Islam between East and West

Alija Izetbegović (8 August 1925 – 19 October 2003) was a Bosnian politician, activist, lawyer, author, and philosopher who in 1992 became the first President of the newly-independent Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was also the author of several books, most notably Islam Between East and West and the Islamic Declaration.

Izetbegovic was born on 8 August 1925 in Bosanki Samac in the Northern part of Bosnia to an accountant father in a distinguished family. Izetbegovic moved to Sarajevo the following year and received his education from Sarajevo Law School. At the age of fifteen, in 1940, he co-founded an organization, Mladi Muslimani (Young Muslims) which helped the refugees during World War II. In 1946, after the war, he was arrested for his activities during the course of war and was sentenced to three years of imprisonment. After being free, he obtained a law degree from Sarajevo University and remained in active politics. In 1970’s, Izetbegovic published a manifesto titled, ‘Islamic Declaration’, which expressed his views on relationships between Islam, society and state. The authorities interpreted this manifesto as a call to introduce sharia Law in Bosnia and barred its publication.

Izetbegovic authored one of his prominent works, ‘Islam between East and West’ in 1980. In the general election that followed, Alija Izetbegovic’s Democratic Action Party won the majority of the seats and Alija Izetbegovic was elected as the President of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Izetbegovic passed away in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina on 19 October 2003 due to heart disease.