Музикални прояви в религиозната практика на турци сунити от Южна България

Author(s): Behrin Shopova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3/2021

This contribution explores the music performance during the reading of a barely known and insufficiently studied life of the Prophet Muhammad, İpsala'lı Ebu'l-Hayr Mevlidi, better known as Mustafa Mevlidi. That life is used in the Mevlid rituals in the region of Krumovgrad and in some villages near the town of Haskovo. In order to present in fullness the specific local characteristics of the music connected to religious practice in the studied region, the author describes in detail the peculiarities of the music in the cami practice. The main characteristics of the ritual are delineated: its structure, the occasions on which it takes place, and the way of performing it. In the course of analysis of the musical material, which has been recorded in the region of Krumovgrad, the author also adds musical examples from the Mevlid ritual among Sunni Turks from other parts of Bulgaria. The main fieldwork material utilized in the study has been personally collected by the author between 2010 and 2021.

МУСЛИМАНСКО СТАНОВНИШТВО БЕОГРАДА У 18. ВЕКУ

Author(s): Miroslav Pavlović,Ognjen Ž. Krešić / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 3/2019

The Age of ayans, a name often given to the 18th century period of the history of the European part of the Ottoman Empire, is a period of decentralization and deterioration of the military system inherited from the classical period. Development of Belgrade in this age was marked by the Austrian rule between 1718 and 1739, when the oriental outlook of the city was lost. After the reincorporation of the Sancak of Semendire into the Ottoman Empire, the orientalization of Belgrade became one of the prerequisites for the functioning of the city life. The rebuilding of the city took up most of the second half of the century, and it encompassed the reconstruction both of military fortifications, and of the religious endowments, communal buildings and private houses. The political and social changes left their mark on the population of Belgrade. Organization of local administration attracted various jobless and landless adventures to become part of the city garrison in the fortress and to enter the service of Belgrade’s viziers. An important source of new population were sipahis and janissaries, members of military orders that lost much of their military function, who came to the city seeking opportunities for additional income. Some of them opened taverns or worked as artisans, and others got involved into tax farming (iltizam system). Representatives of powerful merchant families of Rumeli and Istanbul moved there in order to enmesh themselves into the profitable mercantile network of Balkan merchants (Greeks, Armenians, Serbs, Jews, etc.) on the main route from Thessaloniki to Belgrade and further to the Habsburg Monarchy. The basic official sources from the 18th century – tax registers (defter-i hakani, tapu tahrir defteri), attest that more than 2000 adult Muslim men lived in the city in 1741. It is supposed that the population steadily increased until the end of the century. This period also saw the ever greater divisions between different social groups and a start of proto-political conflicts and organized opposition to the ruling structures. The 18th-century Belgrade was by the dynamics of its development a place of contact between two empires. It was an oriental town that was undergoing quick and substantial changes and at the same time it acquired foundations for the future modernization. Belgrade remained a predominantly Muslim town until the incursion of the troops of Osman Pazvanoğlu that gave an impetus to the organization of an uprising by the local Serbian population. These events started a fundamental change of the character of the city in the 19th century.

Мюсюлманите в Западна Европа след Втората световна война до началото на ХХI век

Author(s): Dimitar Petkov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2017

The Migration of Muslims to Western Europe attains significance after the World War II, because in this part of the old continent workers are badly needed for the development of industries of Western European countries. After 1945 till the beginning of XXI century there were five waves of Migration of Muslims to Western Europe. Although the politics of Western countries has some peculiarities towards the Muslims, the end results of this policy builds up parallel communities within the societies of these countries. These parallel communities hinder the integration of Muslims. At the religion the Muslims find a rallying point and the religion serves as a base for creation of Identity. Gradually the Muslims become a political factor because their number increased constantly. On surface arise the question about the integration or disintegration of Muslims. This question is at the center of the political or scientific discussion.

