Islam started spreading across the Balkans with the growing success of Ottoman conquests. After the Serbian medieval state fell into Ottoman hands, Islam began to dominate in certain areas of the Balkans.
Thw ethnically diverse islamic population of Belgrade mostly originated from the long-lasting process of Islamizing local Slavic populace, as well as the migrations of Turks and other Muslims from the east. The Ottoman siege of Belgrade represents a turning point in the history of Belgrade, when the construction of mosques began as a result of the growing Muslim population.
Aside from three periods under Austrian reign, the majority of Belgrade's citizens were Muslim, a factor which contributed to the construction of a large number of Islamic architecture.
With Price Miloš's decree in 1868, religious freedom had been granted to Muslims in Serbia, which marks the beginning of the Islamic community's constitution in Serbia. Following the Berlin Congress in 1878, the organization of the Islamic religious community in Serbia was established, with a Mufti in charge thereof.
The status of Islam as a religion was made official in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes with a new consitution in June 1921.
The unity of the Islamic communiy was confirmed in January 1930 as the position of chief of the Islamic community had been established. However, this law was changed in 1936 and muftiates were abolished altogether.
After World War 2, a reorganization and adaptation to new circumstances of the Islamic community ensued. The Islamic community of Serbia operated as part of Islamic community of Yugoslavia, which was based in Priština.
Nowadays, the Islamic community of Serbia is the main governing body of all Muslims in Serbia organized into a Rijaset (the main governing body of all Islamic communities in the Balkans)
Written by Nadja Veli
Translated by Filip Šuica
