Alevism

According to scholar Soner Çağaptay, Alevism is a "relatively unstructured interpretation of Islam with traditional elements". Journalist Patrick Kingsley states that for some self-described Alevi, their religion is "simply a cultural identity, rather than a form of worship". It has also been put forward that Alevism can be identified as an ethnoreligion in some instances, such as in the cases of the Tahtacıs and Abdals. Alevis put the doctrine of İnsan-ı Kâmil in the center of their beliefs. The "three sunnahs and seven fards" constitute the fundamental ethical and initiatory framework of the Alevi path, mandating the murids mastery over their actions, speech, and desires (controlling the hand, tongue, and loins) alongside strict adherence to esoteric duties such as absolute submission to spiritual authority, the maintenance of müsahiplik, and the preservation of communal secrets. The Alevi beliefs among the Turkish and Kurdish diverge as Kurdish Alevism put more emphasis on Pir Sultan Abdal than Haji Bektash Veli, and it is rooted more in nature veneration. The vast majority of Alevis adhere to the Bektashi order whilst some follow other heterodox Sufi orders such as the Kalenderi order. God In Alevi cosmology, God is also called Hak (the Truth) or referred to as Allah. God created life, so the created world can reflect his Being. Alevis believe in the unity of Allah, Muhammad, and Ali, but this is not a trinity composed of God and the historical figures of Muhammad and Ali. Rather, Muhammad and Ali are representations of Allah's light (and not of Allah himself), being neither independent from God nor separate characteristics of him. Spirits and afterlife Alevis believe in the immortality of the soul, as encouragers of humans' evil desires (nefs), jinn (cinler), and the evil eye. Angels feature in Alevi cosmogony. Although there is no fixed creation narrative among Alevis, it is generally accepted that God created five archangels, who have been invited to the chamber of God. Inside, they found a light representing the light of Muhammad and Ali. In an account parallel to that in the Quran, one of the archangels refuses to prostrate before the light, arguing that the light is a created body just like him and therefore an inappropriate object of worship. He remains at God's service, but rejects the final test and turns back to darkness. From this primordial decline, the devil's enmity towards Adam emerged. The archangels consist of the same four archangels as in orthodox Islam. The fifth archangel, namely Azâzîl, fell from grace, thus not included among the canonical archangels apart from this story. Another story features the archangel Gabriel (Cebrail), who is asked by God who they are. Gabriel answers: "I am I and you are you". Gabriel gets punished for his haughty answer and is sent away, until Ali reveals a secret to him. When God asks him again, he answers: "You are the creator and I am your creation". Afterwards, Gabriel was accepted and introduced to Muhammad and Ali. The Twelve Imams are part of another common Alevi belief. Each Imam represents a different aspect of the world. They are realized as twelve services or On İki Hizmet performed by members of the Alevi community. Each Imam is believed to be a reflection of Ali ibn Abu Talib, the first Imam of the Shi'ites. There are references to the "First Ali" (Birinci Ali), Imam Hasan the "Second 'Ali" (İkinci Ali), and so on up to the "Twelfth 'Ali" (Onikinci Ali), Imam Mehdi. The Twelfth Imam is hidden and represents the Messianic Age. Sarı Saltık, Ahi Evran and Abdal Musa. The saints are called Erenler (lit. 'Englightened Ones') who usually have türbes (shrine) and are venerated in certain days. They mostly have the honorifics of 'Abdal' (eg. Kaygusuz Abdal), 'Baba' (eg. Otman Baba), 'Kalender' (eg. Kalender Çelebi) or 'Veli' (eg. Hacı Bayram Veli). In modern times, people who are influential take the honorifics of either 'Pir' (male) or 'Ana' (female), depending on their genders. Some famous examples of saints include; Yunus Emre, Sheikh Bedreddin, Balım Sultan and Gül Baba. Jurisprudence ; founder and leader of the Ahi Brotherhood, which evolved into a Beylik later on Sources differ on how important formal doctrine is among contemporary Alevi. According to scholar Russell Powell, there is a tradition of informal "Dede" courts within the Alevi society, but regarding Islamic jurisprudence or fiqh there has been "little scholarship on Alevi influences" in it. Alevism has a unique belief system tracing back to Kaysanites and Khurramites. Other elements It is widely agreed upon that Shamanism has been a shaping factor in Alevism, There are some other practices and ceremonies that share similarity with other faiths, such as a Eucharist-like ritual meal (muhabbet) and yearly confession of sins to a baba. There is some tension between folk tradition/Anatolian Aleviness and the Bektashi Order, whereas Alevis put emphasis on folk elements whilst the order is more liturgy