Bektashi World Leader Haxhi Dede Edmond Brahimaj: Dede Ahmeti has been and remains a heavy stone in the foundations of Albanian and world Bektashism!
The more the days, weeks, months and years of physical life on this earth pass, the more the precious contribution and admiration for the Bektashi clerics who have left their mark on the bright path of Haxhi Bektash Veliu shine in the minds and hearts of the believers. They were and remain saints who radiate goodness, peace, love and hope in the Creator. This is what happened yesterday with Dede Ahmet Myftari, the former Bektashi World Leader. Today, July 10, marks the 39th anniversary of his physical separation from this life. Gratitude for this renowned clergyman relates to his contribution to Bektashism, especially in the nearly decade he was the World Leader of Bektashism, and to the precious wealth he has left in the 800-year history of Bektashism. At the same time, Dede Ahmeti is the best example of the well-known Bektashi axiom "Without Nation there is no religion", because in the difficult years of the Anti-Fascist National Liberation War, he not only publicly condemned the occupation of the country, but was at the forefront of popular movement for the need for liberation with weapons in hand. And this gratitude is marked today not only in the tekkes where Dede Ahmeti lived and worked, in the premises of the Bektashi Holy See, but also in all Bektashi institutions wherever they are around the world. "Dede Ahmeti has made a valuable contribution to Bektashism, to millions of our believers around the world. The more physical time he spends, the more his valuable contribution is valued and will be valued across generations. He was a devoted cleric who did not feel tired in the Way of Haq, knew how to forgive kindness, love and faith in God, contributed maximally to the spread of Bektashi faith and institution building and did not spare the concrete support and contribution to the liberation of the country from invaders. In the example of dede Ahmeti, the Bektashi teaching of boundless love for God, closely related to love for the homeland, is best embraced. Even today, in this 39th year of physical absence, we have Dede Ahmeti by our side and we will always have him, with the light of the kindness he conveys, with the messages of peace, love and brotherhood. Today, since this morning, in the premises of the Bektashi Holy See we expect visits for this event, but also some activities such as exhibitions, a documentary film etc. dedicated to this Bektashi personality. In the same way, he will be remembered in all the tekkes and Bektashi communities in Albania and in many countries of the world where our believers work and live "- affirms the Bektashi World Grandfather, His Grace, Haxhi Dede Edmond Brahimaj.
A little from the biography of Dede Ahmeti
Dede Ahmet Myftari was born on February 22, 1916, in the village of Brataj in Vlora and passed away on July 10, 1980. He received his first lessons in the village school and the others in the city of Vlora. He inherited from his parents, the love for knowledge and for the homeland. In the period 1924-1929, he finished the civic school in Vlora, while in 1936, he went to perform compulsory military service in Debar. Here he met his father Zenel Dumen, felt inwardly his love and trust in the Almighty God, and learned about Bektashism and Islam in general. He took over the tekke of Bllaca in the years 1937-1939 and was consecrated as a dervish in the same tekke, by father Zeneli. At the age of 22, he dresses as a dervish. In June 1939, like dozens of other Bektashi clerics, he sided with the freedom fighters in concrete action against the Italian invaders. In Vlora and Kurvelesh, in Tepelena and Elbasan, the word of the Bektashi dervish took place in the hearts of the warriors. The patriotic activity of dervish Ahmet Myftari, stands out in the eyes of the Italian authorities. They call him and tell him to be silent, to go to the tekke and take care of the believers. He listens to them and in deep silence answers: “How can I take care of believers with a violated homeland. Nation once, let him be free, then comes faith! ” In the first days of May 1943 he was arrested and sent to the infamous Porto Romano camp. With the capitulation of the Italian forces he left the camp of Porto-Romano and again, with a rifle in his hand, he was ranked among the freedom fighters. In the spring of 1945, he finds himself in the position of district commander in Martanesh and the doors of his military career open before him. He had given the evidence, there on the front line, in the fire of battles. He was even seriously wounded in one of these battles. Friends took him by the shoulder and sent him to the hospital, restoring his life. Anyway, inside the heart of Ahmet Myftari, lived the dream of the dervish, the promise he had once given, in the square of the tekke of Bllaca. With his beautiful writing, he thanks the high command for the trust he had given him and in May 1945, appears at the Holy See of the World Headquarters, lovingly holding on his shoulder the bow of the Bektashi dervish.
