MATIČNE KNJIGE ZA MUSLIMANE U KRALJEVINI SRBA, HRVATA I SLOVENACA I KRALJEVINI JUGOSLAVIJI – NORMATIVNI OKVIR I PRIMJENA
CIVIL REGISTRY BOOKS FOR MUSLIMS IN THE KINGDOM OF SERBS, CROATS AND SLOVENES AND THE KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA – NORMATIVE FRAMEWORK AND IMPLEMENTATION

Summary/Abstract: The development and normative regulation of civil registry books for Muslims in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and later in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, raises numerous questions about how the state governed the personal status of its citizens of different religious affiliations. Special attention is given to the role of imams who, in addition to their primary religious duties, also assumed responsibility for maintaining these sensitive public records.Civil registers, which record key life events such as birth, marriage, and death, play an important role in the legal system and serve as an invaluable source for demographic, sociological, and cultural research. Their reliability, comprehensiveness, and durability make them a fundamental basis for understanding the structure and dynamics of a society. Within the context of state policy at the time, the responsibility for maintaining civil registry books for Muslims was entrusted to imam-registrars, who operated within the framework of the Islamic Community, under clear regulations issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.The paper illustrates how these regulations precisely defined the method of keeping records, the content of individual registries, the education and responsibility of imams, as well as oversight of their work. The core normative framework analyzed in detail consists of the key legal and by-law acts, especially the Decree and the Rulebook from 1928. These acts prescribed forms, data entry standards, specific terminology (including Arabic terms such as sidžilli viladet, kujudi-nikjah, ilmi-haber), deadlines, and penal provisions. The paper also examines the importance of the domovnica as a central household register, which enabled linking individual entries and tracking population movement.In essence, this study addresses the question of how the keeping of civil registry books for Muslims was normatively regulated in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and how these regulations were implemented in practice through the work of imam-registrars and the maintenance of records within local religious communities (džemats).The empirical section of the paper analyzes registry books from the Vareš and Budoželje communities for the period 1929–1946. These local records provide valuable insights into the demographic structure, family relationships, and daily life dynamics of the Muslim community in the region. During the observed period, a total of 2,474 births, 516 marriages, and 1,304 deaths were recorded. Particular attention is given to imam comments, causes of death (including wartime casualties), and notes on marital status and migrations. Entries were often made retroactively, indicating communication and administrative challenges of the era.The role of imam-registrars was multifaceted: they were not only record keepers but often the only witnesses to key life events of their congregants. In 1931, the Association of Imam-Registrars was established with the aim of protecting their rights, improving their material status, and strengthening their professional, educational, and social roles within the community.Through the analysis of legal provisions and local practices, the study demonstrates that civil registry books were not only administrative tools but also living records of the time. Behind each entry lies a family story, often marked by joy, sorrow, wartime hardships, and social upheavals. In this way, registry books become documents of identity - both individual and collective.This research contributes to the understanding of the relationship between the religious and state systems in maintaining public records, while also highlighting the importance of preserving these books as part of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s cultural and historical heritage. Furthermore, it opens space for new research at the intersection of law, religion, history, and social reality in a unique documentary form.

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