The Bektashi World Leader, Dede Edmond Brahimaj, wishes: “… Blessed always in the good jobs that you make. May God give you radiance and light in your path. We pray to God to protect us and fill us with love. To enable us moral and patriotic devotion by despising selfishness, foreign vices and giving human love, happiness for each of you and your families “.
Yesterday (March 25, 2021), marked the development of the Sultan Nevruz ceremony at the Turan tekke in Korça. Although a difficult time of pandemics, this traditional holiday of the Bektashis, gathered this day in the famous tekke of Turan, hundreds of believers from the region of Korça, the neighboring ones, coming from Tirana, Elbasan, Kruja, Dibra, Macedonia, etc., for performed together rites, with the hope and worship of the God, for more peace, goodness and love. The traditional rites were led by the Bektashi World Leader, His Grace, Haxhi Dede Edmond Brahimaj, who also received senior state representatives, ministers, MPs, personalities and respected friends who were at the event. The leaders of other religious faiths of Korça were also present in the ceremony and in the respective rites of this day.
The Minister of Defense Niko Peleshi, the Mayor of Korça Sotiraq Filto were also present; former MPs Edmond Spaho and Indrit Brahimllari, the Chairwoman of the Korça Regional Council, Ana Verushi, the leaders of the political forces, etc. Although during the campaign, the celebration of Sultan Nevruz gathered politicians of both sides (position and opposition), cites in harmony and together, commemorated this marked day, while giving messages of peace, wisdom and harmony.
It was the World Leader of the Bektashis, Haxhi Baba Edmond Brahimaj, who, after congratulating the faithful and the friends who came, led the rites of the feast of Sultan Nowruz. In his greeting, among other things, he said: “… Allow me to wish and bless you! May the light of the Almighty God on the wonderful journey to faith, may eternal happiness enter in your lives! Sultan Nowruz, has been and will remain a unique date, in the calendar, as well as Sufis throughout the Islamic world. The personification of a new day, full of sunshine and divine love, has traveled with this date, passing from century to century, the river idea of a life reborn from the love of the Creator. Having in the substance of our spiritual lives, precisely this love, we turn away from mortal things every day, we approach goodness and prosperity, loving and respecting one another, building the family on sound foundations, uniting our human destinies with the fates of the nation. This marked day, where we are all together, I hope and wish to find this way for all of us, at work and in life, to face the challenges we are going through in this difficult time from the pandemic and other problems of life… Blessing always in your good deeds. May God give you radiance and light in your path. We pray to God to exalt us and fill us with love. To enable us moral and patriotic devotion by despising selfishness, foreign vices and forgiving human love for man and family happiness. The Minister of Defense, Niko Peleshi, also greeted at the ceremony. “… Let this be a marked day that has gathered us here, a day of the message of hope and harmony, as it is in the tradition of our Korça. Dede Mondi’s congratulations, the appeal for calm and harmony, are to be a permanent advice for us, both in these busy days and in other days in fulfillment of our duties. Happy Feast of Sultan Nowruz, a holiday which has gathered here today, in addition to Bektashi believers of other faiths. Happiness, peace be upon all…! ”He affirmed. He also greeted the former MP Edmond Spaho, who, among other things, said: “ Korça, has had and has in tradition the culture of coexistence, which is confirmed today in this Bektashi ceremony, where there are no differences party affiliation, but normal, vital conversations and discussions , hope and trust in the Great God. It is necessary that in everyday life, these qualities of Korça citizenship prevail… Thank you Dede Edmond Brahimaj for the reception and messages you gave. Happy Sultan Nowruz!… ”
SULTAN NEVRUZI, HOW WAS BORN RITES AND TRADITION
What is the feast of Sultan Nowruz?
On this day the spring season begins, because today everything begins to take on life and vitality. The day starts with the best wishes for prosperity, well-being, peace and love. On this holiday all believers wear the best clothes and come together to make forgiveness on this glorious day at the Holy See and every tekke. March 22 is very present in the Bektashi world.
