Author: Obaidullah Noorzahi
Islam in Europe (Part Ten)
Islam in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina, with an area of 51,129 square kilometers, is located in the center of the Balkan Peninsula and west of Serbia. This country shares borders with Croatia to the north and west and Montenegro to the southeast. A small section of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s territory lies along the Adriatic Sea in the south, providing access to international waters.
The natural landscape of Bosnia and Herzegovina includes highlands such as the Dinaric Alps, while its plains are spread along the southern coast and around its rivers. The Danube, Tisza, and Sava rivers flow through this land, with dams built on them to generate hydroelectric power, supplying energy to Serbia and Montenegro. Forests also cover parts of the country. The climate in the southern coastal areas is Mediterranean, while the rest of the country has a mountainous climate, with mild summers and relatively cold winters. The name “Bosnia” is derived from the Bosna River, and “Herzegovina” means “Duchy.”
The Arrival of Islam in Bosnia and Herzegovina
During the 14th and 15th centuries, most of Yugoslavia, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, came under Ottoman control. The people of this land, who followed the “Bogomil” (God-loving) culture, were drawn to Islam due to its monotheistic teachings and spiritual essence. At the beginning of Ottoman rule, 36,000 Bosnian families declared their conversion to Islam and their alliance with the Ottomans.
The Muslim conquerors abolished class privileges, removed local aristocrats, and distributed their lands among the underprivileged. Religious freedom was maintained, leading some dissatisfied Catholics to convert to Orthodox Christianity due to the oppressive policies of the Catholic clergy. Meanwhile, some Bosnian Muslims attained high ranks in the Ottoman Empire’s political and military spheres, including the son of the Herzegovinian ruler, who became the Grand Vizier of Istanbul.
Sultan Muhammad the Conqueror, in recognition of the newly converted Bosnian Muslims, granted them the title of “Alibey” and appointed them to high-ranking positions in the Ottoman army. Under Ottoman rule, Bosnia and Herzegovina experienced significant cultural development, with 1,000 mosques, 1,500 religious schools, and 100 Islamic seminaries established across the region. Sultan Muhammad, who was deeply interested in knowledge, sent a delegation from Turkey to Bosnia to provide Islamic education.
The three languages prevalent during the Ottoman era—Turkish, Arabic, and Persian—strongly influenced Bosnian culture and literature. Over 300 Bosnian scholars and writers produced significant works in religious, mystical, and literary fields. One of the most remarkable architectural landmarks of this period is the grand mosque built by Gazi Husrev Bey in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This mosque, with a 13-meter-high dome and 45-meter-high spiral minarets, remains one of the most famous mosques in the Balkans.
Austrian Occupation and Persecution of Muslims
In 1878, following the Ottoman defeat by Austria, Austrian forces occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Austrians implemented policies that severely oppressed Muslims, including the mass settlement of Christian Croats and Serbs in this Islamic land. Many Muslims were deprived of their basic rights and were even killed simply for being Muslim. The Austrians also attempted to alter the local culture—Islamic clothing was replaced with Western attire, the Arabic script was abolished, and the Latin alphabet was introduced.
As a result of these pressures, a large number of Bosnian Muslims migrated to Turkey. The migration was so extensive that today, around four million Bosnian Muslims live in Turkey as descendants of these exiles.
In 1804, a Serbian rebel leader, Karađorđe, launched a campaign of genocide against Muslims under the slogan: “Greater Serbia must be free of Muslims.” These anti-Muslim policies continued in the following years. In 1829, Tsarist Russia, through the Treaty of Adrianople, forced the Ottoman Sultan to recognize Serbia’s independence. However, Ottoman rule over other territories, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, remained.
In 1854, the Serbs again declared their aim to create a “Greater Serbia free of Muslims.” This led to widespread massacres, the destruction of Islamic infrastructure, and the forced displacement of thousands of Muslims, leaving devastating consequences for the Muslim population of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Serbian Aggression and Ethnic Cleansing
In their pursuit of changing the demographic composition and erasing the Muslim identity in Bosnia, the Serbs invaded the region three times:
1. After the Ottomans withdrew from the Balkans.
2. After World War II.
3. Following the referendum on February 29, 1991, in which the majority of Bosnians voted for independence.
In 1862, the Ottoman government briefly regained control over Montenegro and Herzegovina. However, in 1878, after the Congress of Berlin, Serbia and Montenegro were separated from the Ottoman Empire, and Bosnia and Herzegovina came under Austrian and Hungarian administration. This transition resulted in mass killings of Muslims and forced conversions to Christianity.
