The Albanian Mawlid

This famous mawlid was written by the great poet and traveller Suleiman Çelebi (d.1409) and translated into Albanian by Hafiz Ali Ulqinaku (d.1913). In Albania this mawlid is recited with a modal melody which has as its basis the traditional melody of the folksongs of the northern part of Albania, especially Shkodra and Ulqin. The recitation, the fame and the distribution of this mawlid over almost all the territory of Albania contributed greatly in the forging of Albanian identity, and the preservation of Albanian language and of Albanian Islam.