Turkey’s Influence on Bosnian Islam: Neo-Ottomanism Meets Post-Communism

Is Turkey returning to the Balkans, or did it never leave the region even after the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the first quarter of the twentieth century? When it comes to foreign influence in the Balkans, no other country has received quite the attention and scrutiny that Turkey has. This short documentary film, produced by journalist and scholar Harun Karčić, analyses relations between Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina since the breakup of Yugoslavia and during the turbulent war years, focusing on their evolution in the post-civil war period with the rise of the AK Party in Ankara. Particular attention is paid to the ways in which Turkey has used Islam to project its soft power influence among Balkan Muslims.
To learn more about Turkish influence on Islam in Bosnia, check out these related resources:
“From Myth to Reality: How to Understand Turkey’s Role in the Western Balkans”
Asli Aydıntaşbaş
European Council on Foreign Relations, London, 2019
ecfr.eu/publication/from_myth...
“Turkey’s Role in the Western Balkans”
Alida Vračić
German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Berlin, 2016
www.swp-berlin.org/publicatio...
“Turkey’s Balkan Policy and Its Skeptics”
Mehmet Uğur Ekinci
Insight Turkey, Ankara, 2019
www.insightturkey.com/file/11...
Watch other documentaries on religious soft power in Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Iranian Soft Power and Religion in Bosnia: A Diplomacy of Shared Oppression
• Iranian Soft Power and...
Islam in Bosnia After Communism: The Saudi Connection
• Islam in Bosnia After ...
To learn more about the activities of the Geopolitics of Religious Soft Power project, visit bit.ly/ReligiousSoftPower
This video is made possible by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The statements made and views expressed in this video are solely the responsibility of the authors and interviewees.

[@cheksikkikoyyama5454]

We love Bosnians and we are ready to die for Bosnian freedom. Bosnia will freedom forever.

[@Miodrag.Vukomanovic]

Constantinople will be ours again, and you will pay for what you did to my people.

[@VigilantGuardian6750]

respect

[@jimmystewart3826]

I just wanna say big respect ❤-like both country Turkiye-Bosnia Herzegovine country n turkiye-bosnian people , long live rep of turkie n rep of bosnia herzegovina , Bravo turkiye n bosnia

[@kirksdva8310]

Bosnian is not Turkish ,. Ocupattor Ottoman impire During Ottoman Empire Turks taking smol kids from Cristian perent and goes to Turkey education in Islam and making soldiers from kids called janjicar .One of dem is Otman PASA Sokolovic . Pressure Cristian people by Tax Colled Harac .And people forsed to take Islam to survive.

[@medinabecic2873]

​@@kirksdva8310😂 Was macht Christen schon mal daran gedacht

[@rokiikor9270]

TURKIYE=BOSNIA=TURKIYE..No Nation loves TURKIYE more than BOSNIANS🇧🇦🇹🇷🇧🇦🇹🇷🇧🇦🇹🇷Always brothers OTTOMAN brothers

[@user-bx2ku3ic4k]

🇹🇷♥️🇧🇦

[@TheTurk0015]

Thank you

[@mapache69.]

Never understood why The Russians and Turks didn’t trade colonies. Russia should of ruled the Slavs, while the Turks ruled the Turkic People in Central asia

[@zahirhussain5913]

"The Ottamans set such a good example as pacific conquerors that they won the confidence of many former Byzantine subjects . For example , when Nicaea fell , Orhan allowed all who wanted to leave the city to depart freely , taking with them their holy relics , but few availed themselves of the chance . No reprisals were taken against those who had resisted , and the city was left to manage its internal affairs under its own municipal government . BOOK : Encyclopaedia of the Ottoman Empire . AUTHOR : Gabor Agoston and Bruce Masters . Edition : 2009 page -109 . Pl spread this peace message to those who hate turkey

[@Tricoma81]

Ottomans pacific conquerors...!!???? 😳😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Jajajajjjjjjjjjj

[@Syfonen]

Lies. They were brutal rapists and killers.

[@zahirhussain5913]

@@Syfonen never. I have given Christian authors Evidence.i surprised that Few true and good authors are in Christian society especially in white world.