НАКШБАНДИЙСКИЙ ШЕЙХ ВОЛГО-УРАЛЬСКОГО РЕГИОНА М.-З. КАМАЛОВ И ЕГО СОЧИНЕНИЕ «ТАБСИРАТ АЛ-МУРШИДИН…»

Author(s): Alsu Khasavnekh / Language(s): Russian Issue: 3 (2)/2013

The article summarizes the biographical information about the Tatar sheikh of the Naqshbandi tariqah Muhammad Zakir al-Chistavi, the source of which were the Arabic-language manuscripts from the archival funds of Dagestan. We give an overview M.-Z. Kamalov’s composition “Tabsirat al-murshidin…”, which considers in detail the issues of ethics and ritual practices of the Sufis of the Khalidiya branch of the Naqshbandi tariqah. We also highlight strong centuries-old historical, cultural and religious connections between the Volga-Ural Region and the Northern Caucasus.

Неортодоксалният ислям в българските земи. Минало и съвременност

Author(s): Nevena Gramatikova / Language(s): English,Bulgarian

This book is among the few deep analysis on Islam in the Bulgarian lands, written by a Bulgarian author. The analysis covers the origin of Islam in the Bulgarian lands, it's spreading there and its relation to cult objects according to the Life of Demir Baba and Otman Baba. Studies, like this one, are very important for the polemic and uncertain times we live in, because they can help us understand better the culture of part of the population of our countries. We are witnessing conflicts on ethnic basis, caused by misunderstanding or disinformation on processes that were being formed for centuries. Understanding this culture is important not only to ourselves but to the person standing next to us, for respecting each other, despite of the religious differences. In this book the author made serious attempt to give an answer to a polemic academic topics related to the Alevi(Alevism), like their origin, their destiny and the parallels of their historical and cultural memory in the present.

НИКИТА ХОНИАТ СРЕЩУ МАНУИЛ I КОМНИН: ПОЛЕМИКА, СВЪРЗАНА С ИСЛЯМА, В КОНТЕКСТА НА ВИЗАНТИЙСКАТА ТРАДИЦИЯ

Author(s): Dimitar Yordanov Dimitrov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2016

Byzantine society had very complex relations with the Islamic Eastern neighbors. Islam, to be sure, started and continued to be menace for Byzantium for the all long eighth centuries they used to coexist. However, Byzantine society needed a certain period of time to accept Islam as another religion, standing against Christianity in the East. After the first Byzantine revenge acts against Judaism a long tradition was formed with two main streams. The first of them envisaged Islam as a demoniac pseudo-religion (or anti-religion), the second being milder and ready to accept the Islamic neighbors not as a whole, but rather as different states, culturally not so different from Byzantium, with diplomacy playing role for keeping balance in the East. Thus, the Byzantine Real politik appeared as a phenomenon, what provoked crusaders to accuse Byzantium as being traitor to the Christian cause in the East. In that context should we pose the interesting incident at the end of Manuel I Komnenos’ reign (1143 – 1180). Both Church and society were provoked by the decision of the Emperor to lift up the anathemas against Allah from the trivial ritual of denouncing Islam. This formula was used generally by Muslims who converted to Christianity for whatever reason. Manuel sent twice tomoi for approval, provoking no less than an angry reaction in the Church and society. Thus, two main concepts made a stand against each other, a more traditional one and another, more practical, political, if not to say tolerant. For Manuel and his followers, who were not missing, as we know from Choniates, the doctrine of Muhammadwas just a deviation, untrue enough, of the unified Biblical tradition implying, anyhow, the existence of one and only God, Creator of the world. His opponents, Choniates being definitely among them, refused even to listen to such an interpretation. This radically harsh view on Islam corresponded with the anathemas against Islam in Choniates’ Treasure of Orthodoxy. Although in that particular case Choniates took side with the traditional opposition against the Emperor, in his History he used to be more delicate observer of Muslims, especially when comparing them with the Latins who became “champions” of his wrath.

ОБРАЩЕНИЕ К ИДЕЯМ ИБН ТАЙМИЙИ В НОВОЕ И НОВЕЙШЕЕ ВРЕМЯ

Author(s): Anna Igorevna Matochkina / Language(s): Russian Issue: 3 (2)/2013

The article provides a summary of the ideas of a medieval Muslim theologist, Ibn Taymiyyah, and studies the history of addressing his ideas and the reasons for their popularity. To a large extent the teaching of Ibn Taymiyyah became widely known because of his influence on the formation of the Wahhabi movement. The popularity of Ibn Taymiyyah’s ideas in Early Modern and Contemporary History suggests timelessness of the issues considered by the theologist and the increasing role of religion in transition periods in the history of the Muslim community.

