Book - Secret Sects Of Syria And The Lebanon (1922)

Available online http://archive.org/details/secretsectsofsyr032392mbp

Book metadata:
Secret Sects Of Syria And The Lebanon (1922)
Author: Springett,Bernard H.
Subject: SOCIAL SCIENCES; Social Welfare; Social welfare
Publisher: George Allen And Unwin Limited.
Language: English
Call number: 32392
Book contributor: Osmania University
Collection: universallibrary

The Syrian Alawites - Rise to Power

There has been much interest in the Syrian Alawite/Alawi in the recent time, mainly due to the conflict in Syria.

The history of Alawite rise to power in Syria is quite interesting. It started in the early nineteen century when the French was occupying Syria.

The majority of the Syrian (Sunni Muslim) were against the French. Alawis, who were treated as the second class citizen by the Sunnis, saw a bright future for themselves and perhaps an opportunity to get rid of their leper-like-status among the Syrians.

They formed a strong alliance with French, and in return, the French provided moral and material support to the Alawis. And in a very short time, they established their autonomous state and a strong military presence.

In the next 30 to 40 years, a lot of interesting things started happening in Syria and around the Middle East. A lot of worthless ideas like Pan-Arabism/Bathism were also floating around the Middle East.

The Alawis were unwilling to see their power and influence being diminished by democracy since democracy would most certainly favor the Sunni Majority.

The rest of the history is pretty much predictable. The Alawis used their vastly superior powers (mostly military) to get rid of all their opponents and placed members of their own sects on the top of the chain (at helm).

The Alawis, under Hafeez al-Assad, who was a very brutal dictator, carried out unimaginable horrific acts against his own people to silence their political voice and aspiration.

The Alawis (and I shouldn't really be using this term loosely because they are not really a monolithic block) also exert their influence and took a number of measures to ensure that their religious sect would be more inline with the mainstream Islam.

In the next couple of posts, I am going to delve deeper into the Alawi sect.

Mukhtar al-Taqafi from Reviving al-Islam blog

Reviving al-Islam blog has an interesting post about Mukhtar al-Thaqafi. al-Thaqafi is introduced as a member of Kaysaniyya (a Ghulat sect) based on the following source

When you research the life of al-Mukhtār bin Abī `Ubaydah al-Thaqafī you will see that he was one of the leaders of the Kaysāniyyah sect. The Kaysāniyyahs were those who believed that Muhammad al-Hanafiyyah was the Imām after his father. The sect was called Kaysāniyyah because al-Mukhtār’s laqab (nickname) was Kaysān. (See: al-Nawabakhtī, Firaq al-Shī`ah, pg. 33, # 55).

Nader also believes that the action of Mukhtar al-Thaqafi to avenge the tragedy of Karbala is praiseworthy (based on some narration) but the personality of al-Thaqafi is not without controversy.

He also made a side comment about an Iranian TV series portrayal of Mukhtar as a good guy.

our Shee`ahs are getting misguided and swayed by this new phenomenon TV series by Iran titled Mukhtār Nameh (Narratives of Mukhtār). If you were to watch this TV series, by the time you finish watching it you will be under the impression that al-Mukhtār was a “good” guy, when it is farther from the truth.

Ahl al-Haq

The English translation of the Arabic terminology is People of the Truth. I came across them when I was skimming through Matti Moosa's book about the Ghulat groups. 


Ali Hussain left the following comment:

I’ve just come across another ghullat group based in Iran:

Ahl-i Haqq – People of the truth. Also known as Ali Ilahis, “deifiers of Ali.” Members of a sect centred in northwest Iran, incorporating certain Shi’i and Sufi ideas, associated with Sultan Sohak (fourteenth or fifteenth century). Believe in seven successive incarnations of God, hierarchy of angels, metempsychosis, no single primary scripture. Resemble Sufi dervishes in some practices, such as dhikr sessions, master-disciple relations, and initiation rites.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Islam

For further reading, 'the islamaili society' have written an article on them, scroll down to 'IV. An Ali-Ilahi Fragment, by W. Ivanow' http://www.ismaili.net/Source/0723.html

Misconceptions about Ghulats

are sometimes spread by so-called western scholars of Islam.

