THE OLD WOODEN MOSQUE IN BUŽIM

Author: Amir Sijamhodžić • Photo & video: Mirza Hasanefendić

The Old Wooden Mosque in Bužim, built in the first half on the 19th century, is one of the oldest mosques in Cazinska Krajina. Although it is built only of wood, it has successfully resisted the ravages of time as well as many whirlwinds of war. Because of its centuries-long role of the central spot of Islamic spirituality in Bužim, genuine power and beauty and the overall impression it leaves on worshippers and visitors, poetic circles also named it the Noble Mosque - Cabin.

The Old Wooden Mosque in Bužim is the biggest wooden mosque in BiH. It was built on the southern side of Bužim fortress. It is the only mosque in our country which was originally built without using nails. Oral stories and several written sources indicate that a mosque existed at the same place even before 1838. If it is true, the wooden mosque was probably built in the 18th century, for needs of numerous population who settled in Bužim after the War of Vienna, and it served as the second mosque, besides the existing stone mosque on the fortress. There is another opinion according to which it was the year when the mosque was moved from the fortress to its present location.

Regardless of which version is correct, it is known for certain that the first reconstruction was done in 1838, as is recorded in the vakufnama (deed of endowment), which is stored in the mosque. Its reconstruction was commissioned by Bosnian regent Mehmed Vedžihi-pasha, and imam Halil-effendi was one of the 17 witnesses and signatories of the vakufnama. The second significant reconstruction was done in 1937. The mosque underwent considerable changes in the appearance in the 1970s and 1980s, when, upon the initiative of local people and without consultations with the “profession” certain repairs were made, which distorted its original appearance. The old embroidered rugs have been completely removed by now.

Role and significance of the mosque

For a long time after its building, the Old Wooden Mosque was a central social facility of the Nahiyah of Bužim. Before the construction of mosques in other villages it was the only mosque in the Bužim region. As recorded in defters (registers) from the second half of the 19th century, the neighborhood where the mosque was built had the status of kasaba /small town/ (with a mosque, maktab, fortress, shops and a barn). Immediately after the First World War, during Friday prayers, about 700 horsemen from nearby villages would come in front of it. For a long time, its courtyard was a spot of significant religious, military and political gatherings, all until the Second World War.

Due to its monumentality, significance and age, together with Hudut fountain, cemetery, nišans (tombstones) and hajji rocks (spots which where the starting points to Hajj), as well as movables in the interior, it was proclaimed a national monument of BiH in 2003. The roof of the mosque was renewed in 2014, when wooden shingles were returned and the minaret re-sheathed.

Architectural features

The building of the wooden mosque has a rectangular ground plan, supported by 78 pillars from the foundations. It is accessed from northeast, through a covered porch. The mosque has a mahfil (gallery), which is accessed up a wooden staircase. The central part of the mahfil houses a parapet for the muezzin. The mihrab is made without decorations and the mihrab recess protrudes outside, and is covered with tin. To the left of the mihrab there is a wooden platform. The minber (pulpit) is wooden and is decorated with profiled arches. The enclosed staircase has nine stairs. Access to the exterior light is allowed by 18 windows. All the windows are double-hung with plain glass, without outer mušebeks (wooden lattices) and inner shutters. The walls, which are made of oak boards, are covered with wooden cladding on the inside. The part of the ceiling which is not above the mahfil preserved its original form. There are 24 pillars in the mosque, the role of which is to relieve the burden off the mahfil, the ceiling and the roof structure.

The mosque is covered with a hipped roof, with a slope of about 40º. Before the reconstruction in 1937 the roof was even steeper, and was covered with wooden shingles. The current gutters are made of galvanized sheet. The slender wooden minaret protrudes from the roof. Today it is about 17 meter high, and before the reconstruction it was even several meters longer. Because of its dimensions of 18x16 meters and the total usable area of 414 m2, it is the biggest wooden mosque in BiH.

Movable treasure of the mosque

The most significant movable treasure of the mosque includes two levhas (framed quotations from the Qur'an) of Abdurahman Siri-baba, the original vakufnama of Vedžihi-pasha, mosque chronogram in the form of levha, work Menakib-i čehar-i jar-i guzin, an original manuscript about prayers salavat and dova, and healing, and the original Ottoman editions of journal Behar.

The listed Siri's levhas draw origin from 1260 Hijri year (1844 A.D.). It is believed that Vedžihi-pasha, as a friend and follower of shaykh Siri, endowed them to the newly-built mosque. The significance of these levhas preserved in Bužim is made greater by the unfortunate fact that calligraphic holdings of the Oglavak tekke in Fojnica, which included rare copies of calligraphic creations by Siri-baba, were destroyed in the latest war. Both levhas were written in the djeli thuluth style of Arabic script. The 137th ayah of surah al Baqarah is written on the first one, while the 6th ayah of surah As-Saff is written on the second.

The Vakufnama from 1256 Hijri year (1840 A.D.) defines rights and duties pertaining to the function and maintenance of the mosque and determines the annual amount of money needed for paying officers, maintenance, repairs and procurement. It was issued upon the initiative of Vedžihi-pasha and legalized by deputy qadi Ebu Bekir Sitki-effendi before 17 Bužim citizens.

The mosque chronogram in the form of levha, written in 1254 Hijri year (1838 A.D.), is a work by the unknown poet Enisi. It was composed of twelve distichs and written in twelve fields.

Menakib-i čehar-i jar-i guzin is a work by Ahmed Šemsudin Sivasi, an Anadolian Sufi of Khalwati tariqat, born in the town of Zile, province of Tokat, in 1520. Permeated with tasawwuf ideas, the work speaks about spiritual experiences of Prophets caliphs – Ebu Bekr, Omer, Osman and Alija. The manuscript about salavat and dova prayers and healing, as well as the previously described work, was written in Naskh script. Decorated with floral motifs and vignettes, the manuscript is a summarized collection of salavat prayers, dova prayers for special purposes and occasions, writings and amulets for healing spiritually sick persons. The mosque also holds about 20 issues of magazine Behar from 1906, which was written in Ottoman Turkish.

Halil-ef. Hali (1832–1878) was the first imam of the wooden mosque. He was succeeded by Šerif Bajrić, Ibrahim Mulalić, Salih Dizdarević, Šerif Sagrković, Omer Bajrektarević, Hasan Ćehajić, Mehmed Malkoč, Husein Alijagić, Besim Hamzabegović and, today, Emin Grošić.