Obituary - Dr Rajab Boya Passes Away

Obituary: Dr Rajab Boya passes away

(1946 - 2021)

Dr Mozammel Haque

I lost my most beloved brother and dear friend Dr. Rajab Boya who passed away on Tuesday, the 14^th of September 2021 in Kosovo after a severe heart attack. He was 75 years old. Inna Lillahey wa Inna Elayhey Razeyoun.

He was buried on Wednesday, 15 September 2021 at his hometown Peja in Kosovo.The present Mufti of Kosovo Naim Ternava prayed the Janaza at the birthplace of Dr Rajab Boya and the Mufti of North Macedonia made the obituary. The Mufti of North Macedonia made condolences  in the name of the Islamic Community of Macedonia and himself personally.

I came to know Dr Rajab Boya in Saudi Arabia after the independence of Kosovo from the Serbian republic in 2008. But neither Saudi Arabia, nor Madinah Munawwarah nor Makkah al-Mukarramah was not unknown to him.

He came to Saudi Arabia to study first in the secondary school. After learning Arabic language he joined the Islamic University of Madinah al-Munawwarrah when Abdulaziz Bin Baz was a professor in the University. Abdulaziz Bin Baz was his teacher for two years before he became the Mufti of Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Rajab Boya then finished his Masters and doctorate from the same University, Islamic University of Madinah.

Dr. Rajab Boya was former head of the Islamic Community of Kosovo and also the Grand Mufti of the Republic of Kosovo. Later on Dr Rajab Boya became the first Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo in Saudi Arabia & the Gulf States.

I met Dr. Rajab Boya in Jeddah , Makkah and Riyadh whenever he used to come.  I met Dr. Rajab Boya when he first used to come with a group of Hajjis to perform Hajj and I used to meet him at Jeddah Hotel along with brother Ismet Kazim and discussed about the situation of the Muslim community of Kosovo.

Then I also met him when he became the Grand Mufti of Kosova and with the help and assistance of brother Ismet Kazim I used to write on the Muslim community in Kosovo for the Journal of Muslim World League where I was Editor of the Journal in English, published by the Muslim World League. Makkah al-Mukarramah.

I attended the celebration of the Third Independence Day of the Republic of Kosovo, on Saturday, the 19^th of February at Tuwaiq Palace, Riyadh Saudi Arabia. On behalf of Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Governor of the Riyadh Region, Dr Nasser ibn Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the region opens the celebration of the Third Independence Day of the Republic of Kosovo, on Saturday, the 19th of February, at Tuwaiq Palace, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Many ambassadors, embassy officials and representatives came to the celebration. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with the Albanian Ambassador, Admirim Banaj, Kosovan Ambassador, Dr. Rajab Boya, Bosnian Ambassador, Malaysian Ambassador, Mitsuru Murase, Counsellor of the Embassy of Japan, Ismail Mae, Counsellor of Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative office in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and others.

Kosovo is indeed Europe’s youngest country. International community welcomes the new nation in Europe on its first independence day on 7 February, 2008. Since then, Kosovo is recognized by 75 countries around the world. Dr. Rajab Boya, the Ambassador of Kosovo in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia said in his welcoming speech, “We thank all those countries for their recognition and hoping that the rest of other countries will follow them also. We look very much forward to build relationship and friendship with all countries and with people of the world.”