Season 1

Jan Leyers explores the spectrum of liberal Bosnian Islam, beginning in Sarajevo where a veiled barbershop owner shaves and massages him, challenging stereotypes. He then meets two sisters who embody the diversity within Bosnian Islam: one wears a veil, the other does not, and both are successful fashion designers. They passionately urge Europe to embrace European Muslims as part of its cultural landscape. The story traces Bosnia’s 1992 declaration of independence and the brutal civil war that followed, including the Srebrenica genocide in which more than 8,000 Muslim men were killed. Leyers is introduced to Ahmed, a young imam whose father was among the victims; Ahmed and his family have recently returned home, raising questions about how they confront the past and envision the future. Mr Hrustanović, who lost his father and other relatives to the genocide, embodies the war’s lasting impact. The conflict spurred a religious revival among Bosnian Muslims. Leyers also meets Damir, an IT professional and member of a mystical Sufi brotherhood, and accompanies him to the weekly ziqr, a powerful trance ritual.