What is Turkish Alevi?

Alevi is a religious group in Turkey, not to be confused with Alewites in Syria. They are followers of Ali, the brother-in-law of Prophet Muhammed. Alevi is a mystical belief that is rooted in Islam and Sufism with some traditions of Christianity and Shamanism.

How many Alevis does Turkey have?

Around 14 million people in Turkey are Alevis. They have been combating discrimination there for decades, calling for Alevism to be portrayed differently school books and for the state officially to recognize them as a religious community.

Are Alawites and Alevis the same?

Despite semantically similar names — both Alawites and Alevis derive their names from their reverence for Ali, a close relative of the Muslim prophet Mohammed — Alevis and Alawites represent different strains of Islam. Alevis are not Alawites, just as Protestants are not protestors.

Are Alevis Shia?

Alevis follow a belief system that incorporates aspects of both Shi’a and Sunni Islam and draws on the traditions of other religions found in Anatolia as well. Alevis in Central Anatolia base their beliefs on 12er Shi’ism.

Are all Alevis Kurdish?

There are an estimated fifteen to twenty million Alevis living in Turkey, constituting twenty percent of Turkey’s population. While the majority of Alevis are ethnically Turkish, twenty per cent, which is about five million, of them are ethnically Kurdish, and this makes them a ‘twice minority’.

Are Alevis Sufis?

Some practices of the Alevis are based on the Sufi doctrines of the Bektashi Tariqa. According to some however, Alevism is not Twelver Shiism, but rather its own Sufism based interpretation and although they share some common beliefs with the Twelver Shia, their rites and practices are different from Twelver Shi’ism.

What do the Yazidi believe?

Yazidis began to face accusations of devil worship from Muslims beginning in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. While the Yazidis believe in one god, a central figure in their faith is Tawusî Melek, an angel who defies God and serves as an intermediary between man and the divine.