Mustafa Ejubović – Šejh Jujo: Between Oral Traditions and Documented Biography

Abstract

Mustafa Ejubović-Šejh Jujo, one of our prominent Arabic-language writers, lived in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the transition between the 17th and 18th centuries. Besides being a highly prolific author in the fields of Arabic stylistics and Islamic theology, respected not only locally but also throughout the Ottoman Empire at that time, he is also one of the significant figures in Bosniak oral traditions. Over the past few centuries, various anecdotes about him have been retold, fueling the imagination and strengthening beliefs for generations. These narratives, belonging to the genre of oral traditions about saints (evliyas) in Bosniak oral tradition, focus on the miracles and supernatural powers bestowed upon these extraordinary individuals. What is interesting in the case of this extraordinary mufti from Mostar is that, unlike other figures in Bosnian folklore, there is a wealth of biographical data and facts about him, which has led to controversial perspectives among many researchers regarding their intersection with numerous oral traditions.