Seven centuries of history
Origins. Bektashism takes its name from Haci Bektas Veli, a 13th-century Islamic saint from Khorassan, a vast region on the borders of Iran and Afghanistan. A Turkish-speaking Persian descendant of the Prophet Mohammed, he was an important theologian of Alevism, a Sufi movement close to Shi'ism born in the 8th century. Exiled to Anatolia (present-day Turkey), Haci Bektas Veli attracted a large following and benefited from the protection of the nascent Ottoman Empire. After his death in 1271, several Sufi groups were inspired by his teachings and followed the Ottomans in their conquest of the Balkans. But it wasn't until 1501 that Bektashism really came into being with Balim Sultan (1457-1517). This Greek Turk is considered the founder of the brotherhood. At the request of Sultan Bayezid II, he organized a network of tekkés and drew up the main principles of the movement. Initially recruiting among Turkish-speaking peasants, Bektashism was to become the backbone of the Ottoman Empire until the early 19th century.
Rise. Thanks to its similarities with Christianity, the brotherhood attracted elements of the Christian ruling class in the Ottoman Balkans. Bektashism also gained ground among the janissaries. This elite corps of the Ottoman army recruited most of its personnel from among Christians, in particular through the practice of devchirmé, i.e. the abduction of Albanian, Greek or Slav children converted to Islam. Originally "slave soldiers", the janissaries quickly climbed the hierarchical ladder. Bektashi generals, missionaries and poets accompanied the sultans from Bosnia to Algeria. More locally, in Epirus, from southern Albania to northern Greece, Bektashism benefited from the rise of the pashas, Ottoman governors eager for autonomy and suspicious of the Sunni clergy deemed too close to central power. This was particularly true of the powerful Ali Pacha de Tepelena (1740-1822), Albanian governor of Ioannina (Greece), who encouraged the development of bektashis in Epirus. In 1821, he declared his independence and supported the first movements of the Greek insurrection. This crisis, which culminated in the assassination of Ali Pasha (1822) and the independence of Greece (1832), marked the beginning of the decline of the Ottoman Empire.
Albanian refuge. As the Empire sought to reform itself, an internal conflict broke out between the Sunni imams, who preached a return to Islamic values, and the modernists, supported by the janissaries and bektashis. In 1826, a janissary revolt provided Sultan Mahmud II with the pretext for a radical solution: the massacre of the janissaries and the banishment of the bektashis. The brotherhood was relegated to the bangs of the Empire, mainly in Albanian-speaking territories. It set up its headquarters in Tetovo, today in Northern Macedonia, and enjoyed the protection of the local pashas. From 1830 onwards, the autonomy of the Albanian pashas was called into question. Revolts broke out, and with them the beginnings of a national sentiment. Among a largely illiterate population, the bektashis were the intellectual elite. They formed the basis of the RilindjaKombëtare, the "National Renaissance". This movement, which sought to assert an Albanian identity within the Empire, was dominated by the Bektashi writer Sami Frashëri (1850-1904) and his brothers Naim and Abdyl. In 1912, when the First Balkan War forced the Ottomans to withdraw from Europe, Albania declared its independence, headed by a new Bektashi intellectual, Ismail Qemal (1844-1919). The brotherhood's influence in the country was further strengthened in 1925, when Atatürk banned Sufi brotherhoods in Turkey. Tetovo was under Serbian rule at the time. The Brotherhood's headquarters were set up in Albania, first in Korça in 1930, then in Tirana in 1931. At a time when other denominations were under constant suspicion of foreign influence, Bektashism was increasingly seen as an authentically "Albanian" religious movement. As such, it enjoyed the support of King Zog, who was trying to free himself from Italian tutelage.