oriented. In certain Turkish communities other Sufi orders (the Halveti-Jerrahi and some of the Rifaʽi) have incorporated significant Alevi influence. Ishikism (''''), is a new syncretic religious movement among Alevis who have developed an alternative understanding of Alevism and its history. These alternative interpretations and beliefs were inspired by Turkish writer Erdoğan Çınar. The Ishik movement claim that the term "Alevi" is derived from the old Anatolian Luvians, claiming that the word "Luvi" means "People of Light" in the Hittite language. Some Ottoman documents from the 16th century refer to the ancestors of today's Alevis as "Işık Taifesi", meaning "People of Light". This is, according to Ishikīs, a proof of the connection between the Luvians and Alevis. These theories, while central to Ishikism, have widely been considered pseudo-history. In the diaspora, a secularised redefinition of Alevi identity has emerged and become widespread in recent decades, often described as Ali’siz Alevilik (‘Alevism without Ali’), This formulation distanced Alevism from Islamic elements, aligning it more closely with a Marxist-humanist worldview that foregrounded ethics, social justice and resistance. == Practices ==

The Alevi spiritual path (yol) is commonly understood to take place through four major life-stages, or "gates". These may be further subdivided into "four gates, forty levels" (Dört Kapı Kırk Makam). The first gate (religious law) is considered elementary (and this may be perceived as subtle criticism of other Muslim traditions). Krisztina Kehl-Bodrogi reports that the identify müsahiplik with the first gate şeriat ("the way"), since they regard it as a precondition for the second tarikat ("the order"). Those who attain to the third gate marifat, ("gnosis") must have been in a müsahiplik relationship for at least twelve years. Entry into the third gate dissolves the müsahiplik relationship (which otherwise persists unto death), in a ceremony called Öz Verme Âyini ("ceremony of relinquishing the self"). The value corresponding to the second gate (and necessary to enter the third) is âşinalık ("intimacy"). Its counterpart for the third gate is called peşinelik; for the fourth gate hâkikat (the truth). Most Alevi activity takes place in the context of the second gate (spiritual brotherhood), during which one submits to a living spiritual guide (dede, pir, mürşid). The existence of the third and fourth gates is mostly theoretical, though some older Alevis have apparently received initiation into the third. There are major crimes that cause an Alevi to be declared düşkün (shunned). Hierarchy The clergy is totally different from mainstream Islam and takes its roots from Sufism and Tengrism. Traditionally there were twelve of these, the most senior being the "dedebaba" (great-grandfather). Cem and Cemevi Alevi religious, cultural and other social activities take place in the cemevi "assembly house". The ceremony's prototype is the Muhammad's nocturnal ascent into heaven, where he beheld a gathering of forty saints (Kırklar Meclisi), and the ultimate reality made manifest in their leader, Ali. Note that the dates of the Khidr holidays can differ among Alevis, most of whom use a lunar calendar, but some a solar calendar. Müsahiplik Müsahiplik (roughly, "Companionship") is a covenant relationship between two men of the same age, preferably along with their wives. In a ceremony in the presence of a dede the partners make a lifelong commitment to care for the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of each other and their children. The ties between couples who have made this commitment is at least as strong as it is for blood relatives, so much so that müsahiplik is often called spiritual brotherhood (manevi kardeşlik). The children of covenanted couples may not marry. Folk practices Many folk practices may be identified, though few of them are specific to the Alevis. In this connection, scholar Martin van Bruinessen notes a sign from Turkey's Ministry of Religion, attached to Istanbul's shrine of Eyüp Sultan, which presents:...a long list of 'superstitious' practices that are emphatically declared to be non-Islamic and objectionable, such as lighting candles or placing 'wishing stones' on the tomb, tying pieces of cloth to the shrine or to the trees in front of it, throwing money on the tomb, asking the dead directly for help, circling seven times around the trees in the courtyard or pressing one's face against the walls of the türbe in the hope of a supernatural cure, tying beads to the shrine and expecting supernatural support from them, sacrificing roosters or turkeys as a vow to the shrine. The list is probably an inventory of common local practices the authorities wish to prevent from re-emerging.Other, similar practices include kissing door frames of holy rooms; not stepping on the threshold of holy buildings; seeking prayers from reputed healers; and making lokma and sharing it with others. Also, Ashure is made