Arabati Baba Tekke
Encyclopedia
The Arabati Baba Teḱe is a tekke
located in Tetovo
, Republic of Macedonia
. The tekke was originally built in 1538 around the türbe of Sersem Ali Baba, an Ottoman
dervish
. In 1799, a waqf
provided by Rexhep Pasha established the current grounds of the tekke.
, who had a dream which inspired him to leave the services of the Sultan and to apply himself to the Sufi path. Upon hearing this, the Sultan replied "If you will be a sersem (fool), then go." Subsequently, Ali became known as Sersem Ali Baba.
Sersem Ali eventually came to settle in Tetovo
, then a back-water of the Ottoman Empire
, and attracted a following. He attracted a following of like-minded mystics; one of these, Harabati Baba, built a türbe
on the site of the current tekke after noticing the presence of a candle, a symbolic image in Bektashi
thought, where there had not been one before.
In September 2010, it was announced that part of a €53,000 grant by the US
government for restoring and conserving landmarks all over Macedonia would go to the Arabati Baba Teḱe.
In March 2008, there were reports that the ICM members squatting on the facility grounds have taken control of additional buildings, have been intimidating visitors to the tekke, and have discharged their weapons on the grounds.
Khanqah
A Khanqah, Khaniqah , ribat, zawiya, or tekke is a building designed specifically for gatherings of a Sufi brotherhood, or tariqa, and is a place for spiritual retreat and character reformation...
located in Tetovo
Tetovo
Tetovo is a city in the northwestern part of Macedonia, built on the foothills of Šar Mountain and divided by the Pena River.The city covers an area of at above sea level, with a population of 86,580 citizens in the municipality. Tetovo is home to the State University of Tetovo and South East...
, Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. The tekke was originally built in 1538 around the türbe of Sersem Ali Baba, an Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
dervish
Dervish
A Dervish or Darvesh is someone treading a Sufi Muslim ascetic path or "Tariqah", known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars in Christianity or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus.-Etymology:The Persian word darvīsh is of ancient origin and descends from a Proto-Iranian...
. In 1799, a waqf
Waqf
A waqf also spelled wakf formally known as wakf-alal-aulad is an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law, typically denoting a building or plot of land for Muslim religious or charitable purposes. The donated assets are held by a charitable trust...
provided by Rexhep Pasha established the current grounds of the tekke.
History
According to legend, Ali was a vizier to the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the MagnificentSuleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...
, who had a dream which inspired him to leave the services of the Sultan and to apply himself to the Sufi path. Upon hearing this, the Sultan replied "If you will be a sersem (fool), then go." Subsequently, Ali became known as Sersem Ali Baba.
Sersem Ali eventually came to settle in Tetovo
Tetovo
Tetovo is a city in the northwestern part of Macedonia, built on the foothills of Šar Mountain and divided by the Pena River.The city covers an area of at above sea level, with a population of 86,580 citizens in the municipality. Tetovo is home to the State University of Tetovo and South East...
, then a back-water of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, and attracted a following. He attracted a following of like-minded mystics; one of these, Harabati Baba, built a türbe
Turbe
Türbe is the Turkish word for "tomb", and for the characteristic mausoleums, often relatively small, of Ottoman royalty and notables. It is related to the Arabic turba, which can also mean a mausoleum, but more often a funerary complex, or a plot in a cemetery.-Characteristics:A typical türbe...
on the site of the current tekke after noticing the presence of a candle, a symbolic image in Bektashi
Bektashi
Bektashi Order or Bektashism is an Islamic Sufi order founded in the 13th century by the Persian saint Haji Bektash Veli. In addition to the spiritual teachings of Haji Bektash Veli the order was significantly influenced during its formative period by both the Hurufis as well as the...
thought, where there had not been one before.
In September 2010, it was announced that part of a €53,000 grant by the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government for restoring and conserving landmarks all over Macedonia would go to the Arabati Baba Teḱe.
Arabati Baba controversy
In 2002, a group of armed members of the Islamic Community of Macedonia (ICM), the legally recognized organization which claims to represent all Muslims in Macedonia, invaded the Arabati Baba Tekke in an attempt to reclaim the tekke as a mosque, although the facility has never functioned as such. Subsequently the Bektashi community of Macedonia has sued the Macedonian government for failing to restore the tekke to the Bektashi community, pursuant to a law passed in the early 1990s returning previously nationalized under the Yugoslav government. The law, however, deals with restitution to private citizens, rather than religious communities. The ICM claim to the tekke is based upon their contention to represent all Muslims in Macedonia; and indeed, they are one of two Muslim organizations recognized by the government, both Sunni. The (Shi'i) Bektashi community filed for recognition as a separate religious community with the Macedonian government in 1993, but the Macedonian government has refused to recognize them.In March 2008, there were reports that the ICM members squatting on the facility grounds have taken control of additional buildings, have been intimidating visitors to the tekke, and have discharged their weapons on the grounds.