Disappearance and rebirth. During the Second World War, the brotherhood leaned more towards the nationalist resistance movements at the expense of the communists, which meant that the bektashis also fell victim to the anti-religious repression led by Enver Hoxha from 1944 onwards. This culminated in the proclamation of atheism in 1967. The Brotherhood's headquarters returned to Tetovo until 1992, when freedom of worship was re-established in Albania. Although the Bektashi clergy now numbers just six members in the country, the movement has held up better than other denominations, thanks to a religious practice more focused on personal reflection than collective prayer. But unlike the Catholics, Orthodox and Albanian Sunnis, the Bektashis have been able to count on little foreign aid. While the movement still enjoys an immense aura in society, it has become largely impoverished intellectually and no longer boasts, as it once did, great poets or recognized theologians.
Tekkés and holy places of the bekatshis
What is a tekké? Comparable to both a mosque without a minaret and a Christian monastery, a tekké(teqeja in Albanian) is a place of prayer, meeting, ritual ceremony and discussion for followers of Sufism, as well as the home of the dervishes. There are around 400 in Albania, three-quarters of them belonging to the Bektashi brotherhood. Note that they are usually open to visitors.
The international headquarters of Bektashism. The "Vatican of the Bektashis" is located in Tirana and includes the country's largest tekké. The latter was erected in 2015 on the site of the old tekké dating from 1931. It has a small museum and is home to Baba Mondi, the community's world leader since 2011.
Other large tekkés in Albania. They date from the 18th-19th centuries and are mainly located in the southern part of the country, such as the Frashër tekké (1815), near Përmet, which was the stronghold of the Frashëri family and the nerve center of the Albanian "National Renaissance" from 1878 onwards. In Korça, the Turan tekké (1812) briefly hosted the brotherhood's world headquarters in 1930. Also worth mentioning are the Dollma tekké (1789) in the Kruja fortress, and the Balim Sultan tekké (1779) in Martanesh, in the Diber region, where, according to Albanian tradition, the founder of the brotherhood was buried. Near Gjirokastra are the Zall tekké (1780) and the very active Melan tekké (1800) in Libohova.
Abroad. The most sacred sites of Bektashism are to be found outside Albania. In central Turkey, the Hacıbektaş complex was erected in the 13th century and houses the türbes (mausoleums) of the movement's two tutelary figures, Haci Bektas Veli and Balim Sultan. In Greek Thrace, at Didymoticho, the Seyyit Ali Sultan tekké was founded in the 16th century by a disciple of Balim Sultan in the latter's native village. In Northern Macedonia, the tekké Arabati Baba (1538) in Tetovo was the brotherhood's headquarters from 1826 to 1930. Finally, in Budapest, Hungary, the türbe of the Bektashi poet Gül Baba, a companion of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent who died in 1541, is one of the most important Muslim pilgrimage sites in Europe.
Mount Tomorr. In Albania, the holiest place of the Bektashis is this mountain near Berat. On one of the two peaks of Mount Tomorr, at an altitude of 2,400 m, the Türbe of Abbas ibn Ali was erected in 1620. According to local belief, this mausoleum houses part of the ashes of Abbas ibn Ali (647-680), son of Ali and considered the first Imam by Shiites and some Sufis. The building was rebuilt in 2006 and hosts the country's largest pilgrimage every year, from August 20 to 25. Below, the Kulmak tekké bektashi dates back to 1916.
Main principles of Bektashism
Between Sufism and Shiism. Bektashism is one of the countless currents of Islam. It is linked to both Sufism and Shi'ism. To Sufism, because its followers take an esoteric, mystical approach to religion: they seek the Truth (a path of spiritual elevation) through initiation. And Shiism, because Bektashis venerate Imam Ali, Muhammad's cousin. They consider him to be the Prophet's successor, unlike the Sunnis (85% of Muslims worldwide), for whom Abu Bakr, Muhammad's companion, is both the Prophet's successor and the first Caliph of Islam. Sunnis, on the other hand, see Bektashis as Shiites, even heretics.