If you see the wikipedia entry under Ghulat, the main reference used for Ghulat is a study done by a western scholar by the name of Marshall G. S. Hodgson.

 

Hodgson has written quite a bit about Ghulats. I attempted to read one of his paper about Druze 6 months ago. I stopped halfway. Not sure why. Maybe it wasn't that good.

The problem with Hodgson's work on Ghulat is that it is not very accurate.

I am currently reading the book [1]. On page 232, the author pointed out that the greatest number of Ghulat was not in the entourages of the fifth or sixth Imams but in the entourages of the tenth and eight Imams.

The author then added that the heresiographers are mostly lying (Note: He didn't really used the word lying) when they say that the Imams of Ahlul Bayt nourished and sheltered these extremist disciples.

And that is exactly what Hodgson's did with his work on Ghulats.

Through an injustifiable twisting of the situation, and in contradiction to the texts, Hodgson (who authored an article on Ghulât) states that it was the imams who were influenced by "extremist" ideas; he thus turns disciples into teachers and teachers into disciples.

This is contradictory to what has been reported in the Shia Imamiyyah corpus and by heresiographical works

Ideas like raj'a, the impeccability of the imams, or spiritual wasiyya, were also ideas professed for the first time by the ghulât.

Reference

[1] Moezzi, Mohammad Ali Amir. The Divine Guide in Early Shi'sm : The Sources of Esotericism in Islam, 1994. State University of New York Press ISBN 9780791421222

Basiriyya (Waqifa) are Ghulats

Basiriyya are Waqifa; they denied Imam Musa al Kadhim (as) death. They originate from Kufa (Iraq).

The group leader is Muhammad b. Basir. Imam Musa al-Kadhim has publicly cursed Ibn Basir for spreading heretical ideas (Ghuluww) such as

• Claimed that Musa al-Kadhim was not a human being. He is a light when seen by the people of the light" ("ahl al-nur"), as a dim light by "the people of dimness" ("ahl al-kudra") and as a human being by normal people
• Claimed that Musa al Kadhim was screened from the people and that he did not die.
• Claimed that Musa al-Kadhim was the Qaim and the Mahdi and will return to earth.
• Claimed that he himself was the successor of Imam Musa al-Kadhim
• Claimed that his son was his successor.
• They believed in some form of Tanasukh - that the soul of Imam passed from one Imam to another

Reference:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/4057529

The Shias are distinct from Ghulats

In the book Peshawar Night , there is a section where the Shia representative condemns the Ghulat groups.

I am re-producing the relevant paragraphs here

CONDEMNATION OF THE EXTREMISTS

Moreover, we reject those whose beliefs are contrary to ours, like the Saba'iyya, the Khitabiyya, the Gharabiyya, the Alawiyya, the Mukhammasa, the Bazighiyya, the Nussairiyya, who are scattered throughout Iran, Mosul, and Syria. We Shias are distinct from them and consider them infidels. In all the books written by Shia ulema and legal scholars, the Ghalis (extremists) are included among the disbelievers, since their belief is against the tenets of Shia'ism. For instance, they argue that, since the infusion of the soul into a material body is possible (as Gabriel could appear before the Holy Prophet in the form of Dahiyya-e-Kalbi), it was Allah's will that His Holy Self appear in human form in Ali's body.

For this reason they consider the position of Ali higher than that of the Prophet. Such a faction emerged during Ali's own time. Some people of India and the Sudan came to him and professed that he was Allah.

