Sandzak - Slavic Muslims

Nestled in the mountainous terrain between Bosnia and Kosovo Sandzak is a region spanning the border of southern Serbia and northern Montenegro with a majority Muslim population.

Though the region was the birth place of the first independent Serbian state called Rashka in the 12^th century in 14^th century it was occupied by the Ottoman forces under whish power it remained all the way until 1913.

Though the region was lucky enough to escape any armed conflict during the bloody 1990s, tensions between Sandzak and the central powers in Belgrade were and remain high and today due to these historic religious tensions the region still remains largely undeveloped and poor.

Today, with the exception of Bosnia, Sandzak is home to the largest non immigrant Muslim population in Europe and is particularly interesting because of a steady resurgence of Islamic thought, identity and lifestyle which has manifested its self in recent years.

Over the recent decades, confronted with the brutal realities of the Balkan conflicts and yet irreversibly aware of their legal and political status within the Republic of Serbia, Sandzak has started searching and consequently rediscovering its own unique identity.

Presently even if not a political reality, this awakening and fostering of a new and unique Sandzak identity mostly based on its Islamic faith is very much alive and a reality in the harts and minds of Sandzak’s people.