Bektashism in Albania

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Historical figures Haji Bektash Veli Nesimi Balım Sultan Gül Baba
Bektashi Dedebabate Sali Njazi Ali Riza Dede Kamber Ali Xhafer Sadik Abaz Hilmi Ahmet Myftar Baba Reshat Baba Mondi
Bektashi sites Kryegjyshata Haji Bektash Veli Complex Arabati Baba Teḱe Durbalı Sultan Tekke Hasan Baba Tekke Tekke of Melan Tekke of Frashër Zall Tekke Abbas Ali Türbe Tomb of Gül Baba
Events Ashura Nevruz World Bektashi Congress
Countries Bektashism in Albania
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The Bektashi Order (see

In Albania, the Bektashi Order has taken on a patriotic and nationalistic character, and it has played a major role in the Albanian National Awakening. Bektashi leaders have historically been prominent members in Albanian movements for self-determination and national autonomy, which has contributed to its popularity amongst the Albanians, and for most of Albania's Bektashi community, their affiliation with the order is based on cultural heritage rather than actual religious belief.^[4][5]

The acceptance of Bektashism amongst the Albanians was largely facilitated by the existent Bektashi syncretism between combined pre-Islamic and Shiite elements with Christian elements. These beliefs were quickly replaced by Albanian popular traditions once Bektashism had spread to Albania, and the Bektashi tekkes were primarily situated outside of Albanian towns, which allowed the order to maintain a rural character. Bektashism is perceived as the purest expression of Albanian religiosity, conserving Albanian cultural traditions to the point where it is considered the only truly 'national religion'.^[5]

History

Ottoman period

The Bektashi Order was mainly spread in Albania in the 16th century through the

The Bektashi Order in Albania had fully recovered by the second half of the 19th century. This would also be when Bektashism in Albania adopted Albanian nationalism as a major part of its doctrine, and when the religion would see increased popularity amongst Albanians.[4]^: 7–8 During the Albanian National Awakening, the majority of Albanian Muslims constantly expressed their firm desire to sever their links with the Ottoman Empire, and the heterodoxy and tendency to assimilate external elements enabled Bektashism to fully integrate nationalism into its doctrine. This made it extraordinarily popular in Albania.^[5]

Bektashis contributed greatly to Albanian patriotic efforts during this time and were crucial in educating the mostly illiterate Albanian population in the Albanian language. Albanians were attracted to Bektashism for certain values - more particularly, its traditional tolerance and regard for other religions, and its tolerance and open-mindedness towards other practices and beliefs. Additionally, in contrast to Sunni Islam, which was more favourable of the Ottomans and promoted Arabic script, Bektashism was more sympathetic for local concerns and favoured the use of a Latin script for the Albanian language. At the beginning of the 20th century, about 15% of Albania's population was Bektashi, and Bektashi teqes served as underground Albanian-language schools and Albanian-language book distributors. However, contrary to what many Bektashi intellectuals had hoped for, the sect did not become the Albanian national religion, especially due to the fact that the Order was disproportionately concentrated in the south of Albania. Around 70% of all Bektashi teqes were found south of Berat and only about 3% in the north.^[4]: 7–8

Post-independence

After the

During the conflict between Albanians and Greeks in southern Albania during 1914–1915, where Greek forces took advantage of the political instability of Albania and attempted to annex as much Albanian territory into Greece as possible or succeed in creating the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus, at least 145 Albanian villages in southern Albania were looted and destroyed. Accompanying this was the destruction of 48 teqes at the hands of the Greek forces. In total, 80 per cent of the teqes in Albania were either extremely damaged or destroyed entirely during 1914–1915. The Bektashi Order of Albania has not fully recovered since this loss. With the conclusion of the First World War, stability returned to the surviving Albanian Bektashi community, and many teqes were rebuilt in the early 1920s.^[4]: 9

