Sead Delić: Blagaj, Tekija
Ibrahim Kajan
ON AN ANCESTORS
STATION, TEKKE
Bektashi Tekke
in Blagaj, as it used to be called in the beginning. And when was this
beginning, the moment the builder brings the truss to the finial, actually no
one knows. We neither inherited a precise verbal memory, nor an unambiguous
written testimony. Yes, we talk about the secret origin of the Tekke in Blagaj.
It is quite
clear that the Tekke dates not from 1644 when it was first registered by Evliya
Čelebi in the descriptions of the world that he has seen on his travels. It was
not built, he says, by the former Mufti of Mostar, nor was it erected by the
followers of Khalwatiyyah dervishs, because no graves in the turbeh leaning on
the Tekke are of Khalwatiyyah origin. Turbeh is not even mentioned as if it
never existed, but apparently, there had to be. The turbeh is a paradox:
"content” is linked to the mythical-historical figure of Sari Saltuk from
the 13th century, we talked about previously, and based on that it was
questionable how, this tomb, 250 years after the legendary Saltuk's vain for
his body to be in one of the seven coffins - and then to be carried in seven
countries and be buried there. If there were no tombs in its past, not even in
the Tekke, under a large cave at the source of the Buna, was something sacred,
sublime and fascinating: first Islamic pilgrimage site that has absorbed
dualistic, Bogumil spiritual gathering in the face of his Lord. That is what is
taught by the unknown, until the recent, posthumously published article about
the Tekke and turbeh in Blagaj written by the credible Muhamed Hadzijahić.
Sari Saltuk's and Ačik-baša's
graves
Sari Saltuk’s
appearance on Christian sanctuary is very common (in Albania, Macedonia), so
this reasonable doubt that Saltuk’s grave in Blagaj is in fact on the old
sanctuary of the Bosnian Church is not surprising. This is supported, as
Hadžijahić thinks, by a charter that dates back to June, 1st, 1454, given to
Herzog Stjepan by the King of Aragon and Naples, Alfonso. Since in it the
Aragonian king particularly values the cave in Blagaj, it is obviously a
strategic site or cult place of particular importance. The author cites the
legend which says that there used to be a "room" where Saltuk laid
down weapons, "an indication that his tomb should be built there."
River sources even in the Illyrian times were "attractive cult
places".
The cult of Sari
Saltuk, apparently, originates from the fall of Herzog’s land to the Turks, in
the great period of rise and power of Bektashi spiritual and military tariqah.
But there was a twist!
P. Ricaut writes
that to Bektashis "belonged all the
janissaries, and Janissaries were reprimand for not being devout."
Extremely sharp conflict Bektashi blaze was during Sultan Osman II (1618-1622)
governance. In such circumstances, Hadžijahić underlines, "was strictly
taken care of suppressing all heterodox teachings in Bosnia." Certainly,
the Tekke in Blagaj did not remain outside the ideological “cleansing”, so it
is no wonder that Čelebi, a favourite of the court, in Blagaj registered
"Khalwatiyyaha Tekke" completely blind for enormous Bektashi presence
as Saltuks tomb with a number of additional signatures in the Bektashi Tekke
architecture.
Hadžijahić
indicates a still visible detail in typical Bektashi Tekke inventory. "In
Semahane the left from the entrance, but also in the room adjacent to the doors
side of the entrance to the right, in the wall
in the form of niches, a taboot (coffin) is presented. The purpose of
this "memento mori", or according to Sufi teachings is: "mutu
kable ente mutu " - "Die before you die." Such a presentation,
the author holds, developed only in Bektashi. Reminders of Bektashis are also
inscriptions above the entrance to semahana, the existence of the spa in the
tekke, regardless of the fact other Tekkes may have spa - it is here related to
the ritual itself, i.e. it is necessary.
The tekke is,
apparently, restored as Khalwatiyyahs, with Khalwatiyyah dervishes including the mufti of Mostar
Zijaudin which Čelebi mentions as a "builder", instead of an"adaptat". Just its prehistory,
tangible and not just significant, deepening the lower limit of the historical
building of the Blagaj Tekke, touching upon the realms of folk traditions and
folk beliefs. And on them, from whichever side you observe it, rest not only
people’s dreams, but also their national history.
Prijevod na engleski: Amina Imami
