Sarajevo Gureba-defter from 1261/1845

Abstract

In this paper, the Gureba-defter from 1261/1845 which testifies to a custom that was practiced during the month of Ramadan will be presented. It is a list of financial contributions that were collected from wealthy families and benefactors in Sarajevo in the month of Ramadan in 1845 for the religioushumanitarian fund of the same name known as “Aid to foreigners and the vulnerable ones”. Its main goal was to provide financial compensation to ulama (learned people), softas (students of the madrasa), musafirs (intentional travelers) from our and other parts of the Islamic world for their engagement in the month of Ramadan, such as reciting muḳābele (public recitation of the Qur’an), offering tārāviḥ-namāz (terawiya), i’tikāf (permanent stay in the mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan for prayer), delivering appropriate lectures, as well as helping the poor.