Building Places for Prayers

[From the Italian language press]:

Molti viaggiatori che in passato hanno parlato dell'Albania si sono concentrati sulle confraternite Sufi, soprattutto sui Bektashi, che in Albania rappresentano circa il 15% della popolazione, musulmana al 70%.

Osservatorio Balcani, Rovereto, Italy - mercoledì 16 maggio - di Francesca Niccolai

Many travellers who in the past have reported about Albania focused on the Sufi Brotherhoods, especially on the Bektashis, who in Albania represent approximately 15% of the population, which is made up of 70 % Muslims.

Therefore the myth of a Shi'ite presence in the country has been created, although the identification between Bektashis and Shi'is is improper.

These travellers of the past felt a great predilection towards the Bektashis, a predilection shared by various contemporary scholars, which was and is due to their syncretistic attitude, to the western foundation of their guidelines and lifestyle and to the consequent separation from the tradition and "uneasy" aspects of Islam.

Seen with a Western eye, we could say that the Bektashis are the “presentable relatives”, while the Sunni muslim seem to be the “rustic relation”, those that you prefer not to invite to your wedding.

The fact remains that the architectonic symbol of Albanian Islam is the mosque of Ethem Bey, started in 1792 by the famous Bektashi poet Ethem Bey and completed by his son in 1821: it is the proof that, beyond syncretism and western lifestyle, the Bektashi Brotherhood was also interested in building places for prayers.

From an interview (about Youths and Islam in Albania) to Ervin Hatibi, Albanian poet, painter and journalist, former editor-in-chief of "Drita Islame" (“The Light of Islam”)

[picture: Tirana, Ethem Bey mosque]