Today, on August 5, 2021, father Abdyl Shehaj passed away, born in Rabije-Tepelena. Father Abdyl served in the tekke of Koshtan-Tepelena and later in the tekke of Memaliaj.
Father Abdyl Shehaj was born on May 16, 1948 in the village of Rabije-Tepelena. His parents, father, Qemali and mother Mine, raised and educated him with the love of the Bektashi and patriotic spirit. He continued his school in the village of Peshk in Martanesh, next to his uncle, father Hasim Shehaj, who was the father in the famous tekke of Martanesh. Here in this tekke, he took the Bektashi spirit and learned many of its rituals and codes. Every year, he went on a pilgrimage to the Ballenja tekke, in Martanesh, where he met his fathers and dervishes. Through them, he learned wisdom and love for human being. Father Hasimi also told him about the famous tekke of Koshtan. As we know, 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, after the advent of democracy when the two wonderful clerics, father Bajram Mahmutaj and father Sherif Canometaj, came here, with the idea and the holy spirit, to revive this tekke full of fame. Further Reshat Bardhi, sent here the dervish Xhelal, who gathered the first believers by recounting the great mission they had before, continuing the noble work and the Bektashi work, together with father Abdyl Shehaj, who gave life to these historical walls by year 1995. Father Abdyli worked diligently to give value to the traditional heritage of the Koshtan tekke, which in history has left traces not only as a tekke of Bektashi spirit and fire, but also as a hearth of patriotism, where fathers worked for the Bektashi mission and with the motto that ” ” Without a homeland There is no religion.” Here, the first Albanian school was opened in 1908. Koshtan’s tekke was fully put in the service of Albanianism, so it was burned twice, by Greek andartes and esadist forces, while its dervishes and fathers were imprisoned and killed.
Father Abdyli also contributed to the rebuilding of tekkes and tombs in the Tepelena area. He took special care of the Rabija tekke. In recent years, father Abdyl has been aggravated by the disease, for which he was treated both in Albania and abroad. The World Leader of the Bektashis, His Holiness, Haxhi Dede Edmond Brahimaj, has constantly taken care of his health, to alleviate his suffering.
Despite his disease, Father Abdyli took care of the work of the tekkes and tombs in Tepelena due to concerns. But the disease did not let him and today he passed away. BFather Abdyli was calm, sweet-mouthed and with his work he had won the respect and love of the believers of the tekke Koshtani, Memaliaj and all of Tepelena. The unforgettable in his memory.
Tributes in honor of the clergyman father Abdyl Shehaj, are performed from today, 05.08.2021 at 20:00, in the premises of the Bektashi World Headquarters, the Holy See in Tirana, until the next day at 11:00, on 06.08.2021. The funeral ceremony will take place the next day, 06.08.2021, at 17:00 in the village of Koshtan, Tepelena.