Sufi Calligrapher in Visoko, Bosnia-Herzegovina: Huseyin Zilko Efendi and His Cönk

Abstract

City of Visoko, which is in the canton of Zenica-Doboj, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is known as “the city of Sheiks”. The considerable high number of sheikhs in the region shows that the lodges take hold of a large mass. These lodges, prohibited at some periods, achieved continuation of their existence in different ways even without sacrificing traditions. As a consequence, lodges and Sheiks have been important for the local community. In this study, the introduction of ilahi (chant) journal of mystic, calligrapher Hüseyin Zilko Efendi that is read at dhikrs of lodges belonging to Naqshbandi cult in Visoko has been introduced. At the first part of study, the life of Sheikh Hafiz Mustafa Efendi Mujič, the Murshid who leads Zilko Efendi to write the journal depending on the tradition of Sufism, is briefly mentioned. Afterwards, information is provided about life of Hüseyin Zilko Efendi , Naqshbandi cult and also details provided for the forms and content of the journals of mystic. At the last part of study, eighthy two chants in the above mentioned journal, most of which are being compiled in Turkish, are discussed in recognition of verse ways, rhytmn-rhyme-repeated voice, language and tone. The information about journal is detailed and provided as a result of the interviews performed with Zilko Efendi and source people near him according to the directed review and survey technique’ within the scope of field survey study. Ethics committee approval is not required as the guided interview technique was used between 2014 and 2015 in the study. The purpose of the study is to introduce the chant journal of Calligrapher Zilko Efendi and lodge-sufism tradition in the Visoko. These poems have been morally supportive to the people during difficult times, also these poems have been provided handing over the lodge-sufism tradition from generation to generation as these poems contain verbal and written cultural heritages and sufistic lectures.