Today life is revived, the great holiday of all Bektashis in the world. Nowruz means “New Day” from Persian and Sultan is a high title (Bektashis name some saints). It has its origins in the early days. It began to be celebrated in Albania when Bektashism spread in the 14th century. The day of Sultan Novruz coincides with the day of the birth of Imam Ali. On this holiday, our great Bektashi poet Naim Frashëri said: “Today is a new day that the weather repeats, Summer is born, warmth is born, Ali is born, God himself is born”. This day also commemorates the birthday of Imam Ali, which is associated with the resurrection of life and the hope for better days. This day has a special meaning for all believers. It is the day of Imam Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, he has been the right hand of the Prophet. Therefore this holiday for the Bektashis represents a marked and most blessed day of the year. He was born on March 22, is one of the greatest saints of all time and is the first of the twelve Imams. Imam Ali is one of the great Imams, endowed with extraordinary knowledge. The Prophet Muhammad said: “I am the city of knowledge and Ali is his gate” or “There is no brave like Ali, there is no other sword like Zylfikar Ali. “Whoever loves Ali has loved me, whoever hates Alia has hated me.” That is why he was rightly called the leader of the Arab believers, the Arab scholars who made the golden age and who gave all the light to mankind. He was the man of the struggle for human progress. He used the word beautifully for human sorrow and salvation. He left behind three principles: The degree of thinking, human unity, justice…
Rites of Sultan Nevruz
On this holiday a glass of milk is drunk, which symbolizes the birth of a new day. March 22 is considered by Bektashi believers a holy day on which Imam Ali was born. This year, on the day of Sultan Nowruz, is also the 26th anniversary of the reopening of the Bektashi World Headquarters where her holy Blessing Mother Teresa participated. In this important religious ceremony, the characteristic song of this holiday is sung together: “Welcome, welcome! / Nevruz Sultan! ‘/ With happiness and freedom…. ” This day according to the Bektashi belief marks the day of spring and the birthday of Imam Ali, which is considered all over the world as the day of Bektashi nobility and the day of the great resurrection. On this day everything can be revived, both trees and flowers. On this day is born hope, the resurrection for all mankind. It is a new day. All humanity on this day hopes for a better future. In our country this holiday is also an official holiday, the most important holiday of Bektashism every year (known as a world holiday and by the UN). With faith in God with faith in self. This is one of the biggest Bektashi holidays. On this day part of it is the distribution of milk, which symbolizes breast milk, making the sacrifice. Believers dress in new clothes and congratulate each other. On this day two prayers are performed: One is made by the Supreme Leader in the eyes of all present in the Holy See and the other is the secret of each believer in the holy places, to commemorate and honor the holy imams.
There are also differentiated traditions in different provinces. In Kruja, Sultan Nowruz was celebrated for three days in a row. The first day was celebrated in the family where all the members gather to eat the characteristic lunch of this day. The second day was of the elders because they gather in holy places to honor the imams. They took plenty of food with them and celebrate together. While the third day was that of women and young brides. They gather together to celebrate and have fun. The feast started in the morning and continued until the lights of the tekke were turned on. After this moment they were distributed throughout the house. On this day, the Mawludi (characteristic song with prayers and praises for Imam Ali) is sung and the believers come to the Bektashi World Headquarters in Tirana and to every Bektashi tekke in Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo, Turkey, America, etc. On this day, visits are made to each other, to Bektashi tekkes. Today, many believers show that even when religion was banned by law in 1967, they performed religious ceremonies secretly: Sultan Nowruz, Ashura, Barjam in their homes.
What do believers cook?
On this occasion, the Bektashis cook the characteristic foods, which are pie with 12 different types of herbs (spinach, sorrel, parsley, cabbage leaves, fennel, leek leaves, labot, onion, rice, etc.). The plants of the earth symbolize the new life that blossoms in spring and prosperity, a coin is inserted inside the pie. Once baked the pie is divided by the housewife into portions and then given to each of the family members by a portion. He who finds the coin in his share is lucky. A prosperous year will pass. It is cooked with chicken or lamb, roasted lamb… Sultiash is the characteristic cake of this day, because it consists of milk, which is a symbol of mother’s milk, rice, which symbolizes cereals, abundance and sorbet, which is taken sung in the tekke, also in in some cases kabuni is also cooked (with rice, gravy, sugar, raisins and nuts). On this holiday a glass of milk is drunk, which symbolizes the birth of a new day. On this day part of it is the distribution of milk, which symbolizes breast milk, making a sacrifice or chicken. It does not matter what the kurban is made , because it depends on the possibilities that people have, the important thing is to make kurban, pie, cakes or in the village they also make cakes with noodles and the children roll them in the wheat fields to bring abundance.
Sultan Nevruz called to rise above envy, vice and evil, conveys the message of appreciation and protection of our national value, love for each other, wisdom, nationwide brotherhood, religious and interreligious tolerance.
Prepared by:
Nuri ÇUNI
Kujtim BORIÇI