[@mariocroatia9321]

LOL

[@mariocroatia9321]

@@Tricoma81 Its Tuskish nationalist propaganda... In 10 years from now they'll be saying the Balkans attacked the Ottomans to justify new invasion

[@TheGercek53]

Im Bosnian my self, every nation does this they fixes churches or mosques or old building lol

[@turulszervac1714]

Good to see Ottoman style Islam still survives in Bosnia

[@ssk9702]

Ottoman sultans are BOSNIAN ☝️😎🇧🇦

[@denizaran]

Indeed Bosniaks were part of the empire. They are still part of Turkey and part of our culture. We love them and their influence.

[@alenhuseinbasic899]

@@denizaran kanim kardesim, im bosnian, visiting istanbul in two weeks inshallah

[@denizaran]

@@alenhuseinbasic899 dobro dosli brate! I'm sure you will like it. I visited Sarajevo, Mostar and Neum 3 years ago and loved it. We're not tourists when we visit each others' countries. Which city are you from?

[@alenhuseinbasic899]

@@denizaran Im from Mostar brother! Glad you enjoyed it alhamdulillah. I hope you will return and I'm looking forward to see more of Istanbul.

[@denizaran]

@@alenhuseinbasic899 do you use insta?

[@haristhebosniaklion8584]

Yeah, it is very heroic what was done to Muslims in Bosnia,Iraq,Afghanistan ,Palestine,Syria, it takes such courage to bully people and nations who can’t fight back right ( Disgusting ) ,even tho I was rejected a lot and called ugly when it’s not my fault ( Poor Me ) I still feel bad for our Bosniak women and young girls during the aggression, ( YOU KNOW ) and nope ,I don’t hate on Serbian and American women/girls.❤️❤️. Justice and Peace for Muslims!!!!!☝️.I want GOOD to WIN over EVIL!!!!!!!!!!✌️

[@syedrafi2258]

They will always be like this whenever they will be given chance they will do worse than it so never forgive and never forget and beware and protect your women

[@zahirhussain5913]

To Turkish my brothers , please request ur government to conduct function, celebration for restoring orthodox patriarchate in constantinnople by Mehmet - 2 in 1453 AD DECEMBER. This will make u and ur neighbours with prosperous. Because u r living side by side with orthodox people. The enemies from western world will be defeated.

[@haristhebosniaklion8584]

Yeah, it is very heroic what was done to Muslims in Bosnia,Iraq,Afghanistan ,Palestine,Syria, it takes such courage to bully people and nations who can’t fight back right ( Disgusting ) ,even tho I was rejected a lot and called ugly when it’s not my fault ( Poor Me ) I still feel bad for our Bosniak women and young girls during the aggression, ( YOU KNOW ) and nope ,I don’t hate on Serbian and American women/girls.❤️❤️. Justice and Peace for Muslims!!!!!☝️.I want GOOD to WIN over EVIL!!!!!!!!!!✌️

[@syedrafi2258]

Whole Europe is for them to make churches

[@Zarghaam12]

We love humanity and would die for human freedom!

[@Canadianpatriot2024]

Allah akbar. Great that turkiye is back.

[@zahirhussain5913]

( i ). " The main reason for Ottaman success , however , was the development of stable and permanent institutions of government that transformed a tribal polity into a workable state ". ( ii ) " The Ottamans utilized all human resources in their emirate and quickly learned skills in bureaucracy and diplomacy ........ They also did not slaughter every Christian in their path ; rather , they encouraged the Christian inhabitants of the countryside and the towns to join them . Islamic law and tradition declared that enemies who surrendered on demand should be treated with tolerance . ( iii ). " The Christians of Bithynia were obliged to pay the ' harac ' , or capitation tax , for the privilege of being tolerated , but this was no more burdensome than the taxes they had paid to the Byzantine government , which had neglected their interests . Once they had made the decision to surrender or defect , the Byzantine population resigned to their fate ". " Some Christians converted to Islam upon joining the Ottamans ; however, this was not demanded . Many local Christians even participated in Ottaman raids against Byzantium ". BOOK : Encyclopaedia of the Ottoman Empire . AUTHOR : Gabor Agoston and Bruce Masters . Edition : 2009 page -109 . "Existing sources , such as the 25th century Ottoman census records , suggest that the earliest converts to Islam in the Balkans came from the ranks of the Balkan nobility and military elite that could supply the Ottomans with the manpower ............. BOOK : Encyclopaedia of the Ottoman Empire . AUTHOR : Gabor Agoston and Bruce Masters . Edition : 2009 page -146 . This is the reason for success in Balkan europe. So pl don't hate turkey. Be respectful

