[1][2] Rizaj was born in Peć, Kosovo, Kingdom of Yugoslavia on 14 March 1930.
Additionally, he also worked as a Special Consultant for Turkish State Archives in Istanbul from 1989 to 1990.
[2] In 2010, Rizaj was awarded the title of "Educator Emeritus" by the Kosovan government.
Rizaj undertook extensive research in Turkish Archives in Istanbul, and the British Library in London.
His works include the 1982 book Kosovo during the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries and the university textbook History of the New Era (1453-1789), published in 1985.