Croatia : The First Destination

It goes without saying that it is impossible to write a post that would satisfy and please every reader. Its only when we were searching on net we realized how difficult it is to compile and write about our First Destination: Croatia

We do not speak the language and had no definite plans as to where we would go...but we have worked hard during the past three days. I personally feel satisfied with our efforts so far:

"Otac jedan, jedan mati
prvo bî nam valja znati
jer(=zašto)ćemo se pasji klati?
Hodte nami vi na viru."

[Children of one father, and one mother,
That’s of what we should be aware,
Why should we engage in warfare?
Come and embrace our faith.]

This was beautifully and clearly expressed by Muhamed Hevaji Uskjufi of the village Soline near Tuzla, in his poem Ja kauri vama velju (I’m telling you Christians).

In one of the stanzas he calls on the Christians to also convert to the Prophet Muhammed”s religion, as they were of the same origin and it would prove nonsense to fight because of religious differences.

The Islam in Croatia was introduced by the Muslim Ottoman Empire. This civilization was present on Croatian soil from the 15th to the 19th century (in eastern parts of former Yugoslavia until the beginning of the 20th century). Many Croats converted to Islam.

The Muslim Slavs are in great majority of Croatian descent, and constitute now a nation, recognized according to their own wish in 1968 (Muslimani has been the usual name since the beginning of the 20th century). Except in Croatia they live today mostly in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Sandzak (a province in the south of Serbia, between Montenegro, Kosovo and Bosnia). The Muslims constitute over 1.3% of the population of Croatia 4,437,460 (2001).

The aljamiado literature ( The term aljamia: Arabic Ai adjamiyya was used to designate the writing of non-Arabic languages in the Arabic script) was an eviden example of how the establishment of Turkish rule over Bosniw and Herzegovine resulted in a sizeable part of the Croatian population accepting Islam, although this conversion to Islam did not make one Turkish, as was unjustly considered by the Christians. These Islamized Croats continued to be aware of their origin and their belonging to the Croatian ethnic community.

Islam left valuable written and architectural monuments, like in Spain for instance.

One of the oldest texts written in Arabica (which is in fact Arabic script for the Croatian language) is a love song called "Chirvat-türkisi" (= Croatian song) from 1588, written by a certain Mehmed in Bosnia. This manuscript is held in the National Library in Vienna. Except for literature Arabica was also used in religious schools and administration. Of course, it was in much lesser use than other scripts. The last book in Arabica was printed in 1941.

CHIRVAT-TÜRKISI (hrvatska pjesma)

Zagreb

In Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, there had been several hundred mosques from the Turkish time, out of which only one survived.

Why can’t we worship in peace or go about our daily business without so much disaster ...There is a good faith in the unity of people.

Let us mention that Croatia's capital Zagreb has one of the biggest and most beautiful newly built mosques in Europe, although in Turkish time it had none (Zagreb was never occupied by the Turks).



Dubrovnik

That proud coastal city known as Ragusa in the Middle Ages, and famous for its successful resistance to the Turks, there are remnants of Islamic influence. Paying annual tribute to maintain their independence as a seafaring and trading power, Ragusans prided themselves on their freedom. Yet in the Gothic chapel of the Franciscan monastery, a superb triumph of medieval Christian architecture, the rug beneath the altar is unmistakably an Islamic prayer rug.

When asked about it, a resident will say, "That is an old Bosnian rug."

"But it looks so Turkish in its bright colors and geometric patterns and the type of weaving."

The local resident shrugs, "You are mistaken. Rug weaving is a very old Bosnian craft."

Neither is wrong. It is a Bosnian craft, but one learned from the Turks in the years following the Turkish conquest of Bosnia in the 15th century...

It was George Bernard Shaw who said, "Those who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik"...

Mekkah slide (tune from bosnian traditinl. religiously song


Croatian islamic girlband "Arabeske"