Stenjak Teslić congregation in 1924 to the establishment of the Endowment-Mearif Committee, until the ninth month of 1925, there were extremely many vakifs in the area of Teslić. Even today, we have many vakifs, but Hajrija’s endowment made a breakthrough. This is the first endowment located in the very center of the city of Teslić, 300 meters away from the municipality of Teslić. And it is our most important endowment that we currently have,” said Effendi Hodžić.
After yesterday’s event, Mufti Dizdarević emphasized the personal dimension of this act.
“It’s not enough to say how much this stalwart Bosniak woman of ours and a sincere believer delighted me. She went through so much bitterness, survived so many trials, and remained loyal to herself and the Islamic community. Her enemies paid her huge sums of money to sell her property in the center of Teslić, threatened her, even wanted to rob her, and she persisted in endowment for the permanent good of Muslims. I thank her for that and for the fact that the people in IZ earned her trust. That’s why we “Remember her name, her name is Hajrija Kovačević,” Dizdarević concluded Klix.
