Author: Obaidullah Noorzahi
Islam in Europe (Part 9)
Islam in Albania
Albania is a mountainous country in southeastern Europe and the Balkan region. It borders the Adriatic Sea, the former Yugoslavia, and Greece, with the Strait of Otranto located in its southwest. The country’s total area is 28,748 square kilometers. Its climate is Mediterranean in the western regions and temperate mountainous in other areas.
In the sixth century AD, Albania came under the control of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire. In 1501 AD, it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire. During Ottoman rule, notable political and military figures, including Muhammad Ali, the ruler of Egypt, emerged from this land.
In the nineteenth century, with the decline of the Ottoman Empire, some tribal leaders sought independence. In 1878 AD, under the Treaty of Berlin, part of Albania was ceded to Montenegro. In 1912 AD, with the support of Austria and Hungary, Albania gained independence, and Ismail Qemali Vlora assumed leadership.
During the presidency of Ahmet Bey Zogu, Albania came under Italian influence, and Muslims faced severe oppression. This repression led to the rise of communism in the country. In 1939 AD, Albania was occupied by Mussolini’s army. After World War II, the communists, backed by the Soviet Union and Western powers, took control, unleashing a wave of violence and executions. With the fall of communism, Albania once again moved toward reviving Islamic values.
When Enver Hoxha came to power, he launched an extensive campaign to eradicate religious sentiments in Albania. Through atheist and anti-Islamic policies, he sought to eliminate the religious roots of the people. Despite these policies, people continued to practice their faith in an atmosphere of fear and repression. During this period, many mosques, shrines, and religious sites were destroyed and repurposed. Hoxha declared Albania an atheist state to the world and waged a widespread anti-religious propaganda campaign against Islam.
In 1967 AD, a new wave of religious persecution began. Religious figures were subjected to severe torture, and many were brutally killed. Enver Hoxha repeatedly declared in his speeches, “Religion has been a source of division, fratricide, humiliation, and exploitation of our nation!”
In 1976 AD, even the use of Islamic names was banned, and religious individuals were humiliated. The situation became so dire that many Muslims were forced to migrate to other countries. Despite all these measures, although deep wounds were inflicted on Albanian Muslims, Hoxha’s efforts to completely destroy Islam ultimately failed.
With the collapse of the communist regime in recent years, favorable conditions for Islamic activities have emerged. Although Islamic practices remain relatively subdued, the people’s interest in religion is very strong.
One of the current threats in Albania is the efforts of Catholic missionaries who, by exploiting the poverty and deprivation of the people, promote Christianity through the distribution of gifts and financial aid. This trend has provided an opportunity for European churches and Western capitalists to launch a systematic, organized campaign against Islam.
The President of Albania is a Muslim, and most cabinet members are also Muslim. However, the Prime Minister is an Orthodox Christian, and the Speaker of Parliament is Catholic. The capital of Albania is Tirana. The country is divided into 28 districts and is governed by a central government. Albania joined the United Nations in 1955 AD.
Ninety-five percent of Albania’s population is of Albanian ethnicity, divided into the Ghegs (in the north) and the Tosks (in the south). Minorities of Greeks and Turks also reside in the country. The official language is Tosk Albanian, but Thracian and Greek languages are also spoken.
According to 1990 AD statistics, Albania’s population was 3,235,000, of which 75% were Muslims, while the rest adhered to Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Thirty-five percent of the population lived in urban areas, with the remainder residing in villages. The annual population growth rate was 2%, and the relative density was 112.5 people per square kilometer.
The presence of vast highlands and a favorable climate has led to the prosperity of livestock farming in Albania, with most people engaged in sheep and cattle raising. Agriculture is also prevalent, producing crops such as wheat, vegetables, and fruits.
Albania is the world’s third-largest producer of chromite and is rich in copper, oil, coal, and nickel reserves. Significant industries, including tractor manufacturing, textiles, cement production, oil refining, and hydroelectric power plants, have been established in the country. Albania’s exports mainly consist of agricultural, livestock, and mineral products.
Enver Hoxha’s prolonged rule turned Albania into an underdeveloped country, even compared to many African nations. The Albanian Parliament has become a center for promoting Christianity and Western influence, with European missionaries and investors flooding into the country. In Tirana, children and teenagers beg for financial and food aid, and the city’s streets are filled with unemployed individuals and street vendors engaged in menial trades.
Shopping centers and supermarkets are in a dire state, and annual income rarely exceeds $100. Schools are severely run down and outdated, with facilities far below educational standards. In the only Islamic school in Tirana, which was recently established, students use cardboard instead of desks and chairs.
The extreme poverty and deprivation of the Albanian people result from the collusion of communists and foreign powers, who have left Albania’s Muslim community in such a miserable condition within a developed continent.
Continues…
[1] One Billion Muslims, Iskandar Deldam, Vol. 1, pp. 102-109.
