Islam in Montenegro

Muslims in Montenegro

Total population
118,477 (2011)
Regions with significant populations
Largest concentrations in the northeastern municipalities Bijelo Polje, Berane, Rožaje and Plav and southeastern municipalities Ulcinj, Bar and Tuzi.
Religions
Islam, Sunni
Languages
Montenegrin, Bosnian, Albanian and Roma

Husein-paša's Mosque in Pljevlja

Religious map of the Republic of Montenegro according to the 2003 census

Muslims in Montenegro form the largest minority religion in the country. According to the 2011 census, Montenegro's 118,477 Muslims make up 19% of the total population. Montenegro's Muslims belong to the Sunni branch, with a tiny minority Ahmadiyya.

History

In the 15th century the Montenegrin king Ivan (1465–1490) was at war with the infiltrating Venetians unable to maintain war on both fronts Ottoman Empire had conquered much of Montenegro's territory and introduced Islam. Ivan's third son Staniša Crnojević was the first prominent Montenegrin of the Muslim faith, and since then Islam was not an uncommon religion to the Crnojević Montenegrin ruling dynasty.

Staniša Crnojević took up the name Skenderbeg Crnojević and ruled from his capital at Cetinje. He is well known as one of the most prominent Muslim administrators in the northern reaches of the Ottoman Empire of Slavic origins during the reign of Sultan Selim I. Staniša Crnojević is known to have commanded an army of approximately 3000 Akıncı he also maintained correspondence with neighboring contemporaries such as Gazi Husrev-beg.

In 1704 the Montenegrin Christians conducted a massacre of Muslims known as the "Inquisition of the Turks" on Christmas Eve.

Twenty-first century

The Muslims of Montenegro are mostly Bosniaks and Albanians by ethnicity but also some are declared Muslims by nationality and Montenegrins. The Muslims can be mostly found in the Sandžak region in Montenegro and Ulcinj, Bar and Podgorica. Bosniaks have virtually the same ethnic background with the Montenegrin Muslims, but differ in ideology of what ethnicity they belong to. In Montenegro are established 13 Councils of Islamic Community: Podgorica, Tuzi, Dinoša, Bar, Ostros, Ulcinj, Pljevlja, Bijelo Polje, Berane, Petnjica, Rožaje, Plav and Gusinje.

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Montenegro and Demographic history of Montenegro

Ethnic composition according to the 2011 census: Of the total 118,479 Muslims:

• 53,453 Bosniaks
• 22,267 Albanians
• 20,270 Slavic Muslims
• 12,758 Montenegrins
• 5,034 Romany
• 2,003 Egyptians
• 428 Montenigrin/Muslims
• 1,435 other or does not want to declare
• 364 Bosniaks/Muslims
• 169 Bosnians
• 195 Gorani
• 101 Turkish

Gallery

• 
  Sultan Murat II mosque in Rožaje.
• 
  Pljevlja Mosque
• 
  Demographics of the Montenegrin Muslim population.

See also

• Islamic Community of Montenegro

External links

• http://www.monteislam.com/
• http://www.seher-tuzi.org/
• http://www.almanah.co.me/
• http://www.savjetmuslimanacg.com