Today, on July 10, 2021, at 10:30, in the premises of Restaurant Panorama, in the city of Kruja, took place the ceremony of awarding the title “Honorary Citizen” (after death), to two Clerics of the Bektashi Faith, Dede Ahmet Brataj (Ahmata) with the motivation “For the long service and special loyalty to the Bektashi faith and the honorable name he created and enjoys, as one of the clerics who respected the Crusaders and was respected and honored by them” and Isuf Kërçini (Dervish Sufa) with the motivation “For the holiness and special contribution manifested as a scholar of the Bektashi faith and the honorable name he enjoys, as one of the most prominent and worthy clerics of this faith in the spread and protection of Bektashism in the city and surroundings of Kruja”.
The ceremony was attended by participants of the Municipal Council and the Municipality of Kruja, clerics, intellectuals, well-known personalities of the city and many Bektashi believers.
In his speech, the Bektashi World Leader, His Holiness, Haxhi Dede Edmond Brahimaj, expressed respect and reverence for the Municipal Council and the Municipality of Kruja, who praised and honored with the title “Honorary Citizen” these prominent and valued figures of Bektashism .
This ceremony was also greeted by the Head of the Municipal Council of Kruja, Mrs. Besa Sheta and the Director of Human Resources, Mr. Mehmet Deliu, where in the end they presented to the World Leader, Dede Edmond Brahimaj, also the decorations with the respective titles for the two clergymen.
A cocktail was organized at the end of the ceremony.
Greetings of the Bektashi World Leader, His Grace, Haxhi Dede Edmond Brahimaj.
It is a special pleasure for me to participate in this event and you will allow me, in the capacity of the Bektashi World Leader, to greet you and wish: Good luck and prosperity to your families! Let the example of the enlightened family of the Ahl al-Bayt and that of the Bektashi Saints enlighten us all, our journey to Haqq!
Giving the high title “Honorary Citizen” for two prominent Bektashi clerics, is today an emotion not only for the municipality of Kruja, but also for all of us, clerics, myhib and benefactors of Bektashism. It is emotion and pride together, because two saints are appreciated who carried on their shoulders the heavy burden of sacrifices to serve the Lord and the slave, to exile the believers from the darkness of ignorance and to unite them in the peaceful order. almost 800 years old. It is undoubtedly the legitimate pride of all the followers of Haxhi Bektash Veliu and the brotherhood that unites souls.
Dede Ahmet Brataj (Ahmataj), although he had a difficult childhood and youth, opened his heart to Bektashism until the last moment. Born and raised in a region like Vlora, where the Bektashi guru has been gurgling for a long time, the boy from Brataj, was born early with the love for the Creator, as well as the brother of the road. Among the other tariqats, in Bektashism, the brother of the way, has always been identified with the biological brother, that of mother and father, which has made possible an eternal union of souls to devotion to the Allah-Merciful.
The first religious lessons, our Ahmeti received in the tekke of Bllaca, to be consecrated dervishes a few years later by the prominent Sali Niazi Dede, World Leader at the time. Based on the events that Albania was going through, but also on the message of Haxhi Bektash Veliu that “the Bektashis must be gods, the fate of the homeland” he joined the ranks of freedom fighters in 1941-1944, to return to the faith and tekkes, again in 1945.
In 1947, by unanimous decision of the clergy, he was elected to the post of Grandfather and Leader of Bektashi Community, leading for 11 years. His contribution to these years is easily readable, given the Bektashi developments, especially in terms of the same atheism that the party-state wanted to cultivate.
Determined to remain chaste in the path of Hak, Dede Ahmeti openly opposed the directives of the time for religion in general. The dictatorship we went through, through certain state segments, did what was possible to discourage our grandfather, but he failed to achieve his goal. The wise but energetic action of this clergyman, in the face of the wicked reality, left Bektashism untouched in its mission. This was the reason why, together with his faithful dervishes, Reshat Bardhi, in the summer of 1958, they were sent interned to the tekke of Drizar, in Mallakastër, condemning those souls, pure and free.
God knows what they removed in Drizar high in the sky. But you know, my brothers. Because many of the mothers and fathers from Kruja, secretly of the regime, have gone dozens of times to the Drizari tekke, bringing food there and taking hope from those two men.
Gratitude for the life of all families from Kruja, who not only in the years 1958-1967, but also when the religion was banned by law, took care of these two clergymen, above two saints. May their blessings accompany these Krutan families throughout their spiritual and human journey!
My sisters and brothers!
It is time today to say something about the calender dervish Isuf Kërçini, or as they have called him generation after generation in these parts, Dervish Sufa. The first lessons, this boy in love with knowledge, had taken them in the mosque of Varrosh, here in Kruja, but he had tried the first sparks of the tariqat in the famous tekke of Shememi-Baba. The traces of the old histories of this tekke, would be intertwined with the will of little Isuf, to knock early on the secrets of Bektashi mysticism and to unite the philosophy of the tariqah with the human troubles of his contemporaries.
Further, he grew up in the spirit of his myrshid, the prominent cleric and patriot father Ismail Subashi, for whom homeland and religion were inseparable under no circumstances. This freedom-loving spirit nurtured generations of believers not only in the tekkes of Kruja, but in all Illyrian-Albanian areas, although the local Turkish authorities had summoned and advised Father Ismail Subashi, he and the Sufi dervishes had already turned Albanian into concrete action and sacrifice. sublime. It is for this reason that at the end of the 19th century these two clerics were interned for two full years in the Deserts of Asia, by the Ottomans. However, their return to their homeland was welcomed by all of Kruja and their patriotic mission continued.
From the day of his return to his homeland until April 1933, when he left this temporary world, the heart of the Sufi dervishes beat for Bektashism, for the nation, for the peace that the soul cleansed of the mundane things of this world can forgive. .
In every tekke of the Kruja region, the name and fame of this dervish are written in golden letters, as they are also written in the souls of all of us, because times go by and fade away, deeds remain.
Distinguished guests!
Despite the fact that dede Ahmeti and dervish Sufa have lived in different eras, they are placed next to each other today, thanks to their major work. To my deepest satisfaction, I thank today the municipal council of Kruja, these intellectuals who genuinely show respect for our spiritual values. On behalf of all Bektashi clerics around the world, I tell you that the honor and pride of the Crusaders goes today to all generations of our clergy, yesterday and today, whose sacrifices are not lacking.
Thank you all once again!
God bless you!
Amin!
