The news of the appointment of a Turkish imam in the Great Mosque, ready to be opened on Thursday in the presence of President Erdogan, has brought surprise to a part of the community of Muslim believers. This is because such a case has not happened before.
So, there is no precedent for appointing a foreigner as imam in any mosque in Albania. This was not even in the 90s, when there were still no educated cadres to lead the Islamic religious life.
But it looks like that won't happen. At least, this is what is implied by the official announcement not of the KMSH but of the Mufti of Tirana, which is led by the man entrusted with the opening ceremony, Gazmend Teqja, at the same time the imam of the Xhurra Mosque in Tirana. And it will be exactly this name that will lead the new mosque as imam.
"The opening of the mosque will also be honored by the Mufti of Tirana, Mr. Gazment Teqja, as the official imam of the Great Mosque of the capital, at the same time as the head of the Foundation, which will be the sole administrative authority of this complex", says the official announcement of the Mufti of Tirana.
And in fact, he would be the right man for this task, distinguished over the years for directing the Porcelani mosque, transforming it into one of the most massive in Tirana.
Some time ago, mufti Teqja was also invited to Rama's Podcast, in a conversation with the latter. /tesheshi.com