Bektashi state, a piece of land without taxes and police
TIRANA (AFP) – In the Albanian capital, Baba Mondi envisions a Vatican -like state for his belief Bektashi in a small piece of land that would serve as a model for love and tolerance. Last year, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced plans to create a sovereign Muslim micrchth within the borders of the SUFI sect with about 100,000 members.
« Our state will be a really small, spiritual and administrative state, but with a big heart, » the Bektashi leader for AFP in Tirana, dressed in a white tunic, a jacket and green hats, with a long beard face, reported foreign media reports. « The whole world will be able to see the Bektashi light, » said Baba Mondi.
The creation of a religious state in Albania would have been unimaginable during the four -decades of Enver Hoxha's four -decade dictatorship, who completely banned religion and persecuted clergy and priests. Hundreds of clergy of all beliefs were executed, imprisoned or sent to exile, while places of worship were destroyed.
But since the fall of communism in the early 1990s, there has been a flood of religious belief in many areas of Albania. The Bektashis rank as the fourth largest religious community in Albania, after Sunni Muslims, Orthodox Christians and Catholics. And while the bureaucratic details of the state are still preparing, along with an official date for its creation, Baba Mondi has ambitious plans for the future state. « This state will have neither the police, nor an army, nor the tax, it will be spiritual, » the Bektashi leader said. « Its purpose will be to organize and protect the Bektashis around the world, » he said.
The Bektashi state would also advocate for persecuted members living in places where they have no right to practice their religion « like Turkey or Iran », according to his leader. The next state will be located on the land where a Bektashi temple is already located in Tirana and will take up a very small space, making the smallest place in the world. The Vatican currently holds the title of the smallest state, with only 0.44 square kilometers of territory.
The Bektashi order was founded in the 13th century in the Ottoman Empire and is considered a tolerant, mystical branch of Islam open to other religions and philosophies. Some leading leaders moved to Albania after being detained in Turkey by the founding father of modern state Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in the early 20th century. Unlike the most conservative beliefs of Islam, Bektashi, men, men and women worship together and alcohol consumption is allowed if not encouraged. « Rakia, like breast milk, has benefits because it goes straight to the brain without going through the stomach, » said Baba Mondi, referring to popular fruit rakia that is widespread throughout the Balkans.
Practice is part of a general vision of tolerance and promotion of harmony that is essential for Bektashi thinking, according to Baba Mondi. « Wherever they are, the Bektashis have always expressed love, generosity and respect for people as the most perfect creatures in this world, » he added. « We are against the conflicts caused by the extremists, we are for peace and love. » For the Prime Minister of Albania, securing the Bektashis with their state is partly about protecting the spirit of tolerance. « We must take care of this treasure that is religious tolerance, to preserve and promote it, » Rama said during a speech in January, in the 95th anniversary of the transfer of the Bektashi Holy See from Turkey to Albania. He has not yet revealed a time limit for state creation. But for Baba Mondi and his followers Sufi, the future is full of opportunities. « Bektashism has been and will remain a bridge between East and West, » Baba Mondi told AFP. « We have always been a middle road in this world to show that we can live with love, peace and kindness. »