Ali repeatedly forbade them to hold this view, but to no effect. Finally, as is recorded in many histories, Ali ordered them to be killed in wells of smoke. The details of this case have been given in Baharu'l-Anwar, Volume VII, by the great Alim, Agha Muhammad Baqir Majlisi. The Commander of the Faithful and other Imams bitterly condemned such people. Ali said: "O Allah, I scorn the group of Ghullat (extremists), just as Jesus scorned the Christians. May you forsake them forever." On another occasion he said: "There are two groups who will suffer humiliating death, and I am not responsible for them (since I disdain their deeds): those who exceed the lawful limits of love for me and are Ghullat (extremists), and those who, for no reason whatsoever, are hostile to me. I hate those who extol my position beyond its proper limit, just as Christ hated the Christians."

He also said: "There are two groups associated with me who will suffer ignoble death: one is composed of those people who say they are friends and praise me beyond lawful limit; the other is composed of the enemies who degrade my rank."

The Shias condemn those who praised Ali and his Ahle Bait beyond the limit ordained by Allah and the Prophet. Our ulema have unanimously held that they are all disbelievers. It is not permitted to attend their funerals or to marry them. They are also deprived of inheriting Muslim property; charity and religious taxes may not be given to them. The Holy Qur'an condemns them in these words: "Say: O followers of the Book, be not immoderate in your religion, and do not follow the low desires of people who went astray before and led many astray and went astray from the right path." (5:80)

Allama Majlisi, in his Baharu'l-Anwar Volume III, which is the encyclopedia of the Shia faith, has recorded many hadith condemning the Ghullat (extremists). Imam Ja'far Sadiq is quoted as saying, "We are servants of Allah, Who created us and made us superior to the others of His creation. Certainly we shall die and shall stand before Allah for reckoning. He who is a friend of the Ghalis is our enemy; and he who is their enemy is our friend. The Ghalis are infidels and polytheists; curse be upon them." A great religious head of the Shias has also quoted the same Imam as saying, "Allah's curse be upon those who claim divinity and godhood for Ali. By Allah, Ali was an obedient servant of Allah. Curse be upon those who have slandered us; some people say things about us that we do not say ourselves. We declare that we have no connection with them."

Sheikh Saduq (Abu Ja'far Muhammad Bin Ali), a highly respected Faqih (legal scholar) of the Shias, quotes Zarara Bin A'yun, a reliable Shia writer, who was a hafiz and companion of Imam Muhammad Baqir and Imam Ja'far Sadiq, as saying: "I told Imam Ja'far Sadiq that one of the persons known to him believes in Tufwiz (delegation of Divine authority). The Imam said: 'What is meant by Tufwiz?' I replied, 'The man says that Allah created Muhammad and Ali and then delegated to them His authority over the affairs of the people. So they are the creators, the givers of food; they are the animators, and they are the killers.' The holy Imam said: 'The enemy of Allah lies. When you go back to him, read him this verse from the Holy Qur'an: "....or have they set up with Allah associates who have created creation like His, so that what is created became confused to them? Say: 'Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Supreme.'" (13:16)


SHIAS SEPARATE FROM GHALIS

We Shias are separate from the Ghalis (extremists). Let them claim that they are Shias. Allah, the holy Prophet, Ali, and their descendants hate them. Ali kept the chief of the Ghullat in prison for three days, and ordered him to repent for his wickedness. When he refused, Ali had him burned to death. If you cannot produce a single book in which the Ghalis have been praised, you should at least condemn the intolerant ulema who misguide the Sunnis about the Shias.


CLARIFICATION ABOUT REVERENCE TOWARDS IMAMS

Hafiz: Your brotherly advice is worth consideration. But would you please clarify some other points? You have all along said that you do not unduly praise your Imams. You regard the Ghullat as contemptible and fit for hell, but you use inappropriate expressions regarding your Imams. You have said "Blessings of Allah be upon them," although you know that, according to the Holy Qur'an, this expression is reserved only for the Holy Prophet. The Qur'an says: "Surely Allah and His angels bless the Prophet; O you who believe, call for (Divine) blessings on him and salute him with a (becoming) salutation." (33:56) Your practice clearly violates the injunction of the Holy Qur'an. Your expression is an innovation.

