SYNCRETIC ELEMENTS IN FOLK BELIEFS: THE LINDEN TREE AMONG BOSNIAN MUSLIMS

In one of his pioneer studies of history and culture of Islam in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Muhamed Hadžijahić (1918-1986) discussed some poorly researched phenomena, which portray specificities of the worlds of Bosnian Islam in an interesting way. In his study Sinkretistički elementi u islamu u Bosni i Hercegovini (Syncretic Elements on Islam in Bosnia and Herzegovina) (Sarajevo, 1980), Hadžijahić studied the origin of Islam in these areas and analyzed pre-Islamic elements in the culture of Bosnian Muslims to underscore the importance of cultural geography of Bosnia, distinctive customs which preceded the arrival of Islam and which continued in, as Hadžijahić points out, folk practice, in manifestations of daily life. It mostly pertained to attitude toward nature, toward all forms of wildlife, which have a sacred place and universal value in the universal, eschatological perspective. Hadžijahić underscores that syncretism is a normal phenomenon in all religions and that all of them absorb the quantum of old heritage in their constitution (Hadžijahić, 1980, 301). Among other things, in his study of syncretic elements Hadžijahić researched continuity of cult places, festivities and Bogomil religious traditions. At one point (p. 315), he particularly highlighted significance of the linden tree among Bosnian Muslima and continuation of this tradition from Old Slavic plant mythology:

Until very recently, linden was particularly respected by Bosnian Muslims. It can easily be noticed that it was particularly planted by mosques and other religious facilities. There is written evidence from as early as 1628-1629 that Bosnian Muslims, together with Christians gathered by a linden tree bringing votive offerings, candles etc.

In 1897, teacher Ibrahim Sarajlić recorded, and sent to the National Museum in Sarajevo as ethnographic material, data about a linden tree “which is, according to folk stories, 500 years old. Back in the old days”, Sarajlić noted, “Muslims would come under it on Eid morning, as soon as they came out of the mosque, sat under it for a while and thus visited it". The whole mahala (neighborhood) where a linden tree had been planted and which was named Linden Neighborhood would “slaughter qurbans” under the linden tree; it was equal to „going to Mecca ".

The note is interesting both from the viewpoint of plant mythology and by the fact that it implies a syncretic feature: linking the qurban sacrifice with old Slavic custom of making the sacrifice to sacred trees, a custom of pagan Slavs which has been confirmed by many sources.

I would also like to draw attention to the fact that, among all Islamic peoples, the cult of linden tree exists only among Bosnian Muslims. I conclude it from the fact that Rudolf Kriss and Hubert Kriss Heinrich, who very diligently collected material about folk beliefs among Islamic peoples, mention the linden tree only at one point, which is in turn related to the tradition of Bosnian Muslims. Actually, they cite (according to A. Hangi), a "poetic legend" about the making of a mausoleum in the immediate vicinity of Banja Luka. According to the legend, a devout man lived there who used to come under a huge linden tree by a spring and pray. When he went to the Kaaba, he forgot the scarf which he used to wipe the face after the prayer on the linden tree, but at the Kaaba, during a prayer, he recognized the same scarf hanging on a tree. On this occasion, he made a mark on the scarf. When he returned from the Kaaba, he saw a scarf with the same sign on his linden tree by the spring. Since people considered the haji “good”, they made a mausoleum on his grave when he died.

Thus, by means of this legend, the linden was included in the folklore of Islamic peoples as a blessed tree.

References

• Muhamed Hadžijahić, „Sinkretistički elementi u islamu u Bosni i Hercegovini“, POF, vol. XXVIII/XXIX, Orijental Institute in Sarajevo, 1980, 301-329.

• Muhamed Hadžijahić, Predislamski elementi u kulturi bosanskih muslimana, Sarajevo, 1973.