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| ] in ] amount to an estimated at a minimum of 60% of the total population, followed in the second place in number of religion adherents with the ] and followed by ]. | |||
| Statistics as of |
Statistics as of 1939 estimated that 75 percent of Albanians were of Muslim affiliation (] and ]). However, decades of ] which ended in ], caused a radical decline in religious practice in all traditions. The majority of Albanians in the 90's, up to 65% of the population, were ]. | ||
| Since the 90's Islam has grown within Albania especially after the war in ]. The war had a big influence in the growth of Islam as the world saw that as a Orthodox crusade on the Muslims of Kosova where the Serbian Orthodox people tried to expel all Albanians from Kosova, over 550,000 were forced out of Kosova and 20,000 were murdered, also the backing of the ] by most Muslim countries and the 3,000 ]’s who volunteered to fight in Kosova helped widen Islam to the Albanian people. | |||
| The Main reason is responsible for the sudden growth of Islam in Albania is because of Muslims nations of the world especially countries like ], ], & ] who have invested million in spreading the message of Islam to the Albanians buy printing more ]s in Albanian and more Islamic history and literature and knowledge books, spreading documentaries…etc, building 300 mosques around Albania | |||
| Islam continues to be the fastest growing religion in Albania as in the rest of the world, estimates are that if Islam continues growing at this rate in Albania by 2015 Albania will be around 85% Muslim. | |||
| Like other religions, Islam has seen some limited revival since the official ban on all religious practice was lifted. {{Fact|date=April 2007}} | |||
| == Islam in Albania before 1944 == | == Islam in Albania before 1944 == | ||
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| In the North, the spread of Islam was slower as the ] was strong and the mountainous terrain slowed the influx of Ottoman influences. In the South, however, Catholicism was not as strong and by the end of the seventeenth century the region had largely adopted the religion of the growing Albanian Muslim elite. The existence of a growing Albanian Muslim class of ]s and ] who played an increasingly important role in Ottoman political and economic life made adopting the religion of the Ottoman elite an increasingly attractive option for most Albanians. | In the North, the spread of Islam was slower as the ] was strong and the mountainous terrain slowed the influx of Ottoman influences. In the South, however, Catholicism was not as strong and by the end of the seventeenth century the region had largely adopted the religion of the growing Albanian Muslim elite. The existence of a growing Albanian Muslim class of ]s and ] who played an increasingly important role in Ottoman political and economic life made adopting the religion of the Ottoman elite an increasingly attractive option for most Albanians. | ||
| ⚫ | During the monarchy various practices of Islam were prohibited by law, like wearing the veil for women, and religious institutions of all confessions were put under state control. This trend was taken to extreme during the totalitarian regime, when religions, identified as imports foreign to Albanian culture, were banned altogether. | ||
| In ], the Albanian Muslim congress convened at Tirana decided to break with the ], establishing a new form of prayer (standing, instead of the traditional ] ritual), banishing polygamy and the mandatory use of veil (]) by women in public.<ref> published in ] in April 14, 1923</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | During the monarchy religious institutions of all confessions were put under state control. |
||
| ==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
| The Muslims of Albania were divided into two main communities: those associated with ] ] and those associated with the ], a mystic ] order that came to Albania through the Ottoman Janissaries. The order resembles ] mystic orders, but contains elements quite distinct from orthodox Islam. After the Bektashis were banned in Turkey in ] by ], the order moved its world centre to ] and the Albanian government subsequently recognized it as a body independent from ]. Sunni Muslims were estimated to represent approximately |
The Muslims of Albania were divided into two main communities: those associated with ] ] and those associated with the ], a mystic ] order that came to Albania through the Ottoman Janissaries. The order resembles ] mystic orders, but contains elements quite distinct from orthodox Islam. After the Bektashis were banned in Turkey in ] by ], the order moved its world centre to ] and the Albanian government subsequently recognized it as a body independent from ]. Sunni Muslims were estimated to represent approximately 60% of the country's ] population before ], while Bektashi represented another 15%. | ||
| ] have historically lived in the cities of Albania, while ] ] mainly in remote areas whereas ] mainly in the south, and ] in the north of the country. However, in the modern times this division is not strict, particularly in the case of many urban centers, which have mixed populations. | ] have historically lived in the cities of Albania, while ] ] mainly in remote areas whereas ] mainly in the south, and ] in the north of the country. However, in the modern times this division is not strict, particularly in the case of many urban centers, which have mixed populations. | ||
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| {{Europe in topic|Islam in}} | {{Europe in topic|Islam in}} | ||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
Revision as of 22:58, 31 May 2007
Muslims in Albania amount to an estimated at a minimum of 60% of the total population, followed in the second place in number of religion adherents with the Orthodox Christians and followed by Roman Catholics.