[@dollynina8992]

3:20 I'm a Bosnian muslim and we were not oppressed by a communist state because we weren't even a communist state first of all. I can't speak for other religions, but Bosnian muslims lived pretty well in Yugoslavia.

[@topmultichann6666]

as a Bosnian I dont agree and honestly I am suspicious on that "I'm a Bosnian Muslim" that you said, just for you to know Muslims were oppresed and if u had Muslim name you would hardly progress in life(uzmi Olovo na primjer) so Muslims often gave their kids non Muslim names...

[@dollynina8992]

@@topmultichann6666 de molim te, još gore je sad situacija nego kako je ikad bilo u Jugoslaviji. Moj dajđa prije nek sto poginuo u ratu je bio član socialisticka partija i prilićno uspješan čovjek u životu al se zvao Muhamed. Drugi muslimani su dali sprsko-hrvatsko imena jer su imali kompleks ispred srba i hrvata, bili su nekako stidljivi, i bi jeli svinjetino il' pili alkohol da se dokazuju sebe. Nije to bilo zbog ugnjetavanja od strane države, nego smo sami sebi ponižavljali.

[@tore705]

Beautiful mosques. Beautiful country.

[@mateivancic7369]

Greets from the croats to the ottoman empire. We have a nice history together.😂

[@medinabecic2873]

Bračo Muslimansko 💚 💚 💚 💚

[@bosanskenaufalevic7370]

There's no neo-ottomanism in Bosnia

[@jivanselbi3657]

the sufferings and the agony of Balkan Muslims felt deeply by all the Muslim world and the Turks in particular, because the only reason for their sufferings simply because they are Muslims, wether they practice Islam or secular..

[@syedrafi2258]

But Turks are secular as hell and think about individualism ,good to know that there there is a sense of Muslim brotherhood in them for bosnians

[@jivanselbi3657]

@@syedrafi2258 not only Bosnians, Albanians, generally Balkan muslims, you could say all Turks love Pakistan ..African muslims.. unfortunately I could not say the same for Arabs..though all the sensible practicing muslims among the Turks respect them, the negative propaganda used the first world war and some Arab tribes betrayel of the Ottoman army as pretext .. but things are changing اخس سيد رافع لا تحكم على الكل بسبب البعض

[@nergnera5205]

Sons of Fatih are single Nation...

[@ugur4511]

Christianity is not a European religion in origin. In fact, the Romans fought Christians for a long time. The religion of the southern part of Europe was a pagan religion of Greek origin. There was a different pagan understanding in the north, that is, in the lands where the Romans were less influential. At the end of the Roman period, there was a transition from paganism to Christianity. The people in the north later converted to Christianity.

[@mariocroatia9321]

If Turkey decides to come back to the Balkans.... All the people of the Balkans will rise up to fight them.

[@zahirhussain5913]

( i ). " The main reason for Ottaman success , however , was the development of stable and permanent institutions of government that transformed a tribal polity into a workable state ". ( ii ) " The Ottamans utilized all human resources in their emirate and quickly learned skills in bureaucracy and diplomacy ........ They also did not slaughter every Christian in their path ; rather , they encouraged the Christian inhabitants of the countryside and the towns to join them . Islamic law and tradition declared that enemies who surrendered on demand should be treated with tolerance . ( iii ). " The Christians of Bithynia were obliged to pay the ' harac ' , or capitation tax , for the privilege of being tolerated , but this was no more burdensome than the taxes they had paid to the Byzantine government , which had neglected their interests . Once they had made the decision to surrender or defect , the Byzantine population resigned to their fate ". " Some Christians converted to Islam upon joining the Ottamans ; however, this was not demanded . Many local Christians even participated in Ottaman raids against Byzantium ". BOOK : Encyclopaedia of the Ottoman Empire . AUTHOR : Gabor Agoston and Bruce Masters . Edition : 2009 page -109 . "Existing sources , such as the 25th century Ottoman census records , suggest that the earliest converts to Islam in the Balkans came from the ranks of the Balkan nobility and military elite that could supply the Ottomans with the manpower ............. BOOK : Encyclopaedia of the Ottoman Empire . AUTHOR : Gabor Agoston and Bruce Masters . Edition : 2009 page -146 . This is the reason for success in Balkan europe. So pl don't hate turkey. Be respectful

[@zahirhussain5913]

Why do rise up to fight turkey ? "The Ottamans set such a good example as pacific conquerors that they won the confidence of many former Byzantine subjects . For example , when Nicaea fell , Orhan allowed all who wanted to leave the city to depart freely , taking with them their holy relics , but few availed themselves of the chance . No reprisals were taken against those who had resisted , and the city was left to manage its internal affairs under its own municipal government . BOOK : Encyclopaedia of the Ottoman Empire . AUTHOR : Gabor Agoston and Bruce Masters . Edition : 2009 page -109 . Pl spread this peace message to those who hate turkey

[@denizaran]

It's not gonna happen

[@mariocroatia9321]

@@zahirhussain5913 that's crap. why would ex colonies rise up against the colonisers?

[@mariocroatia9321]

@B B Maybe not you but Turkish nationalists do... And there are many of them

[@allysoobratty7565]

Long Live the OTTOMAN EMPIRE ❤❤❤

[@ihanakaunotar2741]

The empire has collapsed already years ago…what are you on?

[@kirksdva8310]

Stupid

[@hanadyare4735]

Whith out islam you know what happed serbs never ever left the religios a side

[@northernstar4811]

"Is Turkey returning to the Balkans" Its been 500 years of trouble making in Bosnia and the wider Balkans.

[@tanjagak2097]

No Turkey in not returning to the Balkans, now is coming to you part of Europe, Germany, Austria is full of them , you have it more Turkish people then Balkans during ottoman era

[@ihanakaunotar2741]

True, turkey kept attacking south Europe for several centuries and basically created the crusades 😂

[@CityCobra86]

🇹🇷💪🐺 Turks are overall Türkiye is the Ottoman Empire Capital Country and Istanbul was the Capital City of Ottoman Empire.All the Weapons and Clothes from Sultans are in 🇹🇷 Museum and all the Graves of Ottoman Sultans are in Türkiye.🇹🇷💪🐺☝️☪️

[@aldredtawasil9339]

Balkan ottoman ...

[@tanjagak2097]

Turkish go back to Tatarstan that is where you belong

[@kimimiey2206]

Ottoman empire come back

[@haristhebosniaklion8584]

Yeah, it is very heroic what was done to Muslims in Bosnia,Iraq,Afghanistan ,Palestine,Syria, it takes such courage to bully people and nations who can’t fight back right ( Disgusting ) ,even tho I was rejected a lot and called ugly when it’s not my fault ( Poor Me ) I still feel bad for our Bosniak women and young girls during the aggression, ( YOU KNOW ) and nope ,I don’t hate on Serbian and American women/girls.❤️❤️. Justice and Peace for Muslims!!!!!☝️.I want GOOD to WIN over EVIL!!!!!!!!!!✌️

[@kirksdva8310]

Haaaaa but this time is different . No more

[@navylaks2]

This is why Türkey must never be allowed inside the EU or Europe in general, Bosnians must accept they live in secular Europe.

[@MrBreastOfficial]

wtf are you talking about?!

[@abdullahsaif2065]

Ridiculous comment

[@Tan_15115]

Turks has more freedom than some of that eu lmfao . 1850s they was even gave sexual rights + 1920 women election

[@ib368]

I totally agree with you, navylaks2. I am a Bosnian myself and I believe religious extremism is at the heart of this issue. All three religious groups in Bosnia want to show off their pious prestige by not only rebuilding already destroyed religious sites but also building many more. The country does not have the funding to restore, let say, old medieval castles or protect medieval tombstones from being literally swallowed by the earth. Somehow, however, money seems to be falling from the sky whenever a new mosque or church is being built. It is all about the constant “our God is greater” rhetoric, which is also backed by Turkey in the case of the Bosnian Muslims. Tribalism at its best, unfortunately.