By 1920, the Bektashi community in Albania had gained enough recognition to have one a representative - Aqif Pasha Biçaku - on the High Regency Council which governed Albania during the absence of

The Fifth National Congress of the Bektashi was held in Tirana on 16 April 1950, and in 1954, there were still between 43 and 68 teqes in the country. In 1967, the new Albanian Constitution banned religion, which resulted in a militant political campaign against religious institutions and groups; young people were encouraged to attack mosques, teqes and churches, and to denounce members of the clergy to communist authorities, resulting in the disbandment of the Bektashi community. Most teqes and tyrbes - along with churches and mosques - were razed to the ground, and their leaders were sent into internal exile or imprisoned. Of the 53 Bektashi teqes that existed prior to this, only 6 remained. The Bektashi community in Albania was eradicated, but two teqes continued to function outside of Albania - one in Gjakova, Kosovo, under Baba Qazim Bakalli, and one in Taylor, Detroit in Michigan, United States, founded by Baba Rexheb in 1954. The teqe of Gjakova was later burnt down by Serbian forces in 1999 along with the rest of the old town of Gjakova during the Kosovo War. In 1993, after the fall of Communism in Albania, one dervish and 5 babas were all that remained in the country, with only 6 remaining teqes.^[5][4]: 13

Present

A provisional committee for the revival of the Bektashi Order was founded in Tirana on 27 January 1991. The new community, under

Nationalist sentiment amongst Albanian Bektashis began to blossom within the second half of the 19th century in particular - Bektashi clergy, stemming from both peasantry and wealthier social classes, were very active in Albanian national movements. They would spread nationalist ideas and hold national and local meetings for like-minded patriotic groups and individuals within their teqes. The influence of the Bektashi in this regard also extended to the local Albanian Orthodox population. In particular, the Bektashi clergy were crucial to the teaching of the Albanian language and the distribution of Albanian books and made enormous progress in this aspect. Bektashi teqes became a network of underground Albanian-language schools that would distribute books, spellers and newspapers to the local Albanian population during a time where education in the Albanian language was discouraged/minimised or outright banned by the Ottoman authorities. Teqes outside of Albania, such as the teqe in Cairo, supported these efforts by sending Albanian dervishes to distribute Albanian books throughout Albanian-inhabited territories.^[8][4]

The Atës, or Babas, were significant contributors to the Albanian National Awakening, culminating in some of them being imprisoned or suffering more severe punishments for their efforts. Although they were part of the Muslim community and had contributed to the advancement of Albanian literature in Arabic script, the Albanian Bektashis supported and promoted the use of the Latin script for the Albanian alphabet. Efforts by the Young Turks to send imams and dervishes to promote the use of the Arabic script by winning over the Bektashi clergy were thwarted and ignored. The Bektashi clergy created and operated several 'clubs' and patriotic societies in 20th century Albania, and their primary goal was to promote teaching in the Albanian language and to distribute Albanian literature. In southern Albania, the Bektashi strongly supported armed çeta groups and their anti-Ottoman activities; the Bektashi teqes were usually in isolated areas out of the reach of Turkish authorities, hence they could support these groups and practically act as the headquarters of Albanian nationalist movements. Teqes would also be the point of communication between çetas and the supporting civilian population. Many instances exist where an Atë and his teqe have furthered the Albanian national cause by spreading awareness about it, educating Albanian populations or supporting and harbouring çeta groups.^[8][4]

Leadership

The Bektashi Order is headed by a Kryegjysh (otherwise known as dedebaba elsewhere). The current Kryegjysh is

• The Gjyshata of
  Tepelena
  .
• The Gjyshata of
  Kolonja, including Leskovik
  .
• The Gjyshata of
  Shkodra and Durrës
  .
• The Gjyshata of
  Përrenjas
  .
• The Gjyshata of
  Patos and Roskovec
  .
• The Gjyshata of Berat (headquarters: tekke of Prisht): the regions of Berat, Skrapar and Përmet.