Well-Wisher: This verse does not forbid us to bless any other person. We are enjoined to bless the Prophet. In another verse of the Holy Qur'an, Allah says: "Peace be on the people of Ya Sin (Ahle Ya Sin)," a reference to the descendants of the Prophet. As for the other Prophets of Allah, blessings have not been given to their descendants anywhere in the Holy Qur'an. Blessings have been given only to the prophets of Allah. "Peace and Salutation to Noah among the nations." (37:79): "Peace and salutation to Abraham." (37:109): "Peace and salutation to Moses and Aaron." (37:120).

Muhammad Ibn al-Hanafiyyah passing away

There are a few more narrations about Muhammad Ibn al-Hanafiyyah (uncle of the 4th Imam) passing away. Members of the Kaysaniyyah sect believed that Muhammad Ibn Al-Hanafiyyah was still in occultation until the time of the sixth Imam (Jaffar as-Sadiq, may peace be upon him).

One of them is narrated from Muhammad bin Isaam from Muhammad bin Yaqoob Kulaini from Qasim bin Alaa from Ismail bin Ali Quzooni from Ali bin Ismail from Hammad bin Isa from Husain bin Mukhtar: One day Hayyan Siraj came to Imam Ja’far bin Muhammad al-Sadiq.

Imam (a.s.) said: “O Hayyan! What do your companions say about Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah?

He replied: They say that he is alive and receiving his sustenance.

Imam (as) said: My father had told me that he is among those who visited him while he was ill, closed his eyes when he passed away, laid him to rest in the grave, married off his widows and distributed his wealth among his heirs.

This is one of the core beliefs of the Kaysaniyyah sect (emphasis mine)

He said: O Aba Abdillah! Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah is like Isa bin Maryam (a.s.) to this community for people have started having doubts about him.

Imam said: Are his enemies having doubts or the friends?

He replied: His enemies.

Imam said: Do you think that Abu Ja’far bin Ali al-Baqir was the enemy of his Uncle Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah?

He replied in negative.

Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) said: O Hayyan! You people have turned away from the signs of Allah and the Almighty Allah says:

سَنَجْزِي الَّذِينَ يَصْدِفُونَ عَنْ آيَاتِنَا سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَصْدِفُونَ

We will reward those who turn away from Our communications with an evil chastisement because they turned away.

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah did not die before confessing to the Imamate of Ali bin al-Husain. He passed away in 84 A.H.

This is the second narrations

It is narrated from my father from Ahmad bin Idrees from Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Yahya from Ibrahim bin Hashim from Abdus Samad bin Muhammad from Hannan bin Sudair from Abu Ja’far Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) that he said:

“When I came to Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah, he had lost the ability to speak. I asked him to make a will but he couldn’t speak. I ordered a copper vessel used to wash hands to be brought. It was brought near him after putting dust in it. I ordered him to inscribe his will on the utensil. He inscribed his will on that dust and I copied it on a paper.

The confession of a follower of the Kaysaniyya sect

The following confession in the book Kamal al-din wa tamam al-ni'mah (the perfection of the religion and the end of the blessings) by Shaykh Saduq

Sayyid bin Muhammad Himyari was an ex-Member of the Kaysaniyya sect. He repented and reverted to the school of Ahlul Bayt after meeting Imam Jaffar as-Sadiq (may peace be upon him).

The narrations are quite lengthy...

The following is a self-confession by Sayyid bin Muhammad Himyari

Muhammad Qutaibah Nishapuri from Hamadan bin Sulaiman from Muhammad bin Ismail bin Bazya from Hayyan al-Siraj from Sayyid bin Muhammad Himyari that he said:

“In the beginning I used to harbor extremist beliefs and had faith in the occultation of Muhammad bin Ali Ibne Hanafiyyah and a long period of time passed in this way in deviation and misguidance.

