LIBRARY OF THE ĐUMIŠIĆ FAMILY FROM BANJA LUKA

Author: Osman Lavić, MA, Gazi Husrev-beg Library in Sarajevo  • Illustration: The beginning and the end of the commentary on qasida Munferidže (Šerh-i kaside-i Munferidže) in Turkish, in the manuscript no. R-10280, which was transcribed, and most likely written as well, by ‘Abdussamed Ibrahim ibn Muhammed el-Akhisari (Pruščak) in 1058 Hijri year/1644 A.D.

Attitude toward the cultural heritage of a nation is a measure of their awareness of the origin, tradition and their own cultural values. By means of literature or in other ways, we often witness irresponsible treatment of movable or immovable cultural goods which have originated in Bosnia and Herzegovina. On this occasion, we want to single out a positive example of care for written tradition by descendants of the charitable Đumišić family from Banja Luka.

Đevahira, Paša i Mima Đumišić

Actually, the Gazi Husrev-beg Library in Sarajevo holds about a hundred codices of manuscripts and over a thousand original documents in Oriental languages, which were endowed by daughters of the late Muhamed, son of Sadik and Begzada-hanuma, daughter of hadži Sabit-aga: Paša, Džehva and Emina-hanuma Đumišić from Banja Luka, as their parents’ wish. According to them, the family kept these manuscripts and archival material from generation to generation, in their family house in Banja Luka for almost 300 years (from the Battle at Banja Luka in 1737). As refugees during the latest aggression on BiH (1992-1995), they carried all these while they lived in the Republic of Croatia. Thanks to their dedication, the priceless cultural treasure and sources for studying the history of this family, Banja Luka and Bosnia and Herzegovina have been preserved and now stored at the safe place. As an example, we single out a codex with two, previously unknown manuscripts of Ibrahim, son of Muhamed, Abdussamed, Pruščak, written in Banja Luka in the first half of the 17th century (GHB, R-1028).

The beginning and the end of the commentary on qasida Munferidže (Šerh-i kaside-i Munferidže) in Turkish, in the manuscript no. R-10280, which was transcribed, and most likely written as well, by ‘Abdussamed Ibrahim ibn Muhammed el-Akhisari (Pruščak) in 1058 Hijri year/1644 A.D.

Đumišić family house in Banja Luka

 

References:

  • Popara, Haso, Iz rukopisnog blaga Gazi Husrev-begove biblioteke,  Sarajevo, 2019, 175-178.

  • Mehmedović, Ahmed, Leksikon bošnjačke uleme, Sarajevo, 2018, pp. 28-29.