Albanians culturally closer to Arabs or Europeans?

[Nilotik]

True, but theres no direct iranian influence in the balkans.

Of course there isn't.

[Laberia]

Turkish Islam was no different than Arabic Islam, except it was more brutal. As recently as 1920 Burqas were widespread. And unlike Arabic Islam which had some humanistic elements due to pre-Islamic Arabia those elements were absent from Turkish Islam.

As then-British Prime Minister William Gladstone saw it, was not “a question of Mohammedanism simply, but of Mohammedanism compounded with the peculiar character of a race.” He wrote of the Turks:

“They were, upon the whole, from the black day when they first entered Europe, the one great anti-human specimen of humanity. Wherever they went a broad line of blood marked the track behind them, and, as far as their dominion reached, civilization disappeared from view. They represented everywhere government by force as opposed to government by law."

And how Gladstone commented the sad event depicted in this mosaic?

Gennadius Scholarios, the Patriarch himself who blessed Sultan Mehmet II, the man who conquered the City. And he also recognized him as Caesar, the Emperor of the Roman Empire. Such a shame.

[Era]

Mhhhmkey. Fanatic Muslims are anything but the majority though. A regular Muslim Albanian whose a bit more religious than average will feel closer to a Turk than an Arab.
My point in bringing this up is that even Islam, the only reason that warrants the dubious comparison of Albanians and Arabs, entered Albanian-inhabited areas through non-Arabs and bears characteristics of said people rather than being Arab in nature. The Islam practiced amongst us is one of a Turco-Persian tradition and whether the average Granit or Besnik is aware of Persians or not, doesn't change the facts.
The fanatics, Wahhabis really, you mentioned, have absolutely nothing to do with mainstream Muslims and thus don't add anything to the discussion.

No such thing as mainstream muslim in Albania, there those who are muslim only in name and the ones that are hard core that are a handful only. If Kosovo is different is cause Belgrade pushed for an afinity with turks.

[Laberia]

armenoula

O City, City, eye of all cities, universal pride, other-worldly wonder!...
Niketas Choniatis, for Konstantinoupolis.

How did your asiatic ancestors opened the Gate of the City? It was first an Illyrian settlement, they gave even the name. Was proclaimed Capital of Empire by an Roman Emperor of Illyrian blood. And was sold to the Turks by your cowards Anatolian ancestors. Stfu.

[Grishnack]

Just because they are Muslim, that doesn't mean they are culturally closer to arabs. Albanians were, are, and will forever be European, in all regards (genetically, phenotypically and culturally).

[Turkminator]

Kosovo-Albanians have a cultural intersection with Turks, but not with Arabs. Arab culture was seldom adapted by Islamic peoples - except the Iranian peoples. They even use the Arabic alphabet.

[brennus dux gallorum]

I taught him.

That monster you created..

[Swarthy_Syndicate]

The religious ones are closer to Arabs (by virtue of being Muslim).

Culturally they are their own thing, but they are definitely influenced by Arabs.

[Swarthy_Syndicate]

Kosovo-Albanians have a cultural intersection with Turks, but not with Arabs. Arab culture was seldom adapted by Islamic peoples - except the Iranian peoples. They even use the Arabic alphabet.

WDYM "Arab culture was seldom accepted by Islamic peoples" you do realize that Islam is literally an Arab religion? So don't try to act all high and mighty with the "Turkification" aspect of the argument, because the Ottoman Empire was extremely Arabized - using their script, their names, and their practices for much of Turkish reign. Don't think for a second that Turks and Arabs aren't brothers when it comes to uniting against Christian Europe.

[Chocolate_Hound]

They are far more Europeans, both culturally and genetically, than Turks would ever hope to be. Turks are far more related to Kurds, Armenians, Persians and etc than to South-West Asiatics genetically like Egyptians, Palestinians, Jordanians, Arabians, Bedouins and Syrians who in turn cluster with North and East Africans.

How are Egyptians Asiatics if Egypt is in Africa?