A brother’s remarks on Islamic associations and their role in Albania.

The Shaykh : So, what is the government’s position regarding the Islamic associations?

The questioner : This is in the hands of the head of state, who is sympathetic to the Islamic associations. They feel that there are fourteen Islamic associations present. I worked in Afghanistan previously, yes. So, the new thing I have truly noticed in the Islamic associations is their focus on tawhid (the oneness of Allah).

The Shaykh: All right.
The student : And this was not present in Afghanistan. There is a trend toward calling to tawhid (the oneness of Allah) in the charitable associations in a very strange way. It truly pleased me greatly, and this is not... as before. But there is a focus on tawhid (the oneness of Allah). The largest organization among the fourteen associations controls forty percent of the ruling of the organizations... mostly Islamic. This is, of course, the problem with the associations; there is disagreement among them, between some of them.

The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar.
The student : Yes, there are disagreements.

The Shaykh : This is a problem.

The questioner : The disagreement is, of course, the usual disagreement known in any Arab country between any Islamic groups. This disagreement has been transferred to...

The Shaykh : The infection has spread.

The questioner : To Albania, and it is clear—also—that I will tell you, if Allah wills, later that I met Sabri, the Grand Mufti of Albania. Unfortunately, the disagreements have reached the charitable associations. Shuqara : I mean, who is in charge of funding them? Saudi Arabia... there are associations.

The questioner : Their source is Saudi. Even within Saudi Arabia, there is disagreement between some of them. Most of them are from the Gulf, and there are also Egyptian ones. There is the Relief Committee of the Engineers’ Syndicate, which belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, as well.

The Shaykh : What about Al-Azhar?

The questioner : The World Assembly for Muslim Youth is in the Islamic Relief Committee. This one is from the Engineers’ Syndicate, from the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. There is also the Humanitarian Relief Committee in Britain, and the Humanitarian Relief Organization in Canada, run by expatriates abroad.
Another student : Muslims.
The student : Yes, Muslims. All fourteen of them.

The Shaykh : What is their religious orientation?

The questioner : By Allah, most of them—this is what I am saying regarding tawhid (the oneness of Allah)—most of these orientations are truly Salafi orientations. I am telling you, this is the first time I have felt this. Even the Coordination Council, which was usually headed by the Muslim Brotherhood in Afghanistan, this time is headed by the Salafis in Albania.