and shared with friends and family during the month of Muharram in which the Day of Ashure takes place. Visitations Performing ziyarat and du'a at the tombs of Alevi-Bektashi saints or pirs is quite common. Some of the most frequently visited sites are the shrines of Şahkulu and Karacaahmet (both in Istanbul), Abdal Musa (Antalya), Seyyid Battal Gazi Complex (Eskişehir), Hamza Baba (İzmir), Hasandede (Kırıkkale). In contrast with the traditional secrecy of the Cem ceremony ritual, the events at these cultural centers and sites are open to the public. In the case of the Hacibektaş celebration, since 1990 the activities there have been taken over by Turkey's Ministry of Culture in the interest of promoting tourism and Turkish patriotism rather than Alevi spirituality. The annual celebrations held at Hacıbektaş (16 August) and Sivas (the Pir Sultan Abdal Kültür Etkinlikleri, 23–24 June). Some Alevis make pilgrimages to mountains and other natural sites believed to be imbued with holiness. Almsgiving Alevis are expected to give zakat, but there is no set formula or prescribed amount for annual charitable donation as there is in other forms of Islam (2.5% of possessions above a certain minimum). Rather, they are expected to give the "excess" according to Qur'an 2:219. A common method of Alevi almsgiving is through donating food (especially sacrificial animals) to be shared with worshippers and guests. Alevis also donate money to be used to help the poor, to support the religious, educational and cultural activities of Alevi centers and organizations (dargahs, awqaf, and meetings), and to provide scholarships for students. Infant initiation There is an initiation called kırklama, which takes place 40-days after the birth. Unlike, many other Islamic sects, in Alevism khitan or circumcision is considered a tradition, but it is not strictly mandatory. Today, there are is an increasing number of modern and secular Alevis who choose to not circumcise their male children for a variety of different reasons. Many other branches of Islam view circumcision as strictly mandatory outside of rare circumstances. The Dede is responsible for leading the spiritual kinship practice of kirvelik which can include but does not require circumcision. == History ==

of Haji Bektash Veli Seljuk period During the great Turkish expansion from Central Asia into Iran and Anatolia in the Seljuk period (11–12th centuries), Turkmen tribes accepted a Sufi and pro-Alid form of Islam that co-existed with some of their pre-Islamic customs. Their conversion to Islam in this period was mainly achieved through the efforts not of textual scholars (ulama) expounding the finer points of tafsir and sharia, but by charismatic dervishes, a belief whose cult of Muslim saint worship, mystical divination and millenarianism spoke more directly to the steppe mindset. These tribes dominated Anatolia for centuries with their religious warriors (ghazi) spearheading the drive against Byzantines and Crusades. Ottoman period As in Khorasan and West Asia before, the Turkmens who spearheaded the Ottomans' drive into the Balkans and West Asia were more inspired by a vaguely Shiite folk Islam than by formal religion. Many times, Ottoman campaigns were accompanied or guided by Bektaşi dervishes as they were the military chaplains, spiritual heirs of the 13th century Sufi saint Haji Bektash Veli, himself a native of Khorasan. After the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the Ottoman state became increasingly determined to assert its fiscal but also its juridical and political control over the farthest reaches of the Empire. The Ottoman Empire later proclaimed themselves its defenders against the Safavid Shia state and related sects. This created a gap between the Sunni Ottoman ruling elite and the Alevi Anatolian population. Anatolia became a battlefield between Safavids and Ottomans, each determined to include it in their empire. During the same era, orders that the Alevis followed were positioned differently. The Bektashiyya became the official army order whilst other orders like the Qalandariyya, Saʿdiyya and Safaviyya were seen as public adversaries. However, pogroms against Alevi did not cease after the establishment of the Turkish Republic. In attacks against leftists in the 1970s, ultranationalists and reactionaries killed many Alevis. Malatya in 1978, Maraş in 1979, and Çorum in 1980 witnessed the murder of hundreds of Alevis, the torching of hundreds of homes, and lootings. In 2022, the Turkish state has officially recognized Alevism as a 'cultural group'. As of 2025, Alevism is recognized by the governments of the main Turkish diaspora destinations throughout the world. } ==Organization==

