Assalaamu 'alaikum,
During the early 1990s when the current of democracy swept through Eastern Europe, closed government systems like that of Albania’s slowly began to open up. Although by no means a hallmark of a pluralistic society, the process enabled some to revive Islaam and its activities too. Many Muslims from other countries also came for “Da’wah work” and the preaching of Islam.
Never in the history of Albania have Muslims failed so drastically to spread and attract people to Islam. One key reason is that visiting Muslims lacked cultural, social, political, and sociological knowledge of Albanian Muslims and the way they practised and viewed Islaam. Moreover, many Muslim Albanians still retained their Ottoman habits living in a traditionally harmonious manner with both Muslims and non-Muslims alike that sometimes beguiled their visiting brethren.
This ignorance spread from arts and architecture to madhabs/fiqh issues and even included a gross misunderstanding of interpersonal relations. For example, some Islamic institutions built by these brothers were completely at odds with distinct Balkan architecture of the land. These institutions were perceived as ultimately uninviting places built by “foreign” Muslim organisations and thus could not absorb the Albanian Muslims. Many of these Muslims were also perceived as rude, harsh, judgmental and rather closed minded, often emphasising doctrine over character. This behaviour contrasted sharply with the friendly Ottoman Turkish hospitality that most Albanians had been used to.
Eventually, Da’wah (inviting to Islaam) was seen as an attempt to proselytise people to a skewed and strange version of Islam. Many of the immigrants emphasised their “correct understanding” of Islaam discouraging disagreement and discussion and rarely if ever acknowledged that other indigenous views could also be acceptable. Piety to them was submission and acceptance to their demands while people who questioned or disagreed with these Muslims were guilty of “un-Islamic” behaviour. The result was a clash of civilisations not a synchronisation of cultures.
The Albanian population as a whole has not tasted the flavour of religion for decades. This is primarily because there are no primary, secondary or higher Islamic educational institutions. And the classic Islamic literature simply does not exist. Most of this was destroyed or heavily suppressed during the Albanian Communist era. The people who have been educated have been indoctrinated along the atheist/secularistic lines. And since most of these people had a fairly good education, they have been able to rise to the top of the society. Since they rule the masses, Albanians have seen a moral erosion of the social fabric of their society.
Religion thus has seen a trickle down effect; the more educated one becomes, the easier his or her piety gets debunked. Generally speaking, only the less educated have remained religious and have kept an emotional attachment to their historical roots.
In other spheres of Albanian-Islamic contacts, Albania used to have observer status in the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Conference) which Albania has since abandoned. At one time an Albanian Islamic Bank was even formed in the capital Tirana. Other projects included building hospitals, schools, and cultural centres. However, the Albanians themselves were rather aloof about the development of relations with Islamic countries, because of their negative experience they had with their foreign brethren and because of a steady European influence.
And while Islaam falters and struggles to find its place in a predominantly Muslim society, Christianity is flourishing in Albania. Not only are they influential religiously, but they also are dominant in the media, politics, schools and the general state apparatus.
… to continue Insha’Allaah