After that the Almighty Allah favored me through Ja’far bin Muhammad Sadiq (a.s.) and saved me from the fire of Hell and guided me to the Right Path.

Thus I asked the Holy Imam (a.s.) one day:

"I found in you those signs and qualities by which it was proved for me and all the people of your time that you are the Divine Proof and that only you are that Imam whose obedience has been compulsory by Allah and made following you incumbent on all. O son of Allah’s Messenger, traditions have been recorded from your purified ancestors about occultation, stating that it is certain to happen, so please tell us with whom it would occur. "

Imam as-Sadiq (as) replied, "Indeed this occultation shall happen with my sixth descendant and the twelfth of the guiding Imams after the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.), the first of whom is Amirul Momineen Ali (a.s.) and the last is Qaim bil Haqq (one who will rise with the truth). He shall be the remnant of Allah on His earth and the Master of the Age. By Allah, even if his occultation becomes as long as the age of Nuh (a.s.) he will not depart from the world without reappearing and filling up the earth with justice and equity in the same way as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression."

The Sayyid (ibn Muhammad Himyari) says: "When I heard this from my master Ja’far bin Muhammad as-Sadiq (a.s.), I repented to Allah in his presence and composed a poem (Note: The poem is not copied here)

The Kaysāniyya sect

The Kaysanite sect is classified in the Ghulat group. After the martyrdom of Imam Hussayn (may peace be upon him), a group of people followed the Imamah of Muhammad Ibn al-Hanafiyyah.

For the Shias, the fourth Imam from the progeny of Fatima is Imam Ali ibn Hussayn Zayn al-Abidin (may peace be upon him)

From wikipedia

One Kaysanite sub-sect was led by the Abbasids, who successfully revolted against the Umayyad Caliphate and then established the Abbasid Caliphate. However, following the establishment of the Abbasids as Caliphs and their disavowal of their Kaysanite origins, the majority of the Kaysanites responded by abandoning the Kaysanite Shi'a sect and instead switched their allegiances to other Shi'a sects. Thereafter, the Kaysanite Shi'a sect became extinct despite its once dominant position among the Shi'a.

Some of the Kaysanite sects believe that after the death of Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, he was the promised Mahdi who is in concealment. One of the Ghulat beliefs of the Kaysaniyya sect is believing in the transmigration of souls (tanaukh al-arwah i.e. the return in a different body while having the same spirit).

Interesting hadiths about Ghulat

The True Face of Tashayyu (that is the name of the blog) posted many interesting hadiths about Ghulaw (Exaggeration in the belief of Imamah).

Key facts about the Ghulaww

1. They falsely believe that Allah swt has given the Holy Prophet (pbuh &hf) and Imam Ali (as) the powers over the creation, to give sustenance and to give life and to take away life (death)
2. They falsely believe that Allah swt needs partners in creation, giving sustenance and in the matters of life or death.
3. Believing in the reincarnation makes you a disbeliever (not a Muslim)
4. Ghulats are disbelievers and mufawidha (delegators) are polytheists.

Extremist Shiites: the ghulat sects By Matti Moosa (book)

You can read a preview of this book using books.google.com. In the Preface of the book, it states that 'This book is a comprehensive study of the cultural aspects of the different ghulat (extremist Shiites) sects in the Middle East'.

There are only two reviews for this book at Amazon.com (maybe because this is an old book?). The second reviewer pointed out author's misunderstanding of the core Shia Ithna Asharis belief. I am in a complete agreement with the second reviewer. For e.g., see the following quotes from the book 

The Shiite Community at present is divided into many sects who hold religious beliefs quite at variance with those of other Muslims and who are therefore considered heretics.

