Alcohol is allowed, women can wear anything… Albania declares to form a sovereign Muslim country on the lines of Vatican City
Albania, located on the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe, has decided to create a country for Muslims within the country on the lines of Vatican City. According to the New York Times report, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is planning a sovereign microstate within its capital Tirana. It will follow the practices of the Bektashi Order, a practice established in Turkey in the 13th century by a Shia Sufi. If this happens according to Edi’s plan, the ‘Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order’ will become the smallest country in the world, only a quarter of the size of Vatican City.
This new country will be on about 10 hectares of land and will have its own administration, passports and borders. Drinking alcohol will be allowed in this new country and women will be free to wear anything. The state will not impose any rules on the lifestyle of the people, reflecting the tolerant practices of the Bektashi Order. Edi said that the purpose of the new country is to promote the tolerant version of Islam that Albania is proud of. He said that religious tolerance is like a treasure.
Albania has a long-standing Bektashi tradition
The history of the Bektashi practice of Islam dates back to the 13th century Ottoman Empire. A century ago, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, banned these beliefs. After being banned, the headquarters of the Bektashi Order moved to Tirana. The Bektashi Order has a long mystical tradition in Albania. This practice does not force anyone to follow the basics of traditional Islam.
The Bektashi tradition has been dedicated to men known as dervishes. Dervish Baba Mondi is the current spiritual leader of this sect. Baba Mondi is ready to become the leader of the Bektashi. He says that decisions in the new country will be taken with love and kindness. Currently, a team of experts is working on a law defining the status of the new sovereign state within Albania. Baba Mondi has expressed hope that the US and Western countries will recognize the sovereignty of his country.
Albanian PM Edi on Monday proposed a ‘Vatican-style’ new country for the Islamic Sufi mystic sect Bektashi, hinting plans would be announced soon, though implementation could take time. Edi admitted only a few close aides had been told about the plan. Albania’s latest census data showed that 115,000 of the country’s 2.4 million people believe in the Bektashi.
