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Islam in the Successor States of Former Yugoslavia – Religious ISLAM IN THE SUCCESSOR STATES OF FORMER YUGOSLAVIA – RELIGIOUS CHANGES IN THE POST-COMMUNIST BALKANS FROM 1989 - 2009 by HAZIM FAZLIC A thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Theology and Religion School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion College of Arts and Law Graduate School University of Birmingham September 2011 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. Abstract This thesis contributes to the study of religions, particularly Islam, in the successor states of former Yugoslavia from 1989 to 2009. The theoretical contributions of this work lie in the comparison of the communist and post-communist periods, where clear similarities and differences have been drawn for better understanding of the continuity between them. Current works on the state of Islam and Muslim communities in the Balkans have mainly focused on recent developments without insight into the conditions and effects of religious life under communism. This work is concerned with the continuity of religious practice from the communist period, religious changes and the revival of Islam at the institutional, public, intellectual and individual level. The thesis begins with a historical background of the region and the arrival of Islam. It moves then to examine constitutional and legislative changes regarding religion and their impact on Islam. After analysing the most visible signs of an Islamic revival at the institutional level, the thesis examines the place of Islam in the public arena, analysing the media, public gatherings, Muslim organizations and mosque construction. It then focuses on intellectual changes and similarities within the communist period. The concluding chapter explains the scope and reasons for the Islamic revival. The thesis concludes that, although noteworthy changes have occurred in the past twenty years, the methods of observance of Islamic practice from previous periods remains apparent. Muslim communities and their leadership have resisted foreign influences and have managed to maintain organizational structures present in the past and even revive crucial educational institutions. At the same time, new laws have enabled Muslims to significantly strengthen their organizational capacities. Muslim intellectuals have followed the tradition of previous generations and responded to the new challenges. Although Islam, alongside other religions, has survived communism and is more visible in the public domain, the revitalization of Islam at institutional level in many cases does not correspond to an increase in individual religiosity. ii IN THE NAME OF GOD, MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL To my parents, Hajji Ćazim and Hava Fazlić iii Acknowledgements Throughout my research a number of individuals supported me as I gathered my data and wrote up my findings. I would like therefore to acknowledge their immense contribution on my writing journey. Firstly I would like thank my supervisors Dr. Ian Draper and Prof. David Thomas for their meticulous reading of the sections and chapters of my thesis and constructive supervision throughout my research. I extend my thanks to the academic staff of the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Sarajevo, Enes Karić, Ismet Bušatlić, Jusuf Ramić, Ahmet Alibašić and Aid Smajić, for their valuable input, advice and suggestions. During my data collection process I had enormous help from the academics, government officials and representatives of the Islamic Communities in the successor states of Former Yugoslavia. I would therefore like to thank Muharem Omerdić at the Education Department of the Islamic Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Aziz Kadribegović at the Preporod newspaper and Mustafa Spahić at the Gazi Husrev-begova medresa, all in Sarajevo. Osman Lavić at the Gazi Husrev-begova library was always on hand to send me necessary archival materials from the shelves of one of the oldest library in the Balkans, so I wholeheartedly acknowledge his assistance. Likewise, Asim Zubčević, a librarian at the Faculty of Islamic Studies, was always willing to provide his assistance. My gratitude also goes to Dragan Novaković at the Ministry of Faith in Belgrade for the valuable contribution of sending me materials from his Ministry archive. I would like also to thank Samir Skrijelj from the Mufti office in Novi Pazar and Eldin Ašćerić from the Islamic Community in Belgrade, Bajro Agović and Mujdin Miljami from the Islamic Community of Montenegro, Agron Vojnika from the office of Reis ul-Ulema in Macedonia; Aziz Hasanović, the deputy head chairman of the Assembly in Croatia; Ahmed Pašić from Slovenia, Nevzet Porić, from the Mufti office in Slovenia and Resul Rexhepi from the Mufti office in Kosovo. Finally, I would like to thank my family, in particular my wife Sabina for her continuous support, advice and proof–reading of my writing. She patiently and constantly corrected my English and edited my manuscript throughout my research. I am also thankful to my daughter Amina and son Yusuf for allowing me more time with my research and writing. iv Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 1. ISLAM IN THE BALKANS – HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE .................................... 20 1.1. Military invasion of the Balkan Peninsula ............................................................... 21 1.1.1. The Balkans in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries ........................... 22 1.1.2. Religious life ......................................................................................... 24 1.1.3. Conversion and Islamization ................................................................. 26 1.2. The Balkans under the Ottomans ............................................................................. 28 1.2.1. Institutions ............................................................................................. 30 1.3. Period of independence and Austro-Hungarian annexation ..................................... 34 1.3.1. Slovenia and Croatia .............................................................................. 34 1.3.2. Serbia Kosovo and Vojvodina ............................................................... 35 1.3.3. Bosnia and Herzegovina ........................................................................ 37 1.3.4. Montenegro ............................................................................................ 39 1.3.5. Macedonia ............................................................................................. 40 1.3.6. Acceptance and Migration ..................................................................... 41 1.4. Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and Kingdom of Yugoslavia ................... 41 1.4.1. Institutions and Laws ............................................................................. 42 1.4.2. World War Two ..................................................................................... 44 1.5. From Communism to democracy ............................................................................. 46 1.5.1. Yugoslav Communism and its attitude towards religion ...................... 48 1.5.2. Muslims under Communism ................................................................. 49 1.5.3. Transition period ................................................................................... 53 1.5.4. Political organization of Yugoslav Muslims ......................................... 55 2. CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE CHANGES DURING POST- COMMUNISM AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR ISLAM ............................................. 57 2.1. Constitutional and legislative framework ................................................................ 58 2.1.1. Slovenia ................................................................................................. 58 2.1.2. Croatia ................................................................................................... 60 2.1.3. Serbia ..................................................................................................... 62 2.1.4. Macedonia ............................................................................................. 63 2.1.5. Montenegro ............................................................................................ 64 v 2.1.6. Bosnia and Herzegovina ........................................................................ 65 2.1.7. Kosovo ................................................................................................... 67 2.2. Implications of new constitutional acts and laws on Muslim communities ............. 69 2.2.1. Slovenia ................................................................................................. 70 2.2.1.1. Education ............................................................................................. 71 2.2.1.2. The Ljubljana mosque issue ................................................................
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