Foreign interest in Bosnia’s once-beleaguered Muslim community is evident all around. Saudi Arabia built the largest mosque and Islamic center in the Balkans in Sarajevo and is helping to fund the new university library. Countries such as Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE have all provided aid and investments.
Islam in Bosnia and Herzegovina has a rich and longstanding history in the country, having been introduced to the local population in the 15th and 16th centuries as a result of the Ottoman conquest of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Bosniaks are predominantly Muslim by religion, the vast majority of whom are Sunni Muslims who subscribe to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence, although more recently small minorities of Shia Muslims subscribing to the Twelvers school of thought have also emerged in the country. There are around 3 million Muslim Bosniaks, taking into account historic emigrations and the large diaspora that had left the country during the Bosnian War in the 1990s. An estimated 1.55 million still reside in their native Bosnia and Herzegovina where they constitute 40 percent of the country’s overall population.
Bosnian Muslim women, survivors of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, watch on April 8, 2015 in Sarajevo a live broadcast from the Yugoslav war crimes court in The Hague, which upheld Bosnian Serb general Zdravko Tolimir
Bosnian Muslim woman, Suhreta Gurdic, survivor of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, watches on April 8, 2015 in Sarajevo a live broadcast from the Yugoslav war crimes court in The Hague, which upheld Bosnian Serb general Zdravko Tolimir life sentence for genocide at the massacre, the worst atrocity on European soil since World War II. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
Bosnian Muslim woman, Suhreta Gurdic, survivor of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, watches on April 8, 2015 in Sarajevo a live broadcast from the Yugoslav war crimes court in The Hague, which upheld Bosnian Serb general Zdravko Tolimir
A Bosnian Moslem woman knits 17 October 1995 among debris in a lull in the fighting in Sarajevo. AFP PHOTO ODD ANDERSEN
An old woman cares 17 October 1995 for her grandchild while its parents are out chopping wood in the Bosnian-Muslim enclave of Gorazde in eastern Serb-held Bosnia. AFP PHOTO ODD ANDERSEN
Muslim women walk through the old part of town on their way to one of daily prayers at the biggest mosque in Sarajevo, 16 June 2006. The people of Sarajevo, renowned for their pluralism, have been shaken after a series of incidents including the murder of a Muslim woman by her Islamic extremist son who questioned her faith. AFP PHOTO ELVIS BARUKCIC
A Bosnian Muslim woman (L) walks with a child in downtown Sarajevo, 17 May, 2007. After being banned for decades by Yugoslav communist rulers, the Islamic headscarf is making a comeback to the streets of post-war Bosnia, exposing deep ethnic divisions. AFP PHOTO ELVIS BARUKCIC
A veiled Bosnian Muslim woman (C) walks with two other young women in downtown Sarajevo, 17 May, 2007. After being banned for decades by Yugoslav communist rulers, the Islamic headscarf is making a comeback to the streets of post-war Bosnia, exposing deep ethnic divisions. AFP PHOTO ELVIS BARUKCIC
Bosnian Muslims pray during an early morning service on September 30, 2008, at central Mosque in western Bosnian town of Banja Luka, honoring the Islamic holiday Eid-Al-Fitr, which marks the end of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. Eid-Al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide. AFP PHOTO / MILAN RADULOVIC
Bosnian Muslims pray during an early morning service on September 30, 2008, at central Mosque in western Bosnian town of Banja Luka, honoring the Islamic holiday Eid-Al-Fitr, which marks the end of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. Eid-Al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide. AFP PHOTO / MILAN RADULOVIC
Muslim women listen to a religious lecture at Sarajevo Gazi-Husref Bey mosque after late evening prayers on September 15, 2009. The late night prayer traditionally marks the 27th night of the holy month of Ramadan when it is believed that the first verses of the Koran, Islam
Muslim women are pictured at Sarajevo Gazi-Husref Bey mosque during late evening prayers on September 15, 2009. The late night prayer traditionally marks the 27th night of the holy month of Ramadan when it is believed that the first verses of the Koran, Islam
Bosnian Muslim woman, Hatidza Mehmedovic (58) touches memorial wall with engraving of her son name (Mehmedovic Almir) at Srebrenica Memorial Cemetary in Potocari, on June 30, 2010, Hatidza son will be burried during mass burrial ceremony scheduled on July 11, 2010. Almir, 15 year of age, at the time, was killed during Srebrenica 1995 massacre by Bosnian Serb forces, and his body was found in a mass grave near Srebrenica. During mass burial ceremony Hatidza will burry remains of her husband and two sons. AFP PHOTO ELVIS BARUKCIC
Bosnian Muslim, Selver Zulcic, a survivor of the Sarajevo market shelling during the siege of Sarajevo 17 years ago, buys groceries on May 27, 2011 at the same place where the bloodshed occured in February 1994. The chief suspect for the death of 67 civillians in the massacre, Bosnian Serb wartime military leader Gen. Survivors of Sarajevo 44-month siege said on May 27 the arrest of Ratko Mladic, who allegedly masterminded the brutal campaign that reduced the thriving city to a medieval hell, was too little too late. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