[@gomiladroogies5951]

@@ib368 Turkey has invested a lot more than just religious buildings also in serbia too. It isnt religious extremism, although i agree Balkans does have a problem with wasting money on religious buildings.

[@ahmed_obeid_bin_daghr]

BOSNIA IS SYRIA!!!!!! 🇸🇾🇸🇾🇸🇾🇸🇾

[@holysoutheuropedivizija2206]

?

[@allysoobratty7565]

Bosnia is TURKEY

[@lidiabano4698]

turkey conquered bosnia. serbs and croats converted to islam over centuries. 50% of bosnia.

[@Gazija1]

Bosnians converted to Islam. Serbs and Croats kept being Christians in Serbia and Croatia. Some of them also converted to Islam but not in the near numbers as Bosnians did.

[@lidiabano4698]

turkey messed up bosnia forever.

[@Gazija1]

Why did they mess up Bosnia forever?

[@mda990]

​@@Gazija1 as long as Bosniak Muslims live in Bosnia, it is a messed place for islamophobic racists. take care of yourselves bro. Selam to Bosnia from Turkey🤝

[@clericaltotalitarian]

@@mda990 Stay away from our country, nobody asked you ANYTHING.

[@clericaltotalitarian]

This is one of the main problems of Bosnia, this foreign influence has GOT to stop, and it will, one day. That goes for Turkish influence too, NOBODY wants it, it only divides the native population itself in the name of Turkish political interests which we could not care less about. The Ottomans were occupiers and that is final, they shall never be celebrated anywhere in the Balkans.

[@heyhej1]

Why spreading hate and lies?!?! Serbs did not commit genocide, it was a Civil War in the 90's .....besides Bosnian Muslim leader Fikret Abdić and his followers fought in that war against Alija Izetbegović and his mujahedeens. By the way Alija Izetbegović sold his people (all military ready men) for American air strike, this is why the Terror happened in Srebrenica....if you don't believe ask the local leaders from Srebrenica... 🍻

[@Gazija1]

Only lies coming here is from your fake comment. VRS backed up by Serbian government committed genocide and that is a fact. Anything else coming from your comment is a try to rewrite historical written facts. So better try next time.

[@clericaltotalitarian]

@@Gazija1 Lol, western propaganda. Those lies don't work anymore.

[@BOSNAMAGDURLARI]

I highly criticize Today Turkish influence on restoration of historical ottoman monuments look at careva/emperors mosques in Sarajevo, the mindset of carpetbagger companies involved in restoration just destroyed the invaluable priceless value of authenticity and mysticism which was allocated soul by passing of hundreds of years in Careva Dzamija Emprerors Mosque 🕌 in sarajevo where as a faithful servant you could feel some kind of portal gate there.❤ in the balkans Todays turks have much to learn from bosniaks Bosnian ottoman heritage especially about the core of Hodja Ahmad Yasawi philosophy to crack down misinterpretation of protecting itikadh , while protecting your prescribed islamic faith sourced from sunnah and Quran you confuse that with narrow mindedness Bosnian muslims are cleanest of ummah look how pretty their mosques are. Like in västervås Sweden. We had 100 million piece of Bosniak muslims in the world Representation of Islam would be very different than today

[@abdussametfiliz5484]

Thank Allah and than the Turks for who you are without the Turks next time they will kick you out if the Balkans.

[@clericaltotalitarian]

This is one of the main problems of Bosnia, this foreign influence has GOT to stop, and it will, one day. That goes for Turkish influence too, NOBODY wants it, it only divides the native population itself in the name of Turkish political interests which we could not care less about. The Ottomans were occupiers and that is final, they shall never be celebrated anywhere in the Balkans.

[@shihabuddin7632]

It seems Bosniak wants it. Of course if you are radical Christian who wants to do genocide you will be against it.