Османско наслеђе: стратегије, топоси и актери

Author(s): Marija Mandić / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 1/2021

In the first part of the introductory text, I present a theoretical framework that places the attitude towards the Ottoman heritage in a broader socio-cultural context. I distinguish between the two basic strategies in relation to the Ottoman heritage in the Balkan modern societies, and they are: de-Ottomanization (neglecting of Ottoman influences) and internalization. Furthermore, I point out that both strategies were created under the direct influence of the discursive practice of Orientalism, with which they share rhetoric and internal logic. Furthermore, I show, based on several examples of linguistic and cultural practices, how both strategies have been implemented in Serbia. In the second part, I present the papers in this thematic issue and identify the topics presented in it, namely: interreligious dialogue, negotiation of ethnic and religious affiliation in everyday life, religious conversion, inherited institutions of the Ottoman society and attitude towards them, (re)presentation of historical figures and events in literary narratives, Muslim religious organizations in the past and present. The thematic issue aims to contribute to academic dialogue in domestic and international context, in which strategies, topoi and actors related to the Ottoman heritage, Muslims and Islam are very current.

От танцa Сема до съдбовната среща между Руми и дервиша Шамс по пътя на Любовта

Author(s): Vyara Popova / Language(s): English,Bulgarian Issue: 1/2020

The text offers a formal and meaningful analysis of the ritual dance-prayer Sema; on this basis, the author: 1) briefly presents Sufism as a specific mystical movement in Islam, and 2) introduces expository concepts and terminology specific to Sufism. The text proceeds from the premise that Sema is a visual demonstration of Rumi's ideas, expressed in his poetry, regarding the Path, Love, and the Beloved as symbols of the relation of the human being (as created) to the Creator. Thus, the dance Sema becomes a visual-figurative cipher for the adequate reading and understanding of Rumi's mystical poetry.

Отново за Абу Хамид ал-Газали (поч. 1111), класификацията на науките и мюсюлманското религиозно образование

Author(s): Atanas Shinikov / Language(s): Bulgarian,Arabic Issue: 21/2015

Predilections for classification of sciences in Muslim civilization tend to be seen as rooted in the classical antiquity heritage, as Franz Rosenthal goes. Yet the Sunni mainstream produced classifications significantly differing from the Greek antiquity ones, such as the one of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (d. 1111) in his influential ―Revival of Religious Sciences‖ (Ihyā’ ‘ulūm al-dīn). Proceeding out of a Muslim concept of knowledge (‘ilm), as differing from the Greek ἐπιστήμη, each of the ―branches of knowledge‖ (‘ulūm) acquires value according to its ability to lead Muslims to the rewards of the afterlife (ākhira). The primary division outlines two large categories: duties incumbent upon individual Muslims (farḍ ‘ayn), and ―collective duties‖ (farḍ kifāya) upon the Muslim community. Al-Ghazali does not build a comprehensive framework of sciences, as some indicative and value charged disproportions are observed: sciences like mathematics and medicine find little place. ―Speculative theology‖ (kalām) and philosophy (falsafa) are subordinate, with philosophy not given a status of a separate ―science‖. Among the highest of sciences formally stands the ―science of the unveiling‖ (mukāshafa) and the esoteric (bāṭin), described in terms reminding of the Sufi tradition. Yet what emerges as immediate importance for this world (dunyā), as means for preparation for the afterlife, is Muslim law (fiqh) which has for its subject the external (ẓāhir) dimensions of the life of the umma that can be observed and regulated. Thus we cannot say that the purpose of this classification is the provision of the educational field with a ready-made curriculum. Yet, on the basis of the text of the Ihyā’ we can infer that it provided a framework for a Sunni value positioning of the subjects that could outline the focus areas within the Sunni educational institutions of the Abbasid 11th century, with fiqh occupying a pivotal role.