Bosnian Muslim women negotiate a narrow pass between two rocks in village of Prusac, near the central Bosnian town of Donji Vakuf on Sunday, June 26, 2011, during the annual pilgrimage to Ajvatovica, the oldest Muslim sanctuary in Europe. Tens of thousands Muslims climb the mountain to pray at the site where, according to tradition, a miracle happened when a huge rock divided it in half after a Muslim man prayed for 40 days, in front of it. The pilgrimage, the biggest for Muslims in Europe, has a 501-years of tradition. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
Bosnian Muslim women pray during a late evening prayer at central Sarajevo Gazi-Husref Bey mosque, on August 26, 2011. Muslims marked the 27th night of Ramadan, considered to be the most important night during the holy month when Muslims fast in preparation for Eid-al Fitr, one of the most important Muslim holidays. Islam in Bosnia, repressed as all religions were during the Communist era between 1945 and 1990, enjoyed a vigourous comeback during the civil conflict of the 1990s, though today
Bosnian Muslim women gather during a late evening prayer at central Sarajevo Gazi-Husref Bey mosque, on August 26, 2011. Muslims marked the 27th night of Ramadan, considered to be the most important night during the holy month when Muslims fast in preparation for Eid-al Fitr, one of the most important Muslim holidays. Islam in Bosnia, repressed as all religions were during the Communist era between 1945 and 1990, enjoyed a vigourous comeback during the civil conflict of the 1990s, though today
Bosnian Muslim Sabit Burek (R) negotiates with a customer the sale of his sheep at an improvised market on the outskirts of Sarajevo, on November 5, 2011. Bosnian sheep famers regardless of their nationality came together at the improvised market in Dariva on the outskirts of Sarajevo hoping to sell sheep that will be sacrifised during the muslim Eid al-Adha festivals. Eid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice or Bairam as it is known in some non-Arab Muslim countries, is the feast that marks the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorates Abraham willingness to sacrifice his son to God. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
Bosnian Muslims perform the morning prayer in front of Gazi-Husref Bey mosque in Sarajevo on the first day of the Eid Al-Adha on November 6, 2011. Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, by sacrificial killings of livestock to commemorate a religious story of Abraham. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
A Bosnian man butchers meat of a slaughtered sheep on the first day of Eid al-Adha in the outskirts of Sarajevo on November 6, 2011. Muslims worldwide commemorate the Feast of the Sacrifice, marking the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia and commemorating Abraham willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God command. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
A Bosnian Muslim woman prays near the truck containing her relative remains among 66 caskets, during a farewell ceremony in the Central Bosnian town of Visoko, on May 25, 2012. Bodies were shipped by truck towards Visegrad in Eastern Bosnia to be buried during a mass burial ceremony on May 26. The bodies belong to Bosnian Muslims killed by Bosnian Serbs in 1992, at the beginning of Bosnia 1992-95 inter ethnic war. All of the 66 body remains were discovered during a forensic excavation, on the bottom of Perucac accumulation lake near Visegrad, in 2010. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
Bosnian Muslim women weep over remains of their relatives among 520 body caskets laid out in preparation for a mass burial ceremony at the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Cemetery in Potocari on July 11, 2012. Tens of thousands of people arrived in Potocari on July 11 to commemorate the 17th anniversary of the moment the UN-protected enclave fell to Bosnian Serb troops. The remains of 520 people will be buried alongside the 5,137 victims of the massacre already buried in the vast cemetery which faces the former UN army base. Some 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed in just a few days after the eastern town under UN protection was captured by Bosnian Serb forces 17 years ago. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
A Bosnian Muslim woman, survivor of the Srebrenica 1995 massacre mourns near body caskets of her relatives, at a memorial cemetery in the village of Potocarion near Srebrenica, on July 11, 2013. 409 newly identified bodies were be put to final rest. Bodies are identified as those belonging to Bosnian Muslim victims, of the offensive undertaken by Bosnian Serbs in July 1995 with the aim to occupy the earlier declared UN safe heaven area of Srebrenica and the surrounding villages. During the offensive more than 8000 Bosnian non-Serbs went missing to be found buried in mass graves, years after the war ended. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
Sheep are slaughtered at a market in the outskirts of Sarajevo on October 15, 2013 during the Eid al-Adha celebrations. Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, honors Ibrahim willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on the order of God. AFP PHOTO ELVIS BARUKCIC
Sheep are slaughtered and butchered at a meat market in the outskirts of Sarajevo on October 15, 2013 during the Eid al-Adha celebrations. Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, honors Ibrahim willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on the order of God. AFP PHOTO ELVIS BARUKCIC
