Foreign thinker
Ali Izetbegović
Ali IzetbegovićPolitical philosophy, Islamic thought, politicsBosnian1925–2003
“Islam is not only a religion; it is also a way of life.”
Life and Thought
Ali Izetbegović was a Bosnian philosopher, lawyer, and politician who served as the first President of Bosnia and Herzegovina after the country's independence. He is best known for his writings on Islam, modernity, humanity, and politics, especially his book Islam Between East and West.
Ali Izetbegović was born in 1925 in Bosanski Šamac, in the former Yugoslavia. He studied law and became involved in intellectual and political activities concerning the identity and rights of Bosnian Muslims. During the communist period in Yugoslavia, he faced political pressure and was imprisoned in the 1983 Sarajevo trial.
His major intellectual work, Islam Between East and West, examines the relationship between Islam, modernity, humanity, ethics, civilization, and society. Another important work, Notes from Prison, reflects his philosophical, religious, and political reflections during his imprisonment.
In politics, Izetbegović was one of the founders of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He became a central political figure among Bosnian Muslims, led the country during the Bosnian War from 1992 to 1995, and participated in the Dayton peace negotiations. His thought combined Islamic concerns with democracy, human rights, and cultural identity.