The author while describing the partisan of Ali has also incorrectly stated how the first three caliphs came to power. The people did not choose any of the first three caliphs. The first caliph, Abu Bakr, came to power through back-room dealing at the camp of Banu Saidah. The second caliph, Umar al-Khattab, came to power because the first caliph willed him as his successor. The third caliph, Uthman al-Affan, came to power through negotiation, in a meeting, consisting of six people.

The author has also incorrectly stated that the Shias (followers) of Ali began to agitate against Uthman for his nepotism. Wrong again. Most, if not all the Muslims (back then) hated Uthman and his tribe (Ummayad) who were deeply corrupt. One of the widows of the Holy Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his pure family), Ayesha Bint Abu Bakr considered Uthman an apostate and should be put to death.

The following is pure ignorance

The marji rules on behalf of the vanished Imam, the Mahdi. At present, Ayatollah Khomeini is regarded by most Shiites as the marji who represents the Mahdi and governs on his behalf. [Marji are scholars. Generally, we have more than one marji at a time. When the book was published in 1988, Ayatollah Khomeini, who passed away a year later, was not the only marja in the Shia world. We also had Ayatullah al-Khoei who was considered by many as one of the most prominent or leading marja of the 20th century].

 

If you ignore author’s negative views about the Shias and the school of ahlul bayt and read through the book, you may find an interesting overview about the Ghulat sects. The following sects are described and discussed in detail

Shabak, Bektathis, Kizilbash, Abdal, Bajwan and Ibrahimiyya, Ahl-i Haqq, Nusayris.

History and evolution of `Alawiyya by Brother Qa'im

The following post was original written by Qa’im [1]. I am merely reproducing this entry here. Full credit goes to Qai’m at ShiaChat.

The roots of `Alawiyya is essentially twelver Imami, but its offshoot point was with ibn Nusayr during the minor occultation, where he rejected the traditional 4 safirs of Shi'ah Islam, and instead declared himself as the sole legitimate authority in communication with the eschatological Qa'im (May Allah hasten his appearance). 

History and evolution of `Alawiyya

al-`Alawiyya religiously developed based on not just the teachings of ibn Nusayr, but the surrounded influences of Shi'ah Islam, Christianity, Isma`iliyya, and other local groups. After ibn Nusayr died in the 10th century CE, his grandson at-Tabarani succeeded him in scholarship and his writings became the basis of the `Alawi faith. He lived in Latakia, which was Byzantine (and therefore Christian) controlled at that time. The `Alawis also lived amongst the Druze and Maronites

Beliefs

-Secrecy: The `Alawi aqeedah relies on strict taqiyya, and thus the group, its beliefs, and its practices are to remain a secret, even to members of the sect. Women, for example, cannot be taught the religion, as religious direction belongs solely to the man. The group has also refrained from making da`wa (propagation) and jihad (expedition) for the purpose of spreading the religion; instead it remained isolated throughout history.


In the 19th century, Sulaiman al-Adni, an Alawite convert to Christianity, wrote a book named al-Bakurah as-Suliamaniya fi Kashf Asrar ad-Diyanah an-Nusairiyah (The First Fruits of Sulaiman in Revealing the Secrets of the Nusairi Religion), which was the first detailed outsider account into the `Alawi religion.


Some major beliefs include:
-Reincarnation: this appears to have been an original ibn Nusayri teaching, that one can reincarnate several times. Women do not reincarnate. Men, however, can live 7 lives as faithful `Alawis, and then finally join 'Ali (may peace be upon him) in a celestial heaven. If they are not faithful, they will be reborn as Christians as a punishment. Non-Alawis reincarnate into animals.


