Greeting fellow Europeans, As an Albanian, I often see misinterpretations of the impact of Muslim culture in Albania in this subreddit.
Islam in Albania mainly arrived during the Ottoman period when the majority of Albanians over time converted to Islam and in particular two of its denominations: Sunni and Bektashi.
Religion in Albania in the 20th century underwent radical changes when the communist governments followed a systematic dereligionization of the Albanian nation and national culture. Decades of state atheism, which ended in 1991, brought a decline in the religious practice of all traditions.
Throughout the duration of the Communist regime, national Albanian identity was constructed as being irreligious and based upon a common unitary Albanian nationality. This widely spread ideal is still present
Among Albanians and in particular the young, religion is increasingly not seen as important. In a Pew research centre survey of Muslim Albanians in 2012, religion was important for only 15%, while 7% prayed, around 5% went to a mosque.
Albania's "religious tolerance" and "religious harmony" are viewed as part of a set of distinctly Albanian national ideals, and said to serve an important part in Albania's civic framework where sectarian communities ideally set aside their difference and work together in the pursuit of national interest. Pope Francis, praised Albania as a "model for a world witnessing conflict in God's name" and Prime Minister Edi Rama, who marched with Christian and Muslim clergy on either side in a demonstration in response to religious motivated violence in Paris.
This is very visible in Albanian culture, religion is irrelevant, Albanians marry regardless of faith and cultural impact is minimal in things like religious holidays and that of both religions. This is shown by the most celebrated poem in Albanian "O moj Shqypni"a critique of religious and political factionalism as a barrier to national unity of Albanians called for them overcoming religious divisions through a united Albanianism
O moj Shqypni (Oh Albania)
"Albanians, you are killing kinfolk,
You're split in a hundred factions,
