The creation of the Bektashi state, "The Economist": Hopes for religious harmony come to life in the Muslim Vatican

2024-10-17 20:18:00, Aktualitet CNA

The creation of the Bektashi state, "The Economist": Hopes for

The creation of a sovereign state of the Bektashi Order in Tirana has not survived without being commented on by the foreign media as well.

Recently, "The Economist" has devoted an article to the creation of the new Bektashi state in the capital, entitled "Hope for religious harmony comes to life in the Muslim Vatican".

Full article:

It is necessary to leave heavy drinks until after lunch. But what if the alcoholic drink on offer is simply raki, a fiery Balkan fruit water that welcomes visitors in a gesture of hospitality? What if, moreover, the host is a Muslim cleric who suddenly wants to lubricate your columnist as he explains the tenets of his faith while he puffs on a cigar? And what if, finally, the holy man with the bottle will soon become the head of the world's newest state, a small sovereign Muslim enclave in the capital of Albania?

When placed in close proximity to each other, the words "Islam" and "state" tend to inspire more panic than enthusiasm. The authorities have decided to order their own state, with flag, passport and all. The birth of most countries can be traced back to decades of struggles, upheavals and revolutions. The new Bektashi country, in contrast, was announced by Edi Rama, the Albanian prime minister, in an interview with the New York Times last month. Once some legal rules are sorted out, the world will celebrate its 200th country probably by the end of the year if anyone knows what has inevitably been called the "Muslim Vatican".

If this is the Vatican, Baba Mondi, Charlemagne's genial host, is the Holy Father. As he greets visitors to the compound outside Tirana, with his white beard and embroidered green robes, the Pope tends to a Catholic flock of billionaires from the majesty of Rome. The Bektashi World Center, nestled between an industrial estate and some sheep-scratched fields, is just 11 hectares of land.

A newly built auditorium and museum provide a focal point for visitors eager to add to their country's tally. There are even more Muslims than Catholics in the world, although only a small part would have recognized their faith in this Albanian variant. Formed in 13th century Turkey, the Bektashi are a mystical Sufi order that combines teachings from the Koran with devotion to their traditions. Once the religion of the Ottoman military elite, the order entered teachings from far and wide until they were banned there in the 19th century.

When Turkey became secular in the 1920s, Bektashi leaders moved to Albania. Through their love of the arts, the dervishes of the order have been credited with helping the country, some describe it as the Albanian "national religion", but most people adhere to Sunni Islam. The reward for faith was facing persecution, along with all other faiths, at the hands of the sterile-shop Stalinist regime that ran Albania in 1944.

The Bektashis claim that there are 20 million, distributed in 32 countries. This may be an exaggeration. Counting adherents is even more difficult given its simple ways: some describe it as more of a philosophy than a religion. Baba Mondi, since moving to Albania, speaks with respect for all faiths. "Don't limit yourself while God has set you free." There is some fasting, some daily prayer, and more talk of people who "share the same fate."

Being a good Bektashi is about exuding love and tolerance. Their leader calls himself a friend of all, including Israel, whose president he met only last month, whose hospitality is unlikely to have extended to Tehran or Mecca. Bektashis avoid politics and condemn violence. They are, in other words, easily compatible with the God-shunning ways that prevail in most of Europe these days.

If Baba Mondi is the religious leader of the Bektashis, Mr. Rama serves as the head of the faith ambassador. In an evening chat with your columnist, the former artist revels in his generosity towards the order, describing it as “a national treasure that you must help Get invaluable analysis of global events. Feel free to show kindness to the order, describing them as a national treasure that you must help survive the rest of time."

Why are the good stigmatized based on something as mundane as faith? The Bektashis are very deserving. "It is precisely because some people in Europe have a problem with the word "Muslim" that this is something to be done," says Mr. Rama. Not everyone is a fan of giving their enclave to the Bektashi, desecrating what they see as an attempt at religious engineering.

Other Muslim interests are busy trying to gain ground in the Balkans; Last week, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, pushed Tirana to open a mosque with a capacity of 8,000. as well as politically, having been in power for over a decade with few local rivals. Maybe. But the goal is noble, in line with the benevolent behavior of the Bektashis. Showing Albanian tolerance by thoroughly shaming that of fellow Europeans is surely worth redrawing a few maps for, and a glass of brandy.