Historical foundations for higher education in Sarajevo - ottoman period

Abstract

UDK: 373.54.014:28](497.6)“14/18“

The authors here thematize the historical foundations upon which higher religious education was developed in Sarajevo during the Ottoman period. The introductory part of the article relates of Waqf, a religious institution that provided the financial bases for the establishment of madrasas. Following this, they present a short review of the system of madrasas in the Ottoman classical period explaining the divisional structure therein. Further in the text they talk about the founding of Gazi Husrev-bey’s Madrasa in Sarajevo and about its status within the educational system of the Ottoman state, its Teaching Plan and Programme, and its mudarreses (teachers). Along with this madrasa, its founder, Gazi Husrev-bey, also established a school library which has over time developed into a public library. A brief history of Gazi Husrev-bey’s Library is also offered here along with the list of its librarians of the Ottoman era. In the final part of the article, the authors conclude, by drawing a parallel with the Turkish educational system, that the date of the foundation of Gazi Husrev–bey’s Library could be taken as the date of the foundation of Sarajevo University.