Besimtarë

Besimtarë is the Albanian term for "believers" and serves as the plural form of besimtar. The singular besimtar refers to a person who holds a belief or is a follower of a faith. The word is formed from besim, meaning belief or faith, with the agent-noun suffix -tar. In Albanian-language discourse, besimtarë is used to designate members of a religious community in a neutral and descriptive way, regardless of the specific faith.

Besimtarë can refer to adherents of Islam, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestantism, or other religions within Albanian-speaking communities. It is common in religious education, journalism, academic writing, and everyday speech when identifying members of a religious group without naming a particular denomination. Phrases such as besimtarë myslimanë or besimtarë katolikë specify the religious group to which the believers belong.

In a broader, less common sense, besimtarë can also denote people who have faith or trust in a non-religious idea or system, though this usage is relatively rare compared to its primary religious meaning. The term is generally neutral and descriptive, without implying level of devotion or doctrinal agreement. Besimtarë is widely used across Albania, Kosovo, and other Albanian-speaking areas, reflecting the region’s religious and cultural diversity.