Ibrahim Fejić

Ibrahim ef. Fejić (1879 – 15 December 1962) was a Bosnian cleric who served as the grand mufti of Yugoslavia from 1947 to 1957. He previously served as the mayor of Mostar from 1929 to 1934. Fejić is most remembered for his endorsement of the campaign against the mandatory veiling of Muslim women.

Early life and career Ibrahim Fejić was born in 1879 into a prominent Bosniak family in the Herzegovinian town of Mostar, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Condominium of Bosnia and Herzegovina. There he attended primary school and madrasa and received his ijazah. He was fluent in Turkish, Arabic and Persian, and had a working command of German.

Religious leadership The end of World War II saw the Partisans as victors in Yugoslavia. The Communist Party of Yugoslavia took power and in 1947 reached an accord with the Islamic Community, requiring the election of reformist leaders. In 1950, Fejić published a text in which he further explained that veiling the face was not mandated by the religion.

Death In November 1957, Fejić requested that he be relieved of his office of grand mufti of Yugoslavia. He was officially succeeded as Grand Mufti on 8 December 1957. He died on 15 December 1962, and was buried two days later in Sarajevo's Grličića Brdo Cemetery.