Today marks the 141st anniversary of the founding of the Rabija tekke, an ancient tekke with history in southern Albania and beyond, for its noble mission, Albanian education and patriotism.
The story of the building of this Bektashi object begins with the arrival here (at the beginning of the fifth decade of the 18th century) of the dervishes of Haji Bektash Veliu, who foresaw in their mission not only the spread of the knowledge of Islam, but also the molding of the spirit of freedom, of the river ideas of universal peace. This tekke would grow over the years, not simply in terms of the increase of myhibs and benefactors, not simply in terms of increasing the area of land, forests, pastures but especially in its patriotic mission, especially at the end of the century of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, in the moments when its postman was father Selman Gricaj from Martanesh. With his work, this cleric gave a good name, not just to Rabija tekke, but to Albanian Bektashism itself. This is the reason that today, in the assemblies of Tepelena, the verses are sung: “They were good fathers, / All in Tepelena, / But above / Former Selmani in Rabije….”
The connection of the clerics of the Rabija tekke with the national liberation war formations of the country, made the tekke a sacred place of patriotism, so that its many benefactors would take up arms against the fascist beast. It was this reason that on July 23, 1943, numerous Italian forces, with motorized tools and armed to the teeth, turned to Rabija’s tekke, with anger, hatred and punishment. They realized this anger by shooting the father of Abaz Rabija, the dervishes: Bajram Lamaj from Levan, Hasan from Rabija, Feim from Gllava and Bajram from Mallakastra. These brilliant names of clerics, along with 27 other believers and myhibans who were killed and massacred on the same day, have now undoubtedly entered the pantheon of freedom of our nation. For its religious and patriotic mission, this tekke and its clerics have been praised with high official gratitude.
Today, in the tekke of Rabija, the traditional annual pilgrimage takes place, where among the many believers, is the Bektashi World Grandfather, His Holiness, Haxhi Dede Edmond Brahimaj.
Prepared by:
Kujtim BORIÇI
