Less than a month ago, I was having a deep conversation with Rushmir Mahmutčehajić in his office in International Forum Bosnia. His sharp mind, his interest in cosmology and transcendance and his hospitality will always be memorable for me. His elegance was noticeable immediately but his sight problem (blindness?) was not. Before our meeting, he shared with me two articles, one is not published yet on an intriguing comparative work. In this unpublished article he argues that Muhammad, Maryam, the Qur'an, and Jesus are integral parts of a unified divine revelation, manifesting God's Word, mercy, and love to humanity, and guiding individuals towards self-realization and a return to the Divine One. I wrote him that reading his articles is not easy, and asked him about his intended audience.
He talked about personal history too; his youth, his disappointment with Turkey in the 1970s, I guess, in general with the Muslim world (as he shared another anecdote about a prominent Egyptian politician. I owe it to Ivo Markovic who introduced me to him, who also encouraged me to meet him in person and talk about my work, and exchange ideas as two spiritual intellectuals who invest time and energy in the existentialist questions that most people don't have the time to pause and dig in.
Last night, Ivo texted me about Rusmir's passing. Less than a month ago, we met and had a nice conversation. Now he's gone from this dimension. Just like that?
The first book I read of Rusmir Hoca was closely related to the town where he was born and raised, and tomorrow, he'll return there for his eternal rest. It was a fascinating book that I couldn't out down. Here is a AI-summary of it:
Mahmutćehajić argues that modern reductionism and scientific positivism have led to a "flattening" of human nature, marginalizing the soul and sacred meaning. The destruction of Stolac, particularly the devastating events of 1993, is viewed as a painful consequence of humanity's "forgetfulness" of the sacred. The book advocates for "recollection" (anamnesis) and a transformation of perception (metanoia) to rediscover meaning and spirituality. It suggests that by reconnecting with the sacred center, one can achieve a realization of unity and peace, restoring a sense of "paradise."
Despite the historical destruction, the book concludes on a hopeful note, pointing to the restoration of Stolac's mosque and čaršija as national monuments, symbolizing that "there is no loss we cannot recover, no suffering from which we cannot learn." Ultimately, says David Fideler (2011), "Maintaining the Sacred Center" is a lyrical, personal, and scholarly work that offers insights into the deeper meanings of the sacred, providing a foundation for understanding and reclaiming the sacred in the contemporary world.
I don't think I can get used to losing such precious people, but I should get into the habit of writing some lines (at least) after they depart, to commemorate, to cherish, and of course to pray for Allah's rahmet.
