Baba Faja Martaneshi (1910 - 18 March 1947) 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 ...
''baba'' (Sufi) and a resistance leader during the
National Liberation War of the Albanian People.
Biography
Baba Faja was born Mustafa Xhani in
Luz i Madh
Luz i Madh is a village situated in the central plains of Albania's Western Lowlands region. It is part of Tirana County. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Rrogozhinë.
See also
* Baba Faja Martaneshi
Referenc ...
,
Kavajë
Kavajë ( , sq-definite, Kavaja) is a municipality centrally located in the Western Lowlands region of Albania, in Tirana County. It borders Durrës to the north , Tiranë to the east and Rrogozhinë to the south . To the west lies the Adriati ...
and pursued religious studies to become a ''baba'' at the ''
tekke'' of
Martanesh
Martanesh ( sq, Martaneshi) is a geographic and ethnographic region within the Dibër County in eastern Albania. Formerly a commune, at the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Bulqizë. The population at the 20 ...
, where he acquired the
religious name he would become popularly known by. Following the
Italian invasion of Albania
The Italian invasion of Albania (April 7–12, 1939) was a brief military campaign which was launched by the Kingdom of Italy against the Albanian Kingdom in 1939. The conflict was a result of the imperialistic policies of the Italian prime m ...
he led one of the earliest guerrilla bands against the occupiers, denouncing Fascist Italy as anti-Islamic and establishing contacts with the Albanian communist movement, becoming one of the most wanted men in the country in the process. In his memoirs
Enver Hoxha wrote that during the war the Baba was "one of those clergy men who wore the cap and the cloak of a dervish, but who had Albania in his heart and in his hand the rifle for its liberation. . . .
edid not discard his clerical cap and robe, and he was quite right, because in this way he rendered even greater service to the line of the
Party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often featur ...
and the
National Liberation Front for uniting everybody in the war without distinction as to region, or political and religious beliefs."
David Smiley
Colonel David de Crespigny Smiley, (11 April 1916 – 9 January 2009) was a British special forces and intelligence officer. He fought in the Second World War in Palestine, Iraq, Persia, Syria, the Western Desert and with Special Operations Ex ...
described Baba Faja as a likable "scoundrel," who "delighted in singing partisan songs in his deep bass voice, especially after consuming large quantities of
raki."
He became a founding member of the National Liberation Front upon its establishment in September 1942, serving on its General Council alongside
Enver Hoxha, Myslym Peza and other resistance fighters, and in July 1943 he became a member of the General Staff of the Albanian National Liberation Army. In May 1944 he was elected a Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Anti-Fascist National Liberation Council. After the war he served as a representative from
Elbasan
Elbasan ( ; sq-definite, Elbasani ) is the fourth most populous city of Albania and seat of Elbasan County and Elbasan Municipality. It lies to the north of the river Shkumbin between the Skanderbeg Mountains and the Myzeqe Plain in central ...
in the Constituent Assembly, subsequently becoming Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Assembly.
During the war he asked Hoxha to admit him as a member of the Communist Party; Hoxha supported this move and added "I am sure that you do not believe in religion but believe only in the Party." To this Baba Faja said, "For the Party I shall discard my clerical robes," to which Hoxha replied, "No, you should stick to the robes you wear. This is not a matter of deceiving people, but you wore the religious robes as a priest before the war and before the formation of the Party. Therefore, go on wearing them, because we have to respect the sentiments of believers and utilize the sympathy which the people have for you and the ''tekke'' of Martanesh. So, since you are resolutely for the war and love the Party, respect and apply its line, we will admit you as member of the Party." He was subsequently made a member.
In May 1945 he presided over the Fourth Congress of the Bektashi Community, which formally severed relations between the sect and the rest of the Islamic world. As the most prominent Bektashi figure to work with the Communists he led reformers within the sect who advocated allowing the clergy to marry, allowing them to shave their beards and to limit the wearing of religious clothing to ceremonies. On March 18, 1947 the conservative head of the sect,
Abaz Hilmi
Abaz Hilmi (''Abaz Hilmi Dede''; 13 March 1887 – 18 March 1947) was the 5th Dedebaba (or Kryegjysh) of the Bektashi Order. , was confronted by Baba Faja and Baba Fejzo Dervishi (a like-minded reformer) who demanded he accept these policies or else face reprisals from the government. Hilmi then proceeded to shoot both men and commit suicide.
[Elsie, p. 298; Schmitt, p. 168.]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martaneshi, Baba Faja
1910 births
1947 deaths
Albanian communists
Albanian resistance members
Albanian religious leaders
Albanian people of World War II
People's Socialist Republic of Albania
Religious leaders from Kavajë
Albanian Sufis
Assassinated Albanian people
People murdered in Albania
Deaths by firearm in Albania
Bektashi Order
Heroes of Albania
Muslim anti-fascists