Baba Ali Tomorri (1900–1948; also known as Ali Tyrabiu, Ali Turabiu, Ali Baba of Tomorr, Baba Ali of Tomorr, and Varf Ali Prishta) was an Albanian

Bektashi The Bektashi Order; sq, Tarikati Bektashi; tr, Bektaşi or Bektashism is an Islamic Sufi mystic movement originating in the 13th-century. It is named after the Anatolian saint Haji Bektash Wali (d. 1271). The community is currently led by ...

religious leader.

Biography

Ali Tomorri was born Ali Abaz Skëndi in either 1900 or 1893 in

Shalës Shalës is a village and a former municipality in the Elbasan County, central Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Cërrik Cërrik (; sq-definite, Cërriku ) is a municipality in Elbasan Coun ...

near Tepelena. He completed his schooling in

Berat Berat (; sq-definite, Berati) is the ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and east of Fier. Berat is located in th ...

, and then studied in

Kozani Kozani ( el, Κοζάνη, ) is a city in northern Greece, capital of Kozani (regional unit), Kozani regional unit and of Western Macedonia. It is located in the western part of Macedonia (Greece), Macedonia, in the northern part of the Aliakmona ...

, which is currently in Greece. He returned to Albania in 1913 and was initiated as a ''muhib'' (Sufi disciple) at the tekke of Prishta by Baba Shaban, later becoming a

dervish Dervish, Darvesh, or Darwīsh (from fa, درویش, ''Darvīsh'') in Islam can refer broadly to members of a Sufi fraternity A fraternity (from Latin language, Latin ''wiktionary:frater, frater'': "brother (Christian), brother"; whence, ...

at the same tekke. At the tekke of Prishta, he became known as Varf Ali Prishta, with the title ''Varf'' literally meaning ‘poor dervish’ (related to the Albanian word ''i varfër'' ‘poor’). In 1922, Baba Ahmet Turani appointed him as a baba and assigned him to lead the tekke of Kulmak on

Mount Tomorr Tomorr is a mountain range in the region of Berat and Skrapar, in Albania. It reaches an elevation of above sea level at the Çuka e Partizanit, which is the highest peak in central Albania. Mount Tomorr is one of Albania's biggest water-col ...

. From then on, he became known by the name Baba Ali Tomorri. During the

1920s File:1920s decade montage.png, From left, clockwise: Third Tipperary Brigade Flying Column No. 2 under Seán Hogan during the Irish War of Independence; Prohibition agents destroying barrels of alcohol in accordance to the 18th amendment, whic ...

, Ali Tomorri organized the first few

World Bektashi Congress The World Bektashi Congress ( sq, Kongresi Botëror të Bektashinjve), formerly called the National Congress of the Bektashi before the 1990s, is a conference during which leading members of the Bektashi Order make important decisions. It has been ...

es, including the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Congresses. Ali Tomorri fought during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. In 1946, he was sent to the

Asim Baba Tekke The Zall Tekke ( sq, Teqeja e Zallit) or Asim Baba Tekke ( tr, Âsım Baba Tekkesi) is a Bektashi teqe in Gjirokastër, Albania. It is a Cultural Monument of Albania. History Seyyid Muhammed Asim Baba of Üsküdar (Istanbul) founded the tekke in ...

in Gjirokastra by the Communist government, where he replaced Baba

Selim Gjirokastra Salim, Saleem or Selim may refer to: People *Salim (name), or Saleem or Salem or Selim, a name of Arabic origin * Salim (poet) (1800–1866) * Saleem (playwright) (fl. 1996) *Selim I, Selim II and Selim III, Ottoman Sultans * Selim people, an e ...

(died 1944). However, in 1947, he was accused of espionage and working with the British, for which he was executed on 14 January 1948.

Writings

Ali Tomorri wrote 6 books and various articles, and also composed original Albanian poetry. Unlike his predecessors, he wrote in Latin instead of Arabic script.

Books

*''Bektashinjt e Shqipëries'' (The Bektashi of Albania) (1921) *''Thelbi i qëllimit'' (The Core of the Purpose) *''Literatyra e Bektashivet a vjersha të përkthyera prej shkrimtarëve bektashinj të vjetër'' (Bektashi Literature or Verse Translated from Old Bektashi Writers) (1927) *''Mercija (apo ceremonia e shënjtë e Bektashivet kur shënjtërohet Ashyréja)'' (Mersiye (the Sacred Ceremony of the Bektashi When Ashura Is Observed)) (1928) *''Historija e Bektashinjvet'' (History of the Bektashi) (1929) *''Xhevher ose mendim edhe aforizma Bektashijsh të vjetër'' (Jewels or Thoughts and Aphorisms of the Old Bektashi) (1934) *''Nefeze dhe gazele bektashiane'' (Bektashi Nefes and Ghazels) (1934)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tomorri, Ali 1900 births 1948 deaths Albanian Sufis Albanian religious leaders People from Cërrik