Statistics as of 1939 estimated that 75 percent of Albanians were of Muslim affiliation (Sunni and Bektashi). However, decades of State Atheism which ended in 1991, caused a radical decline in religious practice in all traditions. The majority of Albanians in the 90's, up to 65% of the population, were nonreligious. Since the 90's Islam has grown within Albania especially after the war in Kosovo. The war had a big influence in the growth of Islam as the world saw that as a Orthodox crusade on the Muslims of Kosova where the Serbian Orthodox people tried to expel all Albanians from Kosova, over 550,000 were forced out of Kosova and 20,000 were murdered, also the backing of the KLA by most Muslim countries and the 3,000 Mujahideen’s who volunteered to fight in Kosova helped widen Islam to the Albanian people. The Main reason is responsible for the sudden growth of Islam in Albania is because of Muslims nations of the world especially countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, & UAE who have invested million in spreading the message of Islam to the Albanians buy printing more Kurans in Albanian and more Islamic history and literature and knowledge books, spreading documentaries…etc, building 300 mosques around Albania
Islam continues to be the fastest growing religion in Albania as in the rest of the world, estimates are that if Islam continues growing at this rate in Albania by 2015 Albania will be around 85% Muslim.
Islam in Albania before 1944
Since Albania has been part of the Ottoman Empire for almost five centuries the integration of Albanians into this empire went hand in hand with the gradual spread of Islam and the abdication of Paganism and Christianity. When Albania was declared an independent country in 1912, it emerged as the only Muslim-majority state in Europe.
In the North, the spread of Islam was slower as the Roman Catholic Church was strong and the mountainous terrain slowed the influx of Ottoman influences. In the South, however, Catholicism was not as strong and by the end of the seventeenth century the region had largely adopted the religion of the growing Albanian Muslim elite. The existence of a growing Albanian Muslim class of pashas and beys who played an increasingly important role in Ottoman political and economic life made adopting the religion of the Ottoman elite an increasingly attractive option for most Albanians.
During the monarchy various practices of Islam were prohibited by law, like wearing the veil for women, and religious institutions of all confessions were put under state control. This trend was taken to extreme during the totalitarian regime, when religions, identified as imports foreign to Albanian culture, were banned altogether.
Distribution
The Muslims of Albania were divided into two main communities: those associated with Sunni Islam and those associated with the Bektashi, a mystic Dervish order that came to Albania through the Ottoman Janissaries. The order resembles Sufi mystic orders, but contains elements quite distinct from orthodox Islam. After the Bektashis were banned in Turkey in 1925 by Atatürk, the order moved its world centre to Tirana and the Albanian government subsequently recognized it as a body independent from Sunnism. Sunni Muslims were estimated to represent approximately 60% of the country's Muslim population before 1939, while Bektashi represented another 15%.
Sunni Muslims have historically lived in the cities of Albania, while Bektashi Shias mainly in remote areas whereas Orthodox Christians mainly in the south, and Roman Catholics in the north of the country. However, in the modern times this division is not strict, particularly in the case of many urban centers, which have mixed populations.
References
 | This image is available from the United States Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division under the digital ID {{{id}}} This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Misplaced Pages:Copyrights for more information. |  |
See also
External links
- The Bektashi Community
- Myftinia Shkodër, Mufti of Shkodra City
- The Muslim Forum of Albania
- Newspaper "Drita Islame"
- Magazine "Familja"
| Islam in Europe | |
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| States with limited recognition | |
| Dependencies and other entities | |