Editor's word

Dear readers,
With great pleasure I present Number 7 of the scientific journal Studime Orientale, which will be published, for the first time, within the journals of the Faculty of Philology of the University of Pristina
"Hasan Pristina". In this issue, we present a diverse selection of research articles and book reviews, each contributing significantly to the field of Oriental philology. The magazine includes articles in Albanian and English. Also, it should be noted that each scientific article is completed with an abstract in Albanian and English.
Articles presented in this issue have undergone rigorous peer review to ensure high quality and integrity of the research presented. We are grateful to the authors for their meticulous work and dedication to advancing scientific knowledge.
Orientalist and historian Iljaz Rexha deals with the presence of the Albanian population in the geographical area of ​​Dardania, which includes the regions of Kosovo and North-Western Macedonia, during the medieval period until the conquest of the Balkans by the Ottoman Empire. The study focuses on historical documentary sources from the 13th-16th centuries that prove the existence of Albanian settlements and populations before the Ottoman conquest.
Another prominent orientalist, Muhammed Mufaku, brings us a manuscript in Arabic which sheds light on the life and history of Albanians who left Kosovo as a result of the Balkan War of 1912-1913. The text includes "Memoirs of the son of Hafiz Islam Pristina, Abdulvehap Xhelaludin (1928-2005)" and is one of three manuscripts by the sons of the first generation Hafiz who went to Syria.
The young historian Fahri Avdija, in his article, evaluated the endowments established in Kosovo during the Ottoman period, institutions which through their activity played an important role in the transmission of Ottoman culture and the Islamization of Albanians. The author talks about the ways of their establishment and functioning, including various waqfs established by sultans, rulers, clerics and local residents.
Elton Habibi, in the article entitled "When Muji spoke to his horse in Turkish" using the descriptive method of the texts, elaborates elements of the Ottoman culture present in the epic of the Kreshniks.
For this issue, we have selected two articles that will attract the attention of researchers of oriental philology. One is the article by Sami Frashërit, written about the concepts of writing, reading and the history of writings, through which we can be informed about the way of conceptualizing important topics for the readers of sh. XIXth. The other is the article by the academician Sadik Jalal al-Azm, who is known for his contribution to the discourse of Orientalism and offers a pragmatic critique of Edward Said's well-known work 'Orientalism'.
In addition to scientific articles, we have also included reviews of three recently published works in the field of oriental studies. They are: Albanian scholars in the Ottoman Empire (1880-1912): according to the documents of the High Ottoman Council by Sadik Mehmeti, Hatixhe Ahmedi and Ramadan Shkodra; Albanian Figures in the Birth of Meme XVI-XX Centuries by Muhamed Mufaku and Arnavutça'daki Türkçe Alıntılar (Turkism of the Albanian Language) by Lindita Xh. Latif.
As we navigate the complexities of the field of study called Oriental Studies, we can say that the research published in this issue offers valuable insights and new perspectives. The variety of topics covered from history, folklore, manuscript analysis to linguistics reflects the multifaceted nature of contemporary scientific research.
I would like to express my gratitude to our esteemed reviewers and editorial board members, secretary and language editors, whose expertise and dedication are very important in maintaining the high standards of the journal Studime Orientale. Their constructive thoughts and instructions have been important in shaping the content of this magazine.
I encourage our readers to dive into the articles within these pages, engaging with the latest research presented. We believe that the knowledge shared here will inspire further research, debate and innovation within the scientific community.

On behalf of the editors, I thank you for your continued support for the journal Studime Orientale. We are committed to providing a platform for the dissemination of innovative research and look forward to your feedback and future contributions.

Editor-in-chief

Prof. Zeqije Xhafce