Bektashi World Leader
After Ahmet Myftari received the title ‘Baba’ father, in the next three years, he worked diligently as a clergyman in the tekke of ‘Father Hamiti’ in Elbasan and then in the tekke of ‘Kuzum Babai’ in Vlora. On June 2, 1948, by decision of the General Council of the Bektashi Community, he was appointed to the highest office, that of Bektashi World Leader. For ten years in a row, at the head of the Holy See, dede Ahmet Myftari, in addition to maintaining the pure Bektashi doctrine, enabled religious education by informing the dervishes of the most remote tekke. During these years it gave impetus to Bektashism and became a factor of religious harmony among the traditional religious communities in Albania. Organized a series of connections of the Albanian Bektashi community with other Bektashis around the world. The years of residence of uncle Ahmet Myftari, in this important post, are years of further revival of the Bektashi faith, years of respect for the three traditional erqans, removing once and for all this wonderful faith, from the traps and misdeeds woven by the party -state. During these years, the gates of the tekkes were opened for thousands of benefactors and myhib, religious education was institutionalized, dozens of books on Bektashism were taken from the archives and these were translated into Albanian, illuminating the deep mystique of this faith.
Intellectual and enduring
The renunciation of state offices and privileges and the devotion to the path of Haxhi Bektash Veliu, would soon bring the first clashes with the post-war communist regime in Albania. These clashes, which would culminate in 1967 with the legal banning of religious belief and the destruction of religious institutions, would bring further suffering to the Bektashi cleric.
At the international conference "Appeal for Peace!" in Tirana in 1952, grandfather Ahmet Myftari expressed his thoughts in the lecture where God took his rightful place. This could not be liked by the party-state which weaved the spider web and with the help of certain segments of the infamous state security, made dede Ahmet Myftari leave the important post and pass the deprivations in the difficult years of internment together and dervish Reshati, in Drizar of Mallakstra. Deprivations and tortures became an integral part of their lives. But even in these conditions, these two saints, confessed the great and steadfast spirit, confessed the unwavering determination to keep pure the source of the Bektashi faith. An indisputable merit also given to Ahmeti, is the fact that he conveyed his spirit, his immaculate holiness with love to the personality of the dervish Reshat Bardhi ". In these conditions, Ahmet Dede passed away on July 10, 1980, with the concern of the official tyranny over religion, but with the unwavering belief that the blessed day would soon come. As it came after the political changes of 1990 in Albania, where work began on the restoration of Bektashism and the erection of dilapidated Bektashi buildings…
Appreciations for dede Ahmeti
Former Bektashi World Leader, Haxhi Dede Reshat Bardhi and the current Grandfather, His Grace, Haxhi Baba Edmond Brahimaj, have consistently praised the role of Dede Ahmet Myftari as a patriot and clergyman, organizing sessions and activities of numerous about this well-known cleric. Dede Reshat Bardhi says about his myrshid, Dede Ahmeti: “I knew Dede Ahmeti when I was 17 years old. He entered my life and will remain there, until my last breath. He took me by the hand and introduced me to the bright path of Bektashism, to the path illuminated by our Piri Haxhi Bektash Veliu. With his wisdom, with his ingenuity, with his courage, Dede Ahmeti for ten years in a row, carried on his shoulders a series of problems that our pure Bektashism faced. He never cried, never complained, never let himself down even in the most difficult situations. In particular, his courage and bravery shone during the difficult years of internment in the village of Drizar in Mallakastra. His resistance rarely appeared there. The small tekke of Drizari, that place lost among fairy tales, became the Holy See of the Bektashi World Headquarters. Thousands of believers have come to this tekke from all over Albania. They came exhausted, they came sad, they came like night. They were leaving relaxed, they were leaving happy, they were leaving like a beautiful morning. Dede Ahmeti gave them soul and light from his soul and light ". The current World Grandfather, dede Edmond Brahimaj, also praised Dede Ahmeti: "Dede Ahmeti has given a valuable contribution to Bektashism, which will be appreciated and will serve between generations. He was a devoted cleric who felt tired on the Way of Hak, knew how to forgive kindness, love and faith in God, contributed maximally to the spread of the Bektashi faith and the establishment of institutions and did not spare the concrete support and contribution to the liberation of the country from invaders "- affirms the World Grandfather, His Grace, Haxhi Dede Edmond Brahimaj.
Today, the busts of Ahmet Myftar Dede adorn the squares in the city of Vlora and his birthplace in the village of Brataj. He was declared "Honorary Citizen" of Vlora and Brataj Commune, a prominent personality of Labëria. Albapost, in the cycle of prominent figures for 2001, has broadcast on the stamp show Ahmet Myftar Dede. Brochures, books about his life and work have been published, documentaries and calendars have been prepared. He remains a prominent figure for Bektashism in Albania and in the world.
Prepared by: Kujtim BORIÇI, Nuri ÇUNI
Notification
On the occasion of the commemoration of the 39th anniversary of the passing away of the former Bektashi World Leader Dede Ahmet Myftari, on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, from 10:00, visits will be made to the Holy Headquarters of the Bektashi World Headquarters in Tirana.
You're welcome!
Bektashi World Grandfather
His Grace,
Haxhi Dede Edmond Brahimaj