(right) and Husayn ibn Ali (left) medallions in Hagia Sophia In contrast to the Bektashi ordertariqa, which like other Sufi orders is based on a silsila "initiatory chain or lineage" of teachers and their students, Alevi leaders succeed to their role on the basis of family descent. Perhaps ten percent of Alevis belong to a religious elite called ocak "hearth", indicating descent from Ali and/or various other saints and heroes. Ocak members are called ocakzades or "sons of the hearth". This system apparently originated in the Safavid state. Alevi leaders are variously called murshid, pir, rehber or dede. Groups that conceive of these as ranks of a hierarchy (as in the Bektashi Order) disagree as to the order. The last of these, dede "grandfather", is the term preferred by the scholarly literature. Ocakzades may attain to the position of dede on the basis of selection (by a father from among several sons), character, and learning. In contrast to Alevi rhetoric on the equality of the sexes, it is generally assumed that only males may fill such leadership roles. Relationship with other groups Alevis are usually classified as a sect of Shia Islam, and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini decreed Alevis to be part of the Shia fold in the 1970s. However, Alevi philosophies, customs, and rituals are appreciably different from those of mainstream, orthodox Usulis. The relationship between Alevis and Sunnis is one of mutual suspicion and prejudice dating back to the Ottoman period. Hundreds of Alevis were murdered in sectarian violence in the years that preceded the 1980 coup, and as late as the 1990s dozens were killed with impunity. == Demographics ==

Most Alevi live in Turkey, where they are a minority and Sunni Muslims the majority. The size of the Alevi population is likewise disputed, but most estimates place them somewhere between 4% and 15%. Scattered minorities live in the Balkans, the Caucasus, Cyprus, Greece, Iran and the diaspora such as Germany and France. In the 2021 United Kingdom census, Alevism was discovered to be the eighth largest religion in England and Wales, after Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Judaism and Paganism. Different estimations exist on the ethnic composition of the Alevi population. Ethnic Turks are thought to be the largest ethnic group among Alevis, while Dressler stated in 2008 that about a third of the Alevi population is Kurdish, when all groups he considers as Alevis, such as the Yarsanis, are counted. Population estimates The Alevi population has been estimated as follows: • Approximately 20 million according to Daily Sabah, a newspaper close to the government in 2021. • 12,521,000 according to Sabahat Akkiraz, an MP from CHP. • "approx. 15 million..."Krisztina Kehl-Bodrogi. • 4% of total population of TurkeyKONDA Research (2021). • 20 to 25 million according to Minority Rights Group. • The predominant religion of the Äynu people of western China is Alevism. There are estimated to be around 30–50 thousand Äynu, mostly located on the fringe of the Taklamakan Desert. • 25,672 Alevi live in England and Wales. • 100,000 to 200,000 Alevi live in France. Social groups in Tetovo, North Macedonia There is an unofficial division between Alevis in terms of locative origins. The other partition, the 'City Bektashis' (Şehir Bektaşilği) however, are predominantly urban, and formally claim that membership is open to any Muslim. The groups are separately organized but subscribe to "virtually the same system of beliefs". The first group, who form a majority of the Alevi population, regard themselves as true Muslims and are prepared to cooperate with the secular state. It adheres to the way of Jafar as-Sadiq, the Sixth Imam of Shia Islam. This group's concept of God is the same as Orthodox Islam, and like their Shia counterparts they reject the first three chosen Caliphs, whom Sunni accept as legitimate, and accept only Ali as the actual and true Caliph. The second group, which has the second most following among Alevis, are said to be under the active influence of the official Shia and to be confirmed adherents of the Twelver branch of Shia Islam and they reject the teachings of Bektashism. They follow the Ja'fari jurisprudence and oppose secular state power. The third group, a minority belief held by the Alevis, is mainly represented by people who belong to the political left and presumed the Aleviness as an outlook on life rather than a religious conviction by renouncing the ties of Alevism with Twelver Shia Islam. The followers of this congregation, who later turned out to support Erdoğan Çınar, hold ritual unions of a religious character and have established cultural associations named after Pir Sultan Abdal as well. According to their philosophy, the human being should enjoy a central role reminiscent of the doctrine of Khurramites, and as illustrated by Hurufi phrase of God is Man quoted above in the context of the Trinity. The fourth who adopted some aspirations of Christian mysticism, is more directed towards heterodox mysticism and stands closer to the Bektashi order. According to the philosophy developed by this congregation, Christian mystic St Francis of Assisi and Hindu Mahatma Gandhi are better believers of God than many Muslims. ==See also==