Importance of the „Muslim Library Muhamed Bekir Kalajdžić“

Abstract

Muhamed Bekir Kalajdžić (1892-1963) is one of the important persons in the field of cultural life of Mostar and entire Bosnia. He was a fighter for emancipation and revival of Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina. With the aim to „provide useful books to the people“, he gathered Bosniak intellectual elite and established a First Muslim Bookstore and Printing Office in Mostar. In the period of mass emigration of Muslims to Turkey, this was a significant contribution in saving identity and tradition of the people. He launched educational journal Biser and trade series Muslim Library. The main theme of these publications was Islam as a religion and civilization acquisition, but also works of literature, didactics and textbooks.