| Albanians, as any well-read student of geography knows, are the only European people to have embraced Islam en masse. A half-hour drive outside of Detroit lies a unique holy site, a Bektashi tekke (Sufi lodge) was founded in 1954 in what was then rural suburb of Taylor. A small group of Bektashis got together with other Albanians immigrants, both Muslim and Christian, and bought a farmhouse and its surrounding land. Within a decade additions were made to the tekke that included a library, guestrooms, a large meeting hall, and a meydan (a hall used for religious rituals). Later an apartment complex was added to generate revenues to support the upkeep of the tekke. |
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| From the time of its inauguration, a faithful Bektashi clergyman, Baba Rexheb, supervised the sacred complex. Baba Rexheb was born in the southern Albanian city of Gjirokastër in 1901, a time when Albania was still part of the Ottoman Empire. Like many the southern region, the Baba's family had strong ties to the Bektashi Sufi order. He carried out the initial stages of the mystic in his youth under the tutelage of his uncle Baba Selim and then later studied classical Islamic theology as well as Arabic and Persian under the renowned Mullah Ragip. In 1925 Rexheb acquired full initiation into the Bektashi Brotherhood and quickly progressed to the level of dervish. From Gjirokastër he traveled to Tirana to further his studies by staying at the main headquarters of the organization. He withstood the hard years of both Italian and German occupation and in 1944 he was forced to flee his homeland because of his strong opposition to Enver Hoxha's communist partisans. Baba Rexheb spent the next four years in refugee camps in allied-occupied Italy before being able to leave for to take up residence in the Bektashi tekke of Abdullah al-Maghawiri. In 1952 he came to the United States to live with his sister Zainab Cuci (d.1996). After being unable to establish a tekke in New York, he came to Detroit where his work proved fruitful. Several other Dervishes followed him to Detroit. Among the most important was Baba's devoted friend from Cairo Baba Bayram. He was cook for the Tekke and was appointed Khalifate for Baba Rexheb but sadly he passed away in 1973 and Baba Rexheb continued the work of providing spiritual guidance for 20 years longer. In 1954 the Tekke opened and published four issues of a periodical entitled Zeri i Bektashizmes. It was a small 32-page periodical that contained articles in both Albanian and English. Most were written by Baba Rexheb and gave introductory material on the history of Islam, Bektashism, and the Muslim remembrance of the sacrifice of Imam Hussein on the Day of Ashura. It lasted only four issues. In 1964 Xhevat Kallajxhi wrote a 100 page history of the tekke in Albanian. Over the years Dervishes came from Albania and Egypt to live in the Tekke. Most were elderly and died in the 70's and early 80's. Baba Rexheb (who died 3 years ago) and Dervish Arshu (now 93 himself) were some of the last few of a long line of Dervishes. In Albania and Macedonia most Dervishes are young. Besides helping to build a tekke, greet and teach visitors, and write articles for the tekke journal, Baba Rexheb also had time to do a 300+ page book entitled Misticizma Islame dhe Bektashizma studying Sufism in general and Bektashism in particular. This wide ranging book also reviewed Sufi and Bektashi poets. This pioneering work was the only one to date of its type in Albanian. Most Bektashi seminal works are still in Arabic, Turkish, and Persian. This monument of Albanian Bektashi Literature was partially translated to English in 1984 by Bardhyl Pogoni. This work is one that must be read by all students of Islam, Shi'ism, and Sufism. It clearly shows that the path of Hajji Bektashi Veli was that of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). Sadly Baba Rexheb left this life in the summer of 1995. A beautiful tomb is on the land of the tekke and is visited by hundreds of Bektashi and Bektashi well-wishers every year. Today a young Bab Flamur Shkalla sits as teacher at the tekke. He seeks to open a Madressa and help to reopen tekkes in Albania and Cairo and Hostels in Baghdad, Najef, Karbela, and Iran. His youth, patience, and traditional learning will all assist him in these endeavors as will young Albanians returning to Islam and to the Bektashi Path. An interview with a Bektashi Muhibb at the Detroit Tekke, May 24th, 1998 My name is Eri Geja. I am from Tirana, the capital city of Albania. I?m 19 years old. I came to America to make a better life for myself but I will never forget my homeland. I was born into a Muslim family but when I was born communism was still the way in Albania and I never heard mention of anything about Islam. I first heard about my traditional faith when I was twelve years old. One day I was walking near the tekke in Tirana and I saw Baba Bayram dressed in a strange type of clothing. When I went home