KLLAPIA E TESAVVUFIT - El-Hikmeh

Summary 221The Sadi tariqat in the Albanian territories was represented bythe Ajiziyyah branch established by the Albanian SheikhSuleyman Axhizi Baba from Shkodra (d. 1150/1737-38).The Bektashi tariqat has gained more fellows in Albania duringthe XVIII and XIX centuries, with a clear help by Ali PashaTepelena and other half-independent pashas by the OttomanState.Another tariqat active in Macedonia and in Kosova, is theMalamiyya-i Nuriyya founded by Muhammad Nuru’l-Arebi.In the XVIII and XIX century, the largest part of the Sufis hashad good relations with the state leaders. But also time aftertime these leaders approached to them attending to theirlectures, advices, and asking for their blessing. But hashappened also that some Sheikhs have raised up against thesocietal injustices and were secluded or executed. The Sheikhand the Sufis have had also good relations with the ulama andscholars. A considerable number of Sheikhs have accomplishedthe madrasahs and, on the other hand, most of the scholars havebeen taught by the Sheikhs.The tekkes were not closed only within the religious life butthey also extended to philosophy, architecture, poetry, music,and fine arts. The alamiada literature of Albanians and Bosniansto a greater extent has been influenced by the mysticunderstanding of Islamic Sufis and their major representatives.At the end it can be said that the Sufi understanding of Islam canbe noticed in all individual and group aspects of life of theBalkan peoples during the Ottoman period. But this worldview,so present at that time in the lives of people, latter on with thewithdrawal of the Ottoman State and appearance of theheterodoxy, especially in the Balkan’s tariqats as Bektashiyya,Qadiriyya and Rifaiyya, left the place to an evident antipathy ofBalkan Muslims toward the tariqats. The Tasawuf presents themost ideal shaping of man close with God, and thus those whodecide to become its followers should have into considerationthe milestones presented in the Qur’an, Sunnah and centurieslong experience of the renowned Sufis like Abdulqadir Gaylani,Ahmad Rifai, Imam Ghazali, Jalaluddin Suyuti etc..