Rexhep Voka

Rexhep Voka
Rexhep Voka
Born	1847; Şipkovica, Kalkandelen, Ottoman Empire
Died	1917 (aged 70)
Academic background
Academic work
Era	Albanian National Awakening

Nuredin Rexhep Voka (1847 - 1917) was an Albanian alim, mufti, writer and a prominent activist of the Albanian National Awakening.

Biography

Rexhep Voka was born in 1847 in the village of Şipkovica, Kalkandelen.[1] In 1868, Voka undertook religious studies in Istanbul where he worked as a professor after completing his education. Voka returned to Kalkandelen in 1895 where he became involved in the Albanian National Renaissance. In 1903, Voka was appointed Mufti of the Manastir Vilayet[2] and founded the first Albanian theological college in Üsküb.[3] In Monastir, before the Young Turk revolution, Voka started learning Albanian in Latin characters from Albanian Protestant missionaries.[2] In 1905, Voka attended the Pan-Albanian Congress organized in Bucharest. Headed by Albert Ghica, attended by Ismail Qemali and deliberated with Bucharest's Albanian community, the congress discussed the Albanian issue.

Rexhep Voka was a member of Bashkimi (Unity) at the time of the Young Turk revolution.[4] He printed an Albanian alphabet in Arabic script comprising forty-four letters, called Elifbaja shqip.[4] Tiranli Fazli then used this script to publish a thirty-two page grammar. Only one Albanian newspaper at the time ever appeared in Arabic script, and it lasted a brief period. Regardless of what script appeared, such material raised Albanian national consciousness.[4]

Legacy

Rexhep Voka was highly regarded among Albanians for his involvement with the Albanian National Awakening. He encouraged education and schooling for the Albanians and has a statue dedicated to him in his birthplace of Shipkovica.[3]

Quote:

Njeriu pa din dhe dije të gjallë e sheh për të vdekur dije
A man without dīn and knowledge is alive to your eyes, but dead to your soul.

References

Ramiz Zekaj (2002). The Development of Islamic Culture Among Albanians During the 20th Century. Albanian Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation. p. 259.
Plas, Pieter; Detrez, Raymond (2005). Developing Cultural Identity in the Balkans: Convergence vs. Divergence (PDF). Brussels: presses interuniversitaires europeennes. ISBN 90-5201-297-0. Retrieved 2014-03-18.
Rexhep Voka
Walter Gawrych, George (2006). The Crescent and the Eagle: Ottoman Rule, Islam and the Albanians, 1874-1913. I.B.Tauris. p. 150. ISBN 1-84511-287-3. Retrieved 23 April 2012.

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[Zekaj2002-1] Ramiz Zekaj (2002). The Development of Islamic Culture Among Albanians During the 20th Century. Albanian Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation. p. 259.

[Plas-2] Plas, Pieter; Detrez, Raymond (2005). Developing Cultural Identity in the Balkans: Convergence vs. Divergence (PDF). Brussels: presses interuniversitaires europeennes. ISBN 90-5201-297-0. Retrieved 2014-03-18.

[Rexhep_Voka-3] Rexhep Voka

[Walter_Gawrych-4] Walter Gawrych, George (2006). The Crescent and the Eagle: Ottoman Rule, Islam and the Albanians, 1874-1913. I.B.Tauris. p. 150. ISBN 1-84511-287-3. Retrieved 23 April 2012.