I told my parents about that and it was then that they told me that our family was Muslim. I asked what does Muslim mean and they began to tell me that there are Catholics, Muslims, and other Christians in Albania. I grew curious about what Islam was and since my house in Tirana was not far from the tekke, I went there to try to find out about Islam. At that time Baba Bayram tutored me. Now the leader in the tekke is Dedebaba Reshat Bardhi. At that time there were six or seven dervishes living at the tekke. Now there is only one, since they all went to other parts of Albania to reopen the tekkes that were closed since Communism. From 1967 till 1991 religion was completely outlawed in Albania. You could be thrown into prison for believing in God or owing a Bible or Qur'an. Being a dervish could put you in a hard labor concentration camp for many years. After communism collapsed, the Bektashis are trying to reestablish the fifty or more tekkes that were there before communism. It is hard. The Communists killed many babas and dervishes and burned all religious books they could find. From 1967 to 1991, Bektashism was protected only in the hearts of believers. Religion was outlawed. Going to churches or mosques was outlawed. Wearing religious clothing and jewelry was prohibited. People held religious holidays (Bayram) and other ceremonies in private. They were careful about whom they invited as there were spies everywhere and having meetings could land you in prison. I knew this one lady who lit a candle in remembrance of a baba at sunset, but she did it in a cave so nobody would find out. After communism collapsed, the Bektashis are trying to reestablish the fifty or more tekkes that were there before communism. It is hard. The Communists killed many babas and dervishes and burned all religious books they could find. From 1967 to 1991, Bektashism was protected only in the hearts of believers. Religion was outlawed. Going to churches or mosques was outlawed. Wearing religious clothing and jewelry was prohibited. People held religious holidays (Bayram) and other ceremonies in private. They were careful about whom they invited as there were spies everywhere and having meetings could land you in prison. I knew this one lady who lit a candle in remembrance of a baba at sunset, but she did it in a cave so nobody would find out. Sometimes people would do the same lighting twelve candles for the twelve Imams or lighting as many as they could afford. Money was always tight under communism and things were rationed. From 1991 till now the surviving babas have tried to reestablish Bektashism, but since so many important religious books were burned, babas and dervishes were killed and tortured, it is formidable. In fact I learned a lot in the two years that I have been here in Detroit. The dervish that took over at Baba Rexheb's death, Baba Flamur Shkalla, has taught me. He has since become a baba himself. He teaches people, maintains Baba Rexheb?s tomb, and helps to reestablish Bektashism as much as he can. He came in 1996 and was able to bring the original flag of the tekke here and start some of the old ceremonies from Ottoman time such as serving coffee to dervishes and travelers in a special room [the kafe-oxhak]. In Albania they are trying to teach the young again. Medreses have been reestablished in Albania and more than 50 people have been sent to Iran to study. These young Bektashis are learning Arabic and Persian. One of them recently returned to Albania after visiting America and will finish his studies there. The tekkes also remember the elders that suffered for the faith. However, all the old dervishes have to go back to the tekkes to be reinitiated since most records were destroyed. Baba Rexheb was able to keep Bektashism because he escaped before Communism abolished religion. He came in his 50's to the United States after suffering in refugee camps in Italy and studying as a child under his uncle Baba Selim. Baba Selim studied under his own uncle Ali Baba. After leaving the camps in Italy Baba Rexheb went to Egypt to study under Sirri Dede. That tekke in Cairo’s Muqadam Hills was closed by Nasser but Baba Flamur wants to reopen it and get Sirri Dede’s library back in the hands of the Bektashi people. I live near the tekke here, so I meet Baba Flamur almost everyday and talk with him and answer the phone when he goes to meet Albanian families and to religious ceremonies around the United States. I see myself living out my life as a Bektashi dervish. Baba hopes to start a school here and I’ll do what I can to help. Here the tekke is self-sufficient. Annual dinners and the rent from our apartment complex help keep it open. In Albania the dervishes in each village volunteer and contribute what they can, but as you know Albania is a poor country and it is difficult, but they do what they can. Thank you for letting me tell you how I came to America and how I became a dervish. Es-Selamu Aleykum. |
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