Sulejman ef. Kemura

Sulejman ef. Kemura (Sarajevo, 1908 – Sarajevo, January 19, 1975), is a Bosniak theologian, the eighth reis-ul-ulema in the period of SFR Yugoslavia. Sulejman ef. Kemura was born in 1908 in Sarajevo, in the prominent Sarajevo Kemura family, from which came Sheikh Sejfudin Kemura, a well-known Sarajevo chronicler, a sheikh in the Nakšibendi tariqat. Son of Sejfudin Kemura Muhamed ef. he received an Islamic education at the Sharia Judge School, and towards the end of his life he worked as an imam of the Gazi Mehmed Bey Mosque in Bistrik. Sarajevo historian Ibrahim Kemura was also from that family, who from the end of the 1960s regularly published his articles in the Glasnik VIS from the domain of his professional research, and they mainly concerned Muslim cultural and educational societies. Sulejman ef. Kemura, after finishing the mekteb and rozdia, continued his education at the Gazi Husrev-bey madrasa in Sarajevo. Among the teachers of that school were Ahmed ef. Burek, Muhamed Emin ef. Hadžijamaković, hfz. Džemaludin Berberović. At the beginning of the school year 1925/26. in 1929/30, he enrolled at the Sharia School of Judges, where he graduated in the academic year 1929/30. year. As a young Sharia judge, he served at the Sharia courts in Foča and Konjic. In Foča, he is involved in the work of the Muslim cultural and educational society "Gajret", and also works to suppress illiteracy among Muslims. Soon, at the suggestion of the Ulema Majlis, the then reisu-l-ulema appointed him as the secretary of the Mufti of Mostar, where, in addition to that duty, he also taught religious education in the Mostar high school and teachers' school. After the abolition of the district mufti offices, from Mostar Sulejman ef. Kemura moved to Sarajevo to the position of educational officer of the Ulema Majlis, then to the Vakuf Directorate, first in the capacity of religious and educational officer, and then director of this important institution. In 1949, the Supreme Islamic Eldership in FNRJ entrusted him with the duties of director of the Gazi Husrev-bey madrasa in Sarajevo and editor of "Glasnik", and with the establishment of the Association of Scholars in 1950, he was elected secretary, so he performed these duties simultaneously. When the Association of Scientists was (re)founded in 1950, Sulejman ef. Kemura, without leaving his previous positions as director and teacher of the Madrasa, became the secretary of the Association of Scholars and remained in that position until he was appointed to the position of reis-ul-ulema, and he was among the signatories of the initiative to establish the Association. Actively working in the Udruga ilmijje, Kemura participated in its publishing production. After the retirement of Ibrahim ef. Fejić, the Electoral Body for the Election of Reis-ul-Ulema elected him on November 15, 1957 as Reis-ul-Ulema of the Islamic Community. The ceremonial enthronement and handing over of the mensura took place on December 8, 1957 in the Gazi Husrev Bey Mosque in Sarajevo. Entering this position in a period of great difficulties for the Islamic community: confiscated waqf property, closed schools and numerous demolished or damaged mosques, reis-ul-ulema Kemura will remain in this position until his death and do a lot for its rehabilitation and recovery. Regardless, all the vivid information about this chief so far is condensed, scant and offers little information, almost nothing about his time as reis-ul-ulema. After a short illness, reis-ul-ulema Sulejman ef. Kemura died on January 19, 1975. The funeral for us was led by his longtime associate and successor in the position of reis-ul-ulema Naim ef. Hadžiabdic. He was buried in the harem of the Gazi Husrev-bey mosque in Sarajevo next to the grave of reis-ul-uleme Fehim ef. Spaho.