По въпроса за дефинирането на салафизма и неговите разновидности

Author(s): Simeon Evstatiev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3-4/2017

The study introduces a definition of Salafism from the perspective of Islamic intellectual history by analyzing specific ideas, cases, processes and entanglements in Muslim theology and jurisprudence. The essay considers the ongoing scholarly debates within Middle Eastern and Islamic studies by simultaneously scrutinizing Arabic-Islamic sources to delineate a set of key relevant Muslim theological and legal debates. The analysis tackles some major issues of the typology and classification of the Salafī movement. Thus, the issue of the enigmatic and ambivalent character of the term Salafism is touched upon insofar as the concept is still applied in a too vague manner to some modernist reformers from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century as well as to the markedly different contemporary Salafī movement encompassing a wide range of individuals and groups, including political formations like the Nūr Party in Egypt or jihadist groups, such as the Islamic State (IS). In so doing, the analysis also re-examines some conceptualizations of Islam, and particularly Salafism, within Western social thought.

ПОЛИТИЧКИ ЖИВОТ У БОСАНСКОМ ЕЈАЛЕТУ (1815–1822) – СРПСКО И АУСТРИЈСКО ТУМАЧЕЊЕ

Author(s): Bratislav Teinović / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 69/2020

The paper, which largely relies on the reports of Austrian consul in Travnik baron Simbshen, outlines the political life in the Bosnia Eyalet over the seven-year period of viziership of Ali Pasha Darendeli, Hurshid Ahmed Pasha, Suleiman Pasha of Uskoplje, Morali Becir Pasha, Dervish Mustafa Pasha Makranedzi, Mehmed Rushdi Pasha and Ali Dzhelaluddin Pasha. The consulted archival material from the Archive of Serbia in Belgrade helped gain a deeper insight into the political relations between Bosnian viziers with the controversial Serbian prince Miloš.

ПОЛОЖАЈ ХРИШЋАНСКЕ РАЈЕ ПОД ОСМАНСКОМ ВЛАШЋУ

Author(s): Milena Žikić / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 35/2021

By studying the position of the Christian people under Ottoman rule, we wanted to give as complete an insight as possible into their position, as well as their role in the Ottoman Empire. It is clear that the expansion of the Ottoman Empire caused a change in the way of life, as well as the status of the population. The Serbs found themselves in such a huge and strong Empire, who, after the extinction of the last hope for a free life, faced numerous troubles and fiscal obligations. It is often pointed out that the Ottomans, skillfully using their maxim to rule the conquered area for as long as possible, managed to extract the maximum tax from the conquered Christian people and cut it as realistically as possible. Four groups of taxes speak about the obligations of the people towards the Ottoman state: ordinary monetary obligation, agricultural-production obligation; free and extraordinary obligation, to which this work is dedicated.

Прелазак на ислам становништва Горе и Опоља, према османским катастарским пописима

Author(s): Tatjana Katić / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 1/2021

The Islamisation of the population of two neighbouring regions south of Prizren, Gora and Opolje, occurred in varying degrees during the centuries-long rule of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans. In Gora, inhabited by the Slavic population, it was extremely slow, while in Opolje, inhabited by the Albanians, it was incomparably more intensive. This paper aims to elucidate, based on the analysis of the Ottoman 15th and 16th century cadastral registers, the factors that affected the rate of conversion to Islam among the inhabitants of these two former Serbian medieval counties (župas), later Ottoman nahiyes. Among the most important are the highly developed church organisation in the region of Gora on the one hand, and on the other hand, the proximity of Prizren, the military and administrative centre of the Prizren Sanjak in which high ranking officials of Opolje origin operated.

Принос към изследванията на салафизма

Симеон Евстатиев. Салафизмът в Близкия изток и границите на вярата . София, Изток-Запад, 2018. 638 с.

