The main building and tekke
In the entrance to the tekke - Imam Ali and Haji Bektash
The tombs of leaders of the Bektashi community
Haji Bektash
The future Bektashi cultural centre
Haxhi Dede Reshat Bardhi
I was watching Top Channel last night, first the news, then Fiks Fare. According to them Tirana's citizens now have a choice not only between Rama and Olldashi, but also between Rama and Rama. A minor right-wing faction, Parti 'Balli Kombetar' , submitted papers to the election authorities registering their candidate, Akile Rama. The people on Fiks Fare got hold of the papers and sent a reporter and camera team to the address listed for Mr A Rama. After much ringing of the bell the gate was reluctantly opened by a middle-aged woman who refused to speak to the reporter and tried to close the gate on her. Back in the studio Saimiri and Doctori - the two presenters of Fiks Fare - revealed that Mr Akile Rama was 73 years old, in hospital, and did not know he was now a candidate for mayor. They also compared two documents - the papers submitted on his behalf, and a genuine document he had signed. The signatures were not even remotely similar. There was an interview with the lea
Comments
Nick: Alwyin is doing what any good British brigadier would: scope out the local culture, and use it to divide and conquer (LoL)
heheh
But, I read somewhere that the Bektashi were considered so bizarre by some muslim scholars (apparently outside of Albania) that they considered them altogether outside of islam. I also read that they include pagan and christian elements in their religion. Alwyn do you know this to be true? Was their creator that black jewish messiah or something.
However, in retrospect heretics are always more logical, nicer, and fun than the orthodox.
So you can tell that 'outside' muslim scholar to shove it.
here, poke some fun at him too:
http://www.bektashi.net/beliefs-jokes1.html
Sunni's don't like Bektashi the same way they don't like Shia, because Bektashism has a lot in common with Shia Islam.
As far as I know the Iranians do try to get some leverage with the Bektashi but with limited success.
There are no theo-dollars: that's why the Bektashi are the only religious community here not building grand new mosques/churches all over the place.
The only outside source of funding that I know of is Bektashis in the US.
Regarding Shabbetai Zevi (Zvi)it's all very obscure but it seems more likely that bektashi's influenced him - especially after his conversion to islam - than the other way round.
Do they incorporate traditions from other religions? Yes. The same way all religions do - not generally as doctrine but as practice.
Look out for more info in the new edition of IYP guide to Tirana