Antonija Petra Gagulic, who converted to Islam at the age of 18 while living in Osijek, Croatia, has since moved to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina, a city where she says she has found spiritual peace.
Now 22 years old and in her final year of university studying psychology, Gagulic shared with Anadolu Agency (AA) that her spiritual journey began during her high school years. “I started exploring different religions during high school. When I was 17, I was introduced to Islam, and about a year and a half later, I became certain it was the right path for me. I officially embraced Islam in my last year of high school at 18,” she said.
Coming from a traditional Catholic family, Gagulic admitted that her decision was not easy – for both herself and her family. “It was hard for them to accept because I come from a deeply religious Catholic background. But living according to Islam has been liberating for me. It’s the religion of the heart. Accepting all its rules, commands and prohibitions was very easy for me. I am happy living as a Muslim,” she explained.
To live her faith more freely, Gagulic decided to relocate to Sarajevo. “I emigrated for the sake of Allah’s pleasure,” she said.
She found among the Bosniak community both spiritual tranquility and a society that accepts her. “In Sarajevo, I can practice Islam more freely and easily,” she emphasized.
Gagulic added:
“Sarajevo is the spiritual capital of Islam in Europe, so settling here was a logical step. Bosnia-Herzegovina is my second homeland. When I considered where I could live Islam more openly and freely compared to Croatia, Sarajevo was the obvious choice. The people here welcomed me as one of their own. I feel at home in Bosnia because it has always been a multicultural country. I have received tremendous support here. Now, I have a ‘women’s army’ behind me protecting and supporting me.”
She also mentioned that by sharing her journey to Islam and the psychological experiences involved, she has inspired many others.
