Kamber Ali (also known as Kamber Ali Dede, Ali Kamberi of Prishta, or Kamber Ali Pagria) (1869–1950) was the 3rd
Dedebaba (or Kryegjysh) of the
Bektashi Order
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 ...
. He served as Dedebaba for only several months in 1944, and was arrested by the Communists in December 1944 since he had fought for the
Balli Kombëtar. He died in prison in
Tirana in 1950.
(Kryegjyshata Botërore Bektashiane)
Biography
Early life
Kamber Ali was born in 1869 (or 1870) in the village of Pagria, located near Përmet, Albania. He served as a dervish under Baba Abedin
Baba and similar words may refer to:
Places
* Baba mountain range, also known as ''Koh-i-Baba'', in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan
* Baba Canton, a canton in Los Ríos Province, Ecuador
* Baba, Iran, a village in Kurdistan Province
* Baba, Koh ...
in Frashër. Kamber Ali was also an active part of the Albanian National Awakening and taught Albanian
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
**Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
**Albanian culture
**Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
in the Skrapar, Përmet, and Tomorrica regions. In 1910, Kamber Ali, Ahmet Turani, and Sulejman of Gjirokastra were each appointed as ''gjysh'' (baba) by Fejzi Dede at the ''pir evi'' of Haji Bektash Veli
Haji Bektash Veli or Wali ( fa, حاجی بکتاش ولی, Ḥājī Baktāš Walī; ota, حاجی بکتاش ولی, Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli; sq, Haxhi Bektash Veliu) (1209 – 1271) was a Muslim mystic, saint, Sayyid and philosopher from Kh ...
in Hacıbektaş
Hacıbektaş, formerly Karahöyük, is a town and district of Nevşehir Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 11,929 of which 5,169 live in the town of Hacıbektaş. Located in C ...
, central Anatolia.
World War I exile and return to Albania
During the Greek occupation of World War I, Kamber Ali fled to Candia ( Heraklion) in Crete, and then went on to the United States in 1916. While in the United States, he campaigned to raise funds for the tekkes among the Albanian Americans. In 1919 or 1920, he returned to Albania to help rebuild the tekkes destroyed during World War I. The year after that, he became the baba of Prishta and of Suka, succeeding Baba Hysen after his death. Kamber Ali was one of the main organizers of the first three National Congresses of the Bektashi
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ...
.
World War II
In November 1942, he joined the Balli Kombëtar, an anti-Communist resistance movement. While in the Balli Kombëtar, he was closely associated with Ali bey Këlcyra, one of the leaders of the movement.
Arrest and death
In December 1944, at the age of 74, Kamber Ali was arrested by the Communists was sentenced to life in prison due to his participation in the Balli Kombëtar. He died on 5 April 1950 in the Tirana prison hospital.
Tyrbe
The remains of Kamber Ali are now buried in a tyrbe at the World Headquarters of the Bektashi ( sq, Kryegjyshata) in Tirana.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ali, Kamber
1869 births
1950 deaths
Bektashi dedebabas
Albanian Sufis
Albanian religious leaders
People from Përmet