Islamic Community of Kosova

This article is about a specific organization which is of the Islamic faith. For information on the general Muslim community of Kosovo, see Islam in Kosovo.
Islamic Community of Kosovo
Bashkësia Islame e Kosovës
Formation 1993
Type Religious organization
Headquarters Pristina
Region served
 Kosovo
Preševo Valley
Official language
 Albanian
Naim Tërnava
Main organ
 Assembly
Website bislame.net

The Islamic Community of Kosovo, also known as I.C.K. (Albanian: Bashkësia Islame e Kosovës), is an independent religious organization of Muslims in Kosovo and Preshevo Valley. The community's headquarters is located in Pristina and their current leader, Grand Mufti (Albanian: Kryemyftiu), is Naim Tërnava.

History

Organized Islamic activities have taken place in Kosovo since the Ottoman Empire ruled the region. All Muslims of the empire were part of the Islamic community, which was headed by the Sultan, who replaced the role of the Caliph.

During the reign of Sultan Murad II, competences of the caliph were transferred to the Grand Mufti. Since then, the Grand Mufti was given the honorific scholarly title Sheykhul-Islam and considered the highest religious authority within the Ottoman Empire. However, every region inhabited by Muslims has had its own mufti. Each regional mufti was subordinate to the Sheykhul-Islam.

During the period 1914 to 1956, the faith community in Kosova joined the Albanian Muslim community (Albanian: Komuniteti Mysliman i Shqipërisë, which was headed by the Grand Mufti with its office in Tirana.

After the First World War, Kosovo was placed under the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The Islamic community of the kingdom was headed by Reis-ul-ulama, whose office was in Sarajevo. The responsibility of the Reis-ul-ulama was to organize Muslim religious life in Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia. By contrast, in Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Kosovo, Muslim religious life was organized by the Supreme Mufti, subordinate to the Reis-ul-ulama, whose office was in Belgrade.

After the creation of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the competences of the Supreme Mufti were transferred to the Ulama Majlis in Skopje, and the competences of the Reis-ul-ulama were transferred to the Ulama Majlis in Sarajevo. The newly established Ulama Majlises formed the Rijaset of Islamic Community, with its head office in Sarajevo.

After the Second World War, the Islamic Community of Kosovo became part of the Islamic Community of Serbia, with its office in Pristina. The Islamic Community of Serbia was part of the Islamic Community of Yugoslav Federation (Rijaset), with its office in Sarajevo. hi

The Islamic community of Kosovo declared independence from the Rijaset on 11 December, 1993.

Structure

Map of the territories that are under the authority of the Islamic Community of Kosovo.

Islamic Community of Kosovo is dived into 8 regions (Councils of Islamic Community):

See also

Sources