Author(s): Yordan Peev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2/2018

Book Review

ПРОБЛЕМА КУЛЬТУРЫ КРЫМСКОГО ХАНСТВА В СОВРЕМЕННОМ ГУМАНИТАРНОМ НАУЧНОМ ДИСКУРСЕ

Author(s): Meryem Idrisova / Language(s): Russian Issue: 2/2016

The research studies the problem of culture of the Crimean Khanate of XIV-XVI centuries in modern humanitarian scientific discourse. The author reviews literary sources published by various researchers in XVII-XXI centuries. The purpose of the research is to study the sources and to identify different points of view in modern humanitarian discourse, the most appropriate for the analysis of the Crimean culture. The author uses historiographic and comparative methods, which enables to analyze modern cultural methodology of Crimean Khanate study, in particular with the help of interval culture study method, which represents the explication of its culture through intervals. The basis of the research of the interval culture explication of the Crimean Tatar culture in the era of the Crimean Khanate is interdisciplinary correlative integral approach, which combines historical-cultural, general historical, philosophical and art criticism analysis. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that the author proves the necessity to use postmodern methods in modern cultural dis-course, because it promotes deeper multi aspect and many-sided study of the Crimean Khanate as a separate and specific type of culture. Conclusion. The problem of culture of the Crimean Khanate attracted attention of researchers in the sphere of history, art criticism, art history and linguistics many times. It makes most sense to systematize the existed works, in particular by using postmodern methods of the Crimean culture study with the purpose of its future development and objective acceptance by the world community.

Прослава ислaмских празника у верској пракси Бошњака у Новом Пазару – етно-антрополошки контекст

Author(s): Nina Aksić / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 3/2020

The paper presents the celebration of religious holidays in the Bosniak community on the territory of Novi Pazar, by giving an insight into their meanings, as well as by giving a brief presentation of the celebrations primarily from the period of socialism, up to the present days. Research on the celebrations of religious holidays in the region of Novi Pazar is based on utterances of interlocutors from this area, then on archival material and literature dealing with this subject. The aim of this paper is to present the genesis of religious holidays in the Bosniak community in Novi Pazar, viewed in the context of understanding the relationship between secular laws and religious issues, and to analyze changes in the ways they are celebrated over the past decades.

Проф. дин Любомир Миков на 70 години

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2017

Anniversary

Пътепис

Author(s): Evliya Çelebi / Language(s): Bulgarian

Evliya Celebi was an enlightened man in a variety of ways who believed in equality, freedom of thought and intellectual debate, and found all of these things present in Islamic societies. Over the course of his travels, he wrote ten volumes detailing his adventures. ‘Seyahatname’ – Book of Travels – is a unique and important text, representing one of the few accounts of the 17th century and the Ottoman world from the perspective of a Muslim. These are not just factual accounts, Evliya had a great imagination and just as important as his journal entries were the imaginative storytelling that ran alongside, elaborating, exaggerating, and fantasizing. Through his stories, we are prompted to think more imaginatively about our own travels and journeys to other cities. This 17th-century Muslim traveler can sometimes seem narrow-minded and yet this same man can stand in St Stephens Cathedral in Vienna and be moved by the music he hears. Sometimes these encounters lead to nothing but sometimes they lead to stories which are so deeply felt, and so universally melodic that they leave echoes which can still be heard and felt today. In 2011, the year which would have been his 400th birthday, Evliya is being paid homage as UNESCO’s Man of the Year.

РАЗВИТИЕ ГЕОКАРТОГРАФИЧЕСКИХ ИДЕЙ ПТОЛЕМЕЯ В СРЕДНЕВЕКОВОЙ ИСЛАМСКОЙ ГЕОГРАФИИ

Author(s): Irina Genadijevna Konovalova / Language(s): Russian Issue: 2/2016

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of perception and the development of scientific ideas in a particular society. This problem is considered on the example of geocartographical ideas of Ptolemy, formed in the late Hellenistic period, in the Middle Ages experienced a rebirth in the context of a completely different cultural traditions, namely in the Islamic society, and then in the early Modern period continued to develop in different historical conditions — in Europe. The article shows that in the Islamic world two directions of the perception of Ptolemaic ideas have been formed. The first one can be called a proper continuity, which provided the development of scientific ideas as such; the results achieved by the scientists of the Caliphate in this direction have become known to the world science and subsequently received further development in the works of European cartographers. At the same time the development of another direction, that adapted the Ptolemaic ideas to the needs of the educated classes of the Islamic society, can be traced; results of these activities, which facilitated the absorption of scientific tradition in terms of the Islamic culture, has not gone beyond the Islamic cultural circle.