IMARET

The imaret (from Arabic word imara, which means a building) is a public soup kitchen where food and meals were prepared and given free of charge mainly to poor layers of population, travelers and pupils of madrasas (schools). Public soup kitchens (imarets) were mostly formed based on endowments (waqfs) and were a practical implementation of the social teaching of Islam and Qur'anic recommendations about charity, particularly toward needy people and those in material deprivation.

Pupils and teachers of madrasas were often provided with free food from imarets, and distribution of bread and soup to the poor, particularly on Fridays, was defined by many vakufnamas (deeds of endowment) and was a recognizable activity of charitable foundations. Founding public soup kitchens was a widespread practice and a feature of classical Muslim societies.

In the period of the Ottoman Empire, public soup kitchens were built next to mosques in many cities. Big sultan imarets distributed from 1,000 to 3,000 meals a day. The establishment of Ottoman administration was followed by formation and fast development of individual cities and villages. Many religious, educational, cultural, social and other institutions were built, which were founded by statesmen, viziers, wealthy people, craftsmen, merchants, ulama and others according to their endowments. In these urban ensembles public kitchens were bult, either as separate buildings or as part of an important activity of affiliated social and humanitarian institutions.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina during Ottoman administration, imarets were built in many cities and bigger villages. Imarets existed in Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Mostar, Foča and other cities. As early as in 1462, the founder of Sarajevo Isa-bey Ishaković commissioned a house for dervishes (tekke) at Bentbaša, which consisted of the lodging and the imaret, a kitchen for the poor, pupils and travelers. Isa-bey left behind a rich waqf for activity of this complex. The following is written in his Vakufnama of 1462: “...and during his life he endowed it with the purpose that it should serve as a tekke (zawiyah) and lodging for poor Muslims who are pupils, sayyids, warriors and travelers ... they are entitled to meals for three days and cannot dwell there more than three days ˮ (Vakufname, 1985: 14).

Gazi Husrev-beg imaret in Sarajevo, built before 1531, is one of the best-known imarets in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Ever since its establishment, with some interruptions, this imaret has served its purpose of support to the poor and ensured meals for needy citizens, though in a somewhat reduced form. For a long time already, it has been the only operating imaret, and its activity is funded from Gazi Husrev-beg's waqf.

In Islamic civilization, imarets as public soup kitchens were precursors of contemporary public soup kitchens and activities of Red Cross or Red Crescent. As support to pupils and students, some of their forms are also precursors of the system of state subsidies and support to pupils' and students' standard in contemporary social circumstances.

The complex of Gazi'- Husrev Bey's waqf

References:

• Smailagić, Nerkez (1990), Leksikon islama, Sarajevo, Svjetlost.

• Vakufname iz Bosne i Hercegovine (XV i XVI vijek), editor-in-chief Lejla Gazić, Sarajevo: Oriental Institute in Sarajevo, 1985.