Turk in Bosnia-Herzegovina


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The small population of Rumelian Turks in Bosnia-Herzegovina are descendants of the Ottoman Turks who migrated from their central Asian homeland, conquered Anatolia (modern day Turkey), and eventually established the Ottoman Empire. At its peak, the empire encompassed the Balkan Mountains, Arabia and North Africa. Rumelian Turks are also known as the Balkan Turk. (Rumelia means "land of the Romans" and refers to the Balkan Mountain region). Bosnia-Herzegovina was part of the Ottoman Empire for more than 400 years. With the breakup of the empire after World War I, Bosnia-Herzegovina became part of Yugoslavia. When Bosnia-Herzegovina declared its independence in 1992, Bosnian Serbs began a civil war with the goal of removing all non-Serbs from Bosnian territory. This savage war cost the lives of over 200,00 Bosnians and forced thousands of Muslim families from their homes.


What Are Their Lives Like?

During the long Ottoman Empire reign, Rumelian Turks often settled in Balkan towns and served as military personnel or administrators or worked as craftsmen. After Yugoslavia, Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, and Romania became independent countries in the nineteenth century, many of the Rumelian Turks who returned to Turkey were given land. Their Turkish villages are still referred to as "immigrant" villages by the local people. Although Ottoman Turks ruled the Balkans for centuries, they were always an ethnic minority. Religious, linguistic and social differences kept them from intermarrying with the local populations in large numbers. When they did intermarry, Turkish men usually married Muslim, non-Turkish women. Polygamy is prohibited by local law. Some Islamic traits have persisted longer in Bosnia-Herzegovina than in Turkey. For example, Bosnian Muslim women wore the veil until it was banned in 1950, and traditional Bosnian Muslim men still wear the fez (a typical cone-shaped hat). Both customs have been prohibited in Turkey since 1922. Lamb, a favorite meat of Turks, is typically prepared as a pilaf (rice and oil cooked with small bits of meat). Musaka (roasted meat and eggplant) and kapama (mutton with spinach and green onions) are also popular dishes. The Turk relish sweets and are especially fond of Turkish delight (a gummy confection usually cut in cubes and dusted with sugar). The Muslim religion forbids drinking alcoholic beverages; instead, the Turk drink large quantities of strong coffee and yogurt.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Communist government that was established after World War II tolerated Muslim religious observances and institutions, including Islamic schools. However, Muslim Turks were required to follow the compulsory state educational system. During the civil war, Bosnian Serbs not only killed hundreds of innocent civilians, but they also destroyed scores of mosques, several well-known Islamic libraries, and other Muslim institutions. The Turks remain Sunni Muslim wherever they live. Islam is an important part of their identity even if they do not observe Muslim practices on a regular basis.


What Are Their Needs?

Many Rumelian Turks are bitter against what they see as Christian (Orthodox and Roman Catholic) attempts to make them leave their homeland. They also see the inability of the Christian (Protestant and Roman Catholic) countries of Western Europe to intervene for their protection when they were in danger in the early 1990s. The Bible and the JESUS Film are available in Turkish. However, very few of the Rumelian Turks in Bosnia-Herzegovina are known to put their faith in Christ. Someone needs to make a special effort to take Christ to the Turks in Bosnia-Herzegovina.


Prayer Points

Pray that the sheer wonder of knowing Jesus and the impact he has on their lives and the joy he brings spur believers to share Christ with the Turkish people. Pray the hearts of the Turkish people would be stirred by a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit readying them for the time when they hear and respond to the gospel. Pray Turks will experience dreams and visions of Jesus leading them into a saving relationship with him. Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among the Turks.


Scripture Prayers for the Turk in Bosnia-Herzegovina.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Turk
People Name in Country Turk
Pronunciation terk
Alternate Names Anatolian; Baharlu Turk; Masakhastian; Meskhetian Turk; Osmanli; Ottomon Turk; Rumelian Turk; Urum; तुर्क
Population this Country 2,400
Population all Countries 67,070,000
Total Countries 68
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 18274
ROP3 Code 113818
ROP25 Code 308375
ROP25 Name Turk
Primary Religion: Islam
Religion Subdivision: Sunni
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
1.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
99.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Turkish (2,400 speakers)
Language Code tur   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Danubian
Dialect Code 17816   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Turkish (2,400 speakers)
Language Code tur   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Danubian
Dialect Code 17816   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Turkish

Primary Language:  Turkish

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1782-1985)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1819-1993)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1827-2009)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Love Story General / Other
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Turkish Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Walk with the Prophets and meet the Messiah Al Massira
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Turkish YouVersion Bibles
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source Bethany World Prayer Center  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



Joshua Project logo    Joshua Project    Copyright © 2024