Sacred texts. For Bektashis, the Koran is just one book among many. The brotherhood attaches equal importance to three other sacred texts: the Bible, the Torah and the Book of Psalms. While the latter two are recognized by all Muslims, this is not the case for the Bible, which includes in particular the Christian New Testament. This singular tradition dates back to the Ottoman conquest of Byzantine Anatolia in the 13th century, when the majority of the population was still Orthodox or had recently converted to Islam. However, it is the Koran that is most often read, as it is considered the last holy book sent by God. But bektashis believe that Mohammed's writings must be placed in their historical context and, above all, read on two levels: from the outside (the form) and from the inside (the content). This leaves plenty of room for an esoteric interpretation of the Koran. Finally, a number of medieval Turkish and Persian poems and theological texts are also part of the reading considered necessary to reach the Truth.
Borrowings from other religions. In addition to the Bible, many Christian traditions have shaped the Brotherhood's practices, such as the rites of confession and the sharing of bread. The great figures of the movement are also venerated as Christian saints. Indeed, while the majority of Muslims reject the cult of images, in the tekkés and homes of the bektashis the portrait of Imam Ali takes pride of place, often surrounded by those of Haci Bektas Veli and Balim Sultan. All these figures are associated with miracles, and their türbes are the scene of rituals reminiscent of Christian processions. The brotherhood has also preserved beliefs from the ancient Greek religion. The art of Bektashi divination is undoubtedly inherited from the oracles of the Pythia of Delphi, since until the early 20th century, certain women of the brotherhood inhaled sulfur vapors to enter an ecstatic state and predict the future. This is no longer practised today, but the superstitions remain numerous and well tolerated by the bektashis, such as wearing an amulet or hanging objects or a piece of cloth in a holy place in order to obtain favours from the "saints".
Humanism and tolerance. The principles laid down by Haci Bektas Veli in the 13th century are considered by Unesco to be the forerunners of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is because the Bektashis put "love of mankind" at the heart of their beliefs. For them, man is the manifestation of God and, according to Haci Bektas Veli, "the most beautiful book to read is the human being". The result is great tolerance. For Bektashis, for example, men and women are equal. Women are not veiled, and take part in religious ceremonies alongside men. While the Koran prohibits the consumption of alcohol, the brotherhood tolerates it, as it considers that this prohibition corresponds to a context and era (7th-century Arabia) that are not transposable. Light drunkenness is sometimes encouraged, as it "allows us to know the true nature of man". Moreover, the consumption of wine or raki is part of certain rituals. Last but not least, science and knowledge are also given pride of place, particularly through the use of medicine to alleviate human suffering. The brotherhood is modernist in outlook, taking its cue from the Prophet, who was considered progressive in his time. All this thinking has greatly influenced Turkish, Persian and Balkan Sunnis. So, on the whole, Albanian Muslims have customs quite distinct from those of Arab Muslims.
Ceremonies and rituals. From the renowned "whirling dervishes" of the Mevlevi brotherhood in Turkey to the spectacular cheek piercing practised by the Rifais in Kosovo, each Sufi movement has its own rites. Among the Bektashis, the religious ceremony is less spectacular and remains private. It revolves around the sühbet, or "conversation". Five to thirty followers gather in a tekké or house under the leadership of a baba, the spiritual leader known as dede in Albanian. The meeting begins with the resolution of conflicts and the confession of community members. The session may continue with music, readings, sacred poems sung, a meal and the ritual of wine shared by men and women. The baba gives advice, passes on religious teachings and listens to the faithful. Traditionally, bektashis don't follow the Ramadan fast, the five daily prayers or the big Friday collective prayer like other Muslims. But some Albanian bektashis regularly attend Sunni ceremonies in mosques, and some followers of other faiths may be invited to take part in the sühbet. The Brotherhood's biggest religious festival is Norouz, on March 22, the Persian New Year. It is both public and national in character. Everyone can take part. State leaders and representatives of other faiths are invited to attend. In Tirana, at the world headquarters of Bektashism, the ceremony opens with the Albanian national anthem, continues with a reminder of the role played by the brotherhood in the country's history, a sermon advocating tolerance, and ends with the distribution of sandwiches and sweets.
