Islamic Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Islamic Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian: Islamska zajednica Bosne i Hercegovina, IZ BiH) is a religious organisation of Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The current leader is Husein Kavazović.

History

The Islamic Community was established in 1882 during the Austrian-Hungarian rule over Bosnia and Herzegovina. After creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, the seat of the Islamic Community was moved from Sarajevo to Belgrade. The Islamic Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina broke away from Belgrade around the same time when Bosnia and Herzegovina become independent in 1992.[1]

The Islamic Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina was initially weak, but with the help from Alija Izetbegović, Bosnia and Herzegovina's president, as well as key military leaders, it become a pillar of the Bosniak national identity. Under tenure of the Grand Mufti Mustafa Cerić, who held this office from April 1993 until November 2012, the Islamic Community promoted Bosniak culture, politics and identity, with its influence extending beyond the faithful and attracting many who were not practicing Muslims during the socialist period, as well as Bosniaks living in the Serbian region of Sandžak elsewhere.[1]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 ICG 26 February 2013.

Sources