Academia.eduAcademia.edu
European Journal of Social Sciences Studies ISSN: 2501-8590 ISSN-L: 2501-8590 Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/soc Volume 2 │ Issue 7 │ 2017 doi: 10.5281/zenodo.1041386 RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE IN KOSOVO VILAYET FROM HALF OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY UNTIL 1912 Izet S. Miftarii Director of the library "Naim Frashëri", Vushtrri (Vuçitrn), Kosovo Researcher of the Field of History, PhD candidates in University of Prishtina, Kosovo Abstract: Albanians are recognized as a very tolerant religious people. Despite having more than three basic religious beliefs (Muslim, Catholic, and Orthodox), no religious civil war has been recorded in this nation. Rather, they have co-existed together and have cooperated together for their national and state rights. Religious divisions were only religious diversity (a very important social culture and feature that a nation can have), but no obstacle to the common realization of national goals. Thus, religious tolerance has prevailed even in the Vilayet of Kosovo from the middle of the nineteenth century to the year 1912, when this vilayet was unjustly occupied by Serbs, and unjustly formalized at the Ambassadors Conference in London (December 1912 - August 1913). Known scholar Thomas W. Arnold states: "Albanians, Muslims and Christians speak a language, cultivate the same traditions, have the same attitudes and habits. Their common national cloak is so strong that there is no place for the religious divisions that have separated the people of this people." The religious tolerance of Albanians, built for thousands of years, has influenced today to be present, sustainable and enforceable. Thus, in the Muslim Albanian celebrations (the Greater (Lesser) Bajram), both the priests and the Catholic Albanians go and congratulate them on religious holidays. The same is true of Christian holidays (Christmas and Easter), whereby Muslim imams and Muslims go and congratulate their religious holidays. This is really more than a miracle. Keywords: religious tolerance, Kosovo vilayet, nineteenth century Although the Albanian people are divided into three different religions, it has never been an obstacle in their common national. In historical sources, published and Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved. © 2015 – 2017 Open Access Publishing Group 280 Izet S. Miftari RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE IN KOSOVO VILAYET FROM HALF OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY UNTIL 1912 unpublished, it is not recorded anywhere that the Albanians had a religious war. Rather, religious diversity that characterizes the Albanian people, maybe it is unique in the world and can be an example of coexistence and interfaith respect for other peoples and countries. Albanians religions, such as Islam, Bektashism, Catholicism, Orthodoxism, Protestantism even Hebraisms have had not only coexisted peacefully and very tolerant, but also respected mutually, as it was only in the direction of a common God.ii In 1830, the Anglican priest, T. S. Hugs, wrote: "The Mohammedan Albanian is not largest loyal doctrine of rites and ceremonies under the new law, than it was under the old one so the Ottomans actually watch with great contempt. He often marry Christian woman; boys leads to the mosque; daughters with their mother lets to go to church, and himself, sometimes goes to the mosque or to church."iii In 1887, Austrian scholar Valdkampf, who dealt with Balkan studies, wrote: "The Albanians reject religious fanaticism of the Ottomans to that not to consider it at all ... All Albanians, whether Christian, or Muslim hate unify the Turkish occupier ... Albanians have no difficulty making marriage within their society regardless of religious beliefs.”iv The researcher continues: "Most Albanian villages don’t have Mosques and believers of this religion don’t hesitate to co - celebrate Easter with Christians, Orthodox also willingly participates in the Ramadan. Albanians don’t have difficulty to make their marriage in the community regardless of religious beliefs. All Albanians, Christian, or Muslim, equally hate Turks (Ottomans, I. M.). These are truths on Albanians".v For viewing / downloading the full article, please access the following link: https://oapub.org/soc/index.php/EJSSS/article/view/234 Faton Mehmeti, Prijës fetarë dhe shpirtëror shqiptarë - Bashkëjetesa ndërfetare dhe kontributi i tyre kombëtar, Prishtinë, 2015, 13. iii Shyqyri Nimani, Arnavud – Artistët shqiptarë në Perandorinë Osmane, Prishtinë, 2003, 18. iv Mark Krasniqi, Traditional tolerance and national human function, Lecture at the International Symposium held in Pristina on 14 - 16 April 2009; Mark Krasniqi, Toleranca në traditën shqiptare, Akademia e Shkencave dhe e Arteve e Kosovës, Prishtinë, 2007, 38. v M. Krasniqi, Acts. cit.,38. ii European Journal of Social Sciences Studies - Volume 2 │ Issue 7 │ 2017 281