World’s Spiritual Father of Bektashi Order dies

Health problems obliged him to interrupt his activity at the Bektashi World Headquarters in Albania, after two heart surgeries, one on 2000 and the second on 2004. Both interventions were performed in United States of America and were considered successful.

But who is Dede Hajji Baba Reshat Bardhi, the man that headed for 18 years the World Headquarter of Bektashi Order of Dervishes in Tirana?

Haji Reshat Bardhi was born on March 4th 1935, in the Lusëm village of Kukës district, Albania.

He was ordered as a dervish by the World Baba of the time, Dede Hajji Baba Ahmet Ahmetaj.

In the years 1958-1967 he was politically interned with Baba Ahmet in Mallakastra’s Drizar village, and after that he worked for 23 years in the “George Dimitrov” Agricultural Enterprise, in Tirana.

Dede Hajji Baba Reshat Bardhi performed on 1991 the traditional Islamic pilgrimage in saint city of Mecca, where he earned the “hajji” title. On that same year, with the help and cooperation of Mother Teresa, he reopened the World Headquarters of Bektashi order of Dervishes.

On July 20th 1993 he organized and headed the sixth Bektashian congress, where he was proclaimed World Baba of Bektashi Order of Dervishes.

During the 14 years after that followed the communist regime, under the personal attention of dede Reshat, 120 cult objects were built for the Bektashi devotees, performing a real powerful resurrection of Bektashi faith in our country.

During these years he has been honored with different titles, like Honorary Citizen of Berat, Kukës, Kruja, Bulqiza, and Martaneshi. On March 2005, for his 70th birth anniversary, the President of Albania gave him the order “Golden Naim Frashëri”.

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