Albanian

Are albanians mostly muslims? Any albanians here? 😀

Posted from TSR Mobile

First question:
According to 2011 census, 58.79% of Albania's population adheres to Islam, making it the largest religion in the country. The majority of Albanian Muslims are Sunni with a significant Bektashi Shia minority. Christianity is practiced by 16.99% of the population, making it the 2nd largest religion in the country. The remaining population is either irreligious or belongs to other religious groups.^[1] During the Ottoman rule of Albania, the majority of Albanians converted to the Muslim affiliation (Sunni and Bektashi). However, decades of state atheism which ended in 1991 brought a decline in religious practice in all traditions.
A recent Pew Research Center demographic study put the percentage of Muslims in Albania at 79.9%.^[2] However, a recent Gallup poll gives percentages of religious affiliations with only 43% Muslim, 19% Eastern Orthodox, 15% Catholic and 23% atheist or nonreligious.^[3] In the 2011 census the declared religious affiliation of the population was: 56.70% Sunni Muslims, 2.09% Bektashis, 10.03% Catholics, 6.75% Orthodox, 0.14% Evangelists, 0.07% other Christians, 5.49% believers without denomination, 2.05% Atheists, 13.79% undeclared.^[4] 65% of Albanian Muslims are non-denominational Muslims.^[5]
Islam came to Albania through the Ottoman rule in the 14th century and confronted Christianity. In the North, the spread of Islam was slower due to resistance from the Roman Catholic Church and the mountainous terrain which contributed to curb Muslim influence. In the center and south, however, by the end of the seventeenth century the urban centers had largely adopted the religion of the growing Albanian Muslim elite. The existence of an Albanian Muslim class of pashas and beys who played an increasingly important role in Ottoman political and economic life became an attractive career option for most Albanians.
The Muslims of Albania were divided into two main communities: those associated with Sunni Islam and those associated with theBektashi Sufis, a mystic Dervish order that came to Albania during the Ottoman period, primarily during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Bektashi sect is considered heretical by most mainstream Muslims. Historically Sunni Islam found its strongest base in northern and central Albania, while Bektashis were found primarily in the Tosk lands of the south.
During Ottoman rule the Albanian population gradually began to convert to Islam through the teachings of Bektashism, in order to gain considerable advantages in the Ottoman trade networks, bureaucracy and army. Many Albanians were recruited into the Ottoman Janissary and Devşirme and 42 Grand Viziers of the Ottoman Empire were of Albanian origin. The most prominent Albanians during Ottoman rule were: Koca Davud Pasha, Hamza Kastrioti, Iljaz Hoxha, Nezim Frakulla, Köprülü Mehmed Pasha, Ali Pasha, Edhem Pasha, Haxhi Shehreti, Ali Pasha of Gucia, Ibrahim Pasha of Berat, Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed, Muhammad Ali of Egypt,Kara Mahmud Bushati, Ahmet Kurt Pasha.
[h="3"]Independence[edit][/h]

Mosque in Fier.

The country won its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912. Following the National Renaissance tenets and the general lack of religious convictions^{[citation needed]}, during the 20th century, the democratic, monarchic and later the communist regimes followed a systematic dereligionization of the nation and the national culture. Due to this policy, as all other faiths in the country, Islam underwent radical changes.
In 1923, following the government program, the Albanian Muslim congress convened at Tirana decided to break with the Caliphate, established a new form of prayer (standing, instead of the traditional salat ritual), banished polygamy and the mandatory use of veil (hijab) by women in public, practices forced on the urban population by the Ottomans.^[6]
The Muslim clergy, following suit with the Catholic and Orthodox clergy, was totally eradicated during the communist regime of Enver Hoxha who declared Albania the only non-religious country in the world, banning all forms of religious practice in public in 1967.
Today Albania is the only entirely European member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.^[7]
In April 2011, Bedër University, Albania's first Islamic university was opened in Tirana.^{[8]

Second question:
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Reply 2

Teuta.H

Original post by Ciarasam

Are albanians mostly muslims? Any albanians here? 😀

Posted from TSR Mobile

They're mostly by name and I'm Albanian! ✌️

Why do you ask?

i am albanian and my parents pretend to be muslims (they're not)

im atheist

Reply 5

Teuta.H

Original post by harryarmpits

i am albanian and my parents pretend to be muslims (they're not)

im atheist

I agree Harry armpits, although I'm the religious one out of all my family 😂

Reply 6

EllainKahlo

The majority, by a slight margin, are. But a large percentage of them are not practicing/strict Muslims.

Reply 7

flibber

Original post by harryarmpits

i am albanian and my parents pretend to be muslims (they're not)

im atheist

Were your parents old enough to remember the rule of Enver Hoxha?

Reply 8

harryarmpits

Original post by flibber

Were your parents old enough to remember the rule of Enver Hoxha?

don't know, don't care (srs)

Reply 9

Teuta.H

Original post by flibber

Were your parents old enough to remember the rule of Enver Hoxha?

Yes my mum talks about it (she was a little girl/teen then I think), but my great-grandmother is still alive and she talks about it, apparently everyone cried when he died! Ironically my name is Teuta Hoxha, and someone came up to me and asked if I was related to him :bawling:

Reply 10

flibber

Original post by Teuta.H

Doesn't that normally happen when a tyrant with a huge personality cult dies (e.g. Kim Il Sung in North Korea). Does your mum have a favorable opinion of him?

Reply 11

Teuta.H

Original post by flibber

Doesn't that normally happen when a tyrant with a huge personality cult dies (e.g. Kim Il Sung in North Korea). Does your mum have a favorable opinion of him?

No, she tells me he was really bad! especially to Muslims. Apparently during Ramadan (fasting month) if he saw any lights on in the morning (you know Muslims get up early to eat before the fast) he would go inside and beat them etc. But then when he died EVERYONE was crying, they were bloody sad!! :eek: