Islamic culture in the Balkans: Emphasizing Alawites' role in the development of the Balkans

Abstract

Islamic culture and civilization have a history of more than thousand years in the Balkans. Verifying the historical background of the arrival of Islam and Islamic currents in the Balkans, recognition of ethnicities and races, analysis of the situation and position of Muslims in the region, evaluation of new developments in the Balkans, study and recognition of socio-cultural and religious challenges in the Balkans, opportunities and threats in the field of culture and science in the region and other issues are important points that must be noticed in this research in order to be utilized for the expansion of Islamic culture and renovation of Islamic civilization in the Balkans. This paper is trying to answer the following questions: What is the background of Islamic culture and civilization in the Balkans and what were the factors of its development? The findings of the research are based on descriptive-analytic, library studies and field observations which show the particular position of Islamic culture and its role in the civilization of the region in the past and present.

Keywords

• islamic culture and civilization
• balkan muslims
• alawites
• islamic works
• iranian culture
• expansion of islam