Bismilahi Rrahmani Rrahim!
In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
Let me share with you the joy of this day related to the building of the new shrine, in which are placed the tombs of the most prominent clergy of this tekke.
Koshtan tekke has a very valuable history, which is worth dealing with not only Albanian researcher of Bektashism, but also foreign ones, because through historical stratifications, messages come from different cultures, different cultural identities and realities different of the province of Tepelena.
Early as 1906-1907, father Ahmet Resuli in collaboration with Petro Nini Luarasi and other Albanian patriots, provided the first primers and textbooks in the mother tongue. After the request in the center of the vilayet of Ioannina, finally, the father Ahmeti of the tekke of Koshtan, was able to obtain a permit from the Turkish authorities for the opening of the school, with the idea of learning the language with the Arabic alphabet. But in the autumn of 1908, when the school was opened, students from all over Tepelena, even from Mallakastra and Berat, secretly began to learn the Albanian language in Latin letters, as had been decided at the Congress of Manastir, by researcher and heroes of Albania.
The tekke of Koshtan would survive in the years 1944-1967, to be forgotten later, until its revival in 1992. It was exactly the time when, after the advent of democracy, the two wonderful clerics, father Bajram Mahmutaj and father Sheriff Canometaj first came here, with the idea and holy spirit to revive this famous tekke. Further, dede Reshati sent here the dervishes Xhelal Resuli, who gathered the first believers by recounting the great mission they had before, continuing the noble work and the Bektashi work with father Abdyl Shehaj, who gave life to these historical walls. Today, the shrine we are inaugurating has been build with the care of father Faik Selmani and Dervish Admir Selmani, who as sons of this country, build this monument of Bektashi resistance.
May God be pleased with the work of all our dervishes and fathers!
God bless us all!
Amin!
THE WORLD GRANDFATHER OF THE BEKTASHIS
HIS HOLINESS
HAXHI DEDE EDMOND BRAHIMAJ