Mejlisi

Mejlisi is a term used in several Balkan and Albanian-speaking Muslim communities to denote a local assembly or council within the Islamic religious establishment. The word is derived from the Turkish meclis, meaning “assembly” or “council,” and is used in both singular and plural forms in local languages.

In practice, a Mejlisi refers to the local governing body of the Islamic religious community in a municipality or district. Its responsibilities typically include the administration of mosques, supervision of imams, oversight of religious education and charitable activities, management of waqf endowments, and coordination with higher religious authorities. While the exact powers and internal structure vary by country, Mejlisi generally serve as the link between local congregations and national or regional bodies of the Islamic Community (such as a central muftiate or the Rijaset).

The term is commonly associated with the organizational framework of Islamic communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mejlisi Islamske zajednice), Kosovo (Mejlisi i Islamske Zajednice), and Albania, among other Albanian-speaking or Bosniak communities. In each context, Mejlisi act as advisory and executive bodies that help regulate religious life, balance community needs with religious law, and represent the community in interactions with state and civil institutions.

See also: Islam in the Balkans; Reis-ul-Ulema; Rijaset Islamske Zajednice; Meclis (Turkish term for assembly).