Some vakufnamas form Bosna and Hercegovina

(15—17 th century) Form, language and style

Abstract

The author points out that among several hundreds of vakufnamas written on the territory of Bosna and Hercegovina in the period from the XV to the XVII century, only a tenth are preserved. He points out the very interesting collection of vakufnamas from Mostar. These several vakufnamas represent originals written as hard covered book. The greatest part of this collection is kept in Gazi Husrefbeg's library in Sarajevo.
The author points out that it was a habit and practice to write the vakufnamas in Arabic and that such practice lasted almost 150 years. But in this period there were also the vakufnamas written in Turkish. The vakufnamas from the XVII century and after were as a rule written in Turkish.

From the diplomatic aspect the vakufnama consists of three parts: exposition, disposition and legislation.
The author points out that a number of vakufnamas are interesting not only as historical sources for study of the past of the society in which the vakuf in question was established, but also from the linguistic point of view. He points to a collection of vakufnamas written in Mostar (1554-1593) in very beautiful correct Arabic, unforced »sag'«, and above all concisely, without any balast and at a time when the Arabic of its originated territory had been for very long in a phase of decadence. The author illustrates the meditation of some vakifs about the ephemerality of this world and the eternity of life after death with several texts, wishing to show to the present day reader the meditations which were dominant in these regions.