Page 128 - The Winter of Islam and the Spring to Come

THE WINTER OF ISLAM AND THE SPRING TO COME
126

live in Montenegro. Within Yugoslavia, the region of Kosovo also has a
large Albanian population.
What if these neighboring countries were to unite, thus forming a
"Greater Albania" in the heart of Europe? That is one fear of the Western
powers.
It should be made clear that this fear has more to do with religion
than ethnicity. Just as with Bosnia, a state here consisting mainly of
Muslims is seen as "undesirable." The fact is, however, that the presence
in the Balkans of a strong Muslim state that fully abides by the moral val-
ues of the Qur'an will guarantee justice, well-being, peace and security
for the people of the whole region.
But, this calculation, which still applies today, played an important
role in the drawing up of the map of the Balkans after World War I. That
is why the Albanians have lived as an unwillingly divided nation ever
since.
After World War II, the Albanians were ruled by communist
regimes. The Albanians of Kosovo and Macedonia remained within the
borders of Tito's Yugoslavia, and Albania itself fell into the hands of
Enver Hoxha's more oppressive regime.
Following the collapse of communism over 40 years later, the pow-

Sights such as this became a normal part of daily life in the Balkans.