Hafiz Sabri Koçi

Haxhi Hafiz Sabri Koçi (14 May 1921 – 18 June 2004) was an Albanian alim and shaikh of the Tijāniyyah tariqa[1] who served as the Grand Mufti of Albania in the 1990s.

Hafiz Sabri Koçi
TitleGrand Mufti
Personal
Born(1921-05-14)14 May 1921
Orenjë, Albania
Died18 June 2004(2004-06-18) (aged 83)
Tiranë, Albania
ReligionIslam
NationalityAlbanian
EthnicityAlbanian
Muslim leader
Period in office1991–2004
PredecessorPosition vacant during Communist Era (1967–1990)
SuccessorSelim Muça
PostHead of the Muslim Community of Albania

Biography

He was born in Orenjë near Librazhd to Idriz and Zejne. His father worked in Thessaloniki, but one year after his son was born, he passed away. With the help of the mayor of the administrative unit Adem Kastrati from Shkodra,[2] he was sent and educated in Shkodër.[3] He started his education in 1932 and given his voice afterwards he became the muezzin of Rusi i Vogël mahala mosque.[2]

Koçi served as the imam of Drisht from 1938–1939 before assuming the same role in Shkodër. Koçi was promoted to the mufti of Krujë in 1955. The next year, he was named mufti of Kavajë. He was persecuted for his faith by Enver Hoxha[4] and subsequently spent 23 years in jail for refusing to support the new drive towards complete atheism.[5] After the Muslim community of Albania was recognized in 1991, Koçi served as its Grand Mufti.[6] Upon his death, Koçi was succeeded by Selim Muça.[7]

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References
  1. Isa Blumi (2006). "Albania". In Kathryn M. Coughlin (ed.). Muslim Cultures Today: A Reference Guide. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 17, 23–24. ISBN 9780313323867.
  2. Luli, Faik; Dizdari, Islam; Bushati, Nexhmi (1997). Në kujtim të brezave. Shkodër: Shtëpia botuese "Rozafat". pp. 625–626.
  3. Elsie, Robert (2012-12-24). A Biographical Dictionary of Albanian History. I.B.Tauris. p. 240. ISBN 9781780764313.
  4. Merdjanova, Ina (2016-02-15). Rediscovering the Umma: Muslims in the Balkans Between Nationalism and Transnationalism. Oxford University Press. p. 40. ISBN 9780190462505.
  5. Vickers, Miranda; Pettifer, James (1997-01-01). Albania: From Anarchy to a Balkan Identity. Hurst. p. 103. ISBN 9781850652908.
  6. Roy, Olivier; Elbasani, Arolda (2015-07-28). The Revival of Islam in the Balkans: From Identity to Religiosity. Springer. ISBN 9781137517845.
  7. Elsie, Robert (2010). Historical Dictionary of Albania. Scarecrow Press. pp. 231–232. ISBN 9780810873803.



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