Sheep are slaughtered and butchered at a meat market in the outskirts of Sarajevo on October 15, 2013 during the Eid al-Adha celebrations. Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, honors Ibrahim willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on the order of God. AFP PHOTO ELVIS BARUKCIC
A butcher cuts and distributes the meat after sheep were slaughtered at a market on the outskirts of Sarajevo on October 15, 2013 during the Eid al-Adha celebrations. Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, honors Ibrahim willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on the order of God. AFP PHOTO ELVIS BARUKCIC
Bosnian Muslims from the eastern-Bosnian town of Konjevic Polje camp with their children in front of the Office of the International High Representative, in Sarajevo, on October 15, 2013. Muslims set up signs to protest against the Bosnian Serb municipality as they feel that their children human rights are being violated in the elementary educational school system, and want the the Bosnian language in classes instead of Serbian. Signs (at left) reads we want our rights and at right We are Bosnian, we want Bosnian language. AFP PHOTO ELVIS BARUKCIC
A Bosnian Muslim boy looks on during the re-opening ceremony of the Gazi Husrev-bey library in Sarajevo, on January 15, 2014. Bosnia opened today a new library to house its ancient Islamic manuscripts, which were saved from destruction during the 1992-1995 war by residents who hid them in eight different locations. Sarajevo re-opened the 477-year old library, containing the largest collection of oriental books and manuscripts in South-Eastern Europe, after it was rebuilt with the financial help from Qatar. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
Bosnian Muslim women take cover from the rain under umbrellas during the re-opening ceremony of the Gazi Husrev-bey library in Sarajevo, on January 15, 2014. Bosnia opened today a new library to house its ancient Islamic manuscripts, which were saved from destruction during the 1992-1995 war by residents who hid them in eight different locations. Sarajevo re-opened the 477-year old library, containing the largest collection of oriental books and manuscripts in South-Eastern Europe, after it was rebuilt with the financial help from Qatar. AFP PHOTO/ELVIS BARUKCIC
A Bosnian Muslim woman, survivor of the Srebrenica 1995 massacre searches for names of her relatives among names of victims, engraved on a Memorial Wall at Srebrenica Memorial cemetery in Potocarion near Srebrenica, on July 10, 2014. 175 newly identified bodies are to be put to final rest on July 11. Bodies are identified as those belonging to Bosnian Muslim victims of the offensive undertaken by Bosnian Serbs in July 1995 with the aim to occupy the declared UN safe haven of Srebrenica and the surrounding villages. During the offensive more than 8,000 Bosnian non-Serbs went missing to be found buried in mass graves years after the war ended. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
A Bosnian Muslim woman, survivor of the Srebrenica 1995 massacre searches for names of her relatives among names of victims, engraved on a Memorial Wall at Srebrenica Memorial cemetery in Potocarion near Srebrenica, on July 10, 2014. 175 newly identified bodies are to be put to final rest on July 11. Bodies are identified as those belonging to Bosnian Muslim victims of the offensive undertaken by Bosnian Serbs in July 1995 with the aim to occupy the declared UN safe haven of Srebrenica and the surrounding villages. During the offensive more than 8,000 Bosnian non-Serbs went missing to be found buried in mass graves years after the war ended. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
A Bosnian Muslim woman, survivor of the 1992 massacre in the western-Bosnian town of Prijedor, cries by the caskets of her relatives in the village of Kozarac, on July 19, 2014. On July 20, 284 newly identified bodies will be put to final rest on several local cemeteries. The majority of the 284 bodies were excavated from a mass grave in the village of Tomasica in 2013 and identified as those belonging to Bosnian non-Serbs that went missing in 1992, only to be found burried in several mass grave locations, years after the war ended. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
Bosnian Muslim women, survivors of the 1992 massacre in the western-Bosnian town of Prijedor, cry and pray by the caskets of their relatives in the village of Kozarac, on July 19, 2014. On July 20, 284 newly identified bodies will be put to final rest on several local cemeteries. The majority of the 284 bodies were excavated from a mass grave in the village of Tomasica in 2013 and identified as those belonging to Bosnian non-Serbs that went missing in 1992, only to be found burried in several mass grave locations, years after the war ended. AFP PHOTO / ELVIS BARUKCIC
Elderly Bosnian Muslim woman is about to cast her vote at one of polling stations in Sarajevo center on October 12, 2014. Bosnia holds general elections against the backdrop of mounting social discontent as well as ethnic disputes and rampant corruption that are blocking its entry into the European Union. Nearly 20 years since a devastating war between its Croats, Muslims and Serbs the country is one of Europe
As such, Bosnian Muslims comprise the single largest religious group in Bosnia and Herzegovina (the other two large groups being Eastern Orthodox Christians (31%) and Roman Catholics (15%)) and form one and the same ethnoreligious community with Bosniaks in the neighboring Sandžak region of Serbia and Montenegro.
Other non-Bosniak minority groups of Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina include Albanians, Roma people and Turks.