After World War I, in 1917, representatives from Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Montenegro signed a treaty forming the Yugoslav Union. The former Yugoslavia officially emerged in 1918, comprising six republics and two autonomous provinces. Despite having a distinct identity and nationality, Bosnia and Herzegovina fell under Serbian and Croatian control. From the outset, these groups sought to blur Bosnia’s identity and alter its borders.
During this period, many Bosnian Muslims, facing political and social oppression, migrated to Turkey. During World War II, the persecution and aggression against Bosnian Muslims intensified, with efforts to erase and expel them.
During the war, Serbian extremists (Chetniks) committed horrific crimes against Bosnian Muslims, including:
– The massacre of 300,000 Muslims, some of whom were hung from mosque minarets.
– The destruction of mosques, including one in Zagreb, and the public execution of the city’s Muslim mufti in front of it.
– The sexual violence and brutal torture of Muslim women, including the disfiguring of their faces.
– The killing of Muslim children by smashing them against rocks.
– Burning elderly people alive in boiling water and leaving their corpses in public places.
– Mass graves in mining pits.
– The destruction of Islamic heritage and mosques, which were integral to Bosnia’s cultural and religious identity.
The Communist Era and the Rise of Serbian Nationalism
After World War II, the socialist regime infiltrated religious communities. Marshal Tito, who took power in 1946, initially adopted a violent policy against Muslims, ordering the destruction of mosques and mass killings. However, over time, he changed his stance and officially recognized the Muslim identity. Under Tito’s rule, Bosnian Muslims attained political positions such as ambassadors, ministers, and parliament members. Additionally, Bosnia’s connections with the Muslim world grew, and the government provided special facilities for religious scholars and institutions.
With the rise of Slobodan Milosevic as Serbia’s president, extremist and racist policies against Muslims resurged. Initially pretending to be a communist during Tito’s rule, Milosevic later adopted a fascist and ultra-nationalist stance, initiating the bloody Bosnian genocide under the slogan of “ethnic cleansing.”
Bosnia and Herzegovina Today
Bosnia and Herzegovina have a population of approximately 4.5 million, comprising:
– 44% Muslims
– 32% Serbs
– 18% Croats
– 6% other ethnic groups
Through widespread crimes, forced migrations, and terror tactics, the Serbs have sought to shift this demographic balance in their favor. Bosnians are indigenous Europeans who embraced Islam following the Ottoman arrival. According to Professor Steven from Oxford University, the Croats, who make up part of Bosnia’s population, are of Aryan descent, and the term “Croat” is derived from “Kurd.” (This statement requires citation or evidence for clarity and accuracy.)
Due to its strategic importance—having access to the open sea, rich mineral resources (coal, oil, gas, copper, chromium, manganese, and bauxite), steel, chemical, cement, textile, and arms industries, as well as its geographical position at the heart of the Balkans—Bosnia and Herzegovina has always been a target of Serbian ambitions. This strategic significance is one of the key reasons behind the Serbian crimes and aggressions against this land. Despite numerous hardships, Bosnia remains a rich and valuable territory in the Balkans.
Continues…
[1]. Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bloody Wounds of the Islamic World, p. 231, Mohsen Ayin.
[2]. Bosnia and Herzegovina, an Islamic Land in the Heart of Europe, p. 198, Ali Seifpour.
[3]. Note: The statistics and information mentioned about the mentioned countries were from the following sources: 1- Encyclopedia of World Geography, Volume 1 of Asia, translated by Dr. Jafar Javid. 2- Complete World Geography, Habibollah Shamlui. 3- World Geographical Dictionary, Research Department of Sahab Geographical Institute. 4- Geography of Muslim Countries, Abdolreza Faraji. 5- Geography of Population and Developing Countries, Professor John, I. Clark, translated by Houshang Bahrambeigi. 6- Countries of the World, Abdolhossein Saeidian. 7- Calendar of Countries, Emad al-Din Esmaeil.
