Hafizi-kutubi at the Gazi - Husreffbey's library

A contribution to the history of the library

Abstract

At  the  Gazi - Husrev bey's  Library,  from  the  time  when  separated  from  the Kuršumli madrassa in  1864 untill well  in the  1944, there served two librarians -  hafizi kutubi,  as they  had  been called  officially  till  the year  1945..  Among them  there were some very  known  persons, that played an important part  in this or that  respect in the life of the  Moslims of  Bosnia Hercegovina, particularly  in Sarajevo. The firs  hafizi kutub, appointed  in  1864, was Hafiz Abdulah Ajni Hasagić, the distinguished caligrapher- hatat,  who  run  a caligraphic school as well. Salih Sidki  Hadžihuseinović- Muvekit was an astronomer and a historian.  He left behind  History of  Bosnia  (Tarihi Bosnia) and a work  in astronomy. Hadži Mehmed Handžić was a professor, preacher and a distinguis­hed  Islamic  writer.  Although  he died  in  the  age of  thirty eight,  his  bibliography  of published  works  contains  more  than three hundreds of entries.  His writings belong to the  Islamic  studies,  history  of  Islam  and  Moslims.  His contribution  to  the  research studies  of  the literature of the Moslims of  Bosnia Hercegovina  in Oriental  languages is great.  At the Gazi- Husreffbey's  Library  he started with cataloguing of manuscripts in possession of the  Library.