-Trinity: `Alawis believe in three incarnations of God: `Ali (may peace be upon him), Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his pure family), and Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him). Each of the three have their own mystical significance, `Ali being the meaning, Muhammed being the name, and Salman al-Farisi being the gate. The short version of the `Alawi shahada is "I testify that there is no God but Ali," (la ilaha illa-`Ali), the long version (`ayn meem seen) which recognizes the full Trinity says: `I have borne witness that there is no God but He, the most High, the object of worship [al-'Ali al-Ma'bud] and that there is no concealing veil (hijab) except the lord Muhammad, the object of praise, (as-Sayyid Muhmmad al-Mahmud), and there is not Bab except the lord Salman al-Farisi`


-Rejection of the Qur'an: `Alawis reject the literal meanings of the Qur'an, and instead emphasize spiritual, mystical, and metaphorical practices and sayings.


-Celebration of Christian and Persian holidays: Since the religion had a long standing in Christendom, they adopted some Christian celebrations including Christmas, Easter, Palm Sunday, and ahve their own unique practices for these days, which include the communion associated with Catholic tradition. `Alawis also celebrate Nawruz, marking the Persian new year.


-Mysticism: In the `Alawiyya, there are many connections with the Isma'iiyya, as they both view the Islamic shari`ah esoterically and allegorically. They believe in a hidden meaning behind the commands, and take these concepts over their literal meanings. `Alawis even believe that these secret meanings were hidden from the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his pure family), and was revealed to the Imams (may peace be upon them) and ibn Nusayr instead.

Reference

[1] http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234978256-the-alawites/

Alawi/Nusayris sect reading materials

Fedai (thank you!) has provided name of articles/books for reading about the Alawi/Nusayris sect.

[1] al-Husayn ibn Hamdân al-Khasîbî: A Historical Biography of the Founder of the Nusayrî-'Alawite Sect (http://www.jstor.org/pss/1596110)

[2] 'Erdogan Cinar' an apologetic for alternative Alevi beliefs; namely, 'Isikism' ('light'ism). Extensively criticized by the alevis who claim Islamic heritage,
the authors works are in Turkish but here is a snippet from wiki about the chap and his findings. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishikism

[3] The Alevi of Anatolia By David Zeidan http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/1999/issue4/zeidan.pdf

[4] Thesis Eleven, BETWEEN CHIEFTAINCY AND KNIGHTHOOD: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF OTTOMAN AND SAFAVID ORIGINS' (http://the.sagepub.com/content/76/1/85.full.pdf+html)

Testimonial: Inside the Alawi/Nusayris sect

The following is a personal testimonial from an ex-member of the sect. (Note: Some comments have been edited for clarity). 

According to Fedai  

I happen to be raised in an Alevi household. I asked a lot of the questions that is being tossed around in this thread. Due to a lack of substance in the Alevi belief, I resorted to atheism. A crucial point to make here is that when there is no subjective doctrine at hand (i.e a book, compilation of hadith etc) then there is no binding contract. In the case of alevi's/alawis, only verbal accounts of the doctrine and history exists.  

I am a firm propagator of categorizing the Alevis of southeast Turkey with the Alawis of the Levant (Lebanon and Syria) in the same group. The reason is because I find the similarities amongst the two sects, in my humble opinion, far greater then the differences.

In trying to tackle the above questions [1], one should keep this in mind; since both sects are highly secretive and they rely on verbal traditions, i) there is no yardstick to keep doctrine in line and ii) no deterrent for the evolution/ change/ alteration of a belief system to match personal agendas.

With the above in mind, I went about questioning learned alevis ('dede', 'baba' or 'pir') or the modern equivalent of a priest of the sect. Contrary to the common belief, these sects have tremendous differences and disagreements between historical accounts of the origins of their faith. Two groups emerged in southeast Turkey; i) those who revere the holy household and ii) those who abide to the pre-Islamic doctrines of Zoroastrian or Solar communities who believe in notions of Haqq (justice).

The first group when confronted with matters regarding salat (prayers) and siyam (fasting) ussually argue in this manner i) The Quran has been tampered or ii) Imam Ali (peace be upon him) died while prayer (so they claim that he died for our sins). This is similar to the doctrine of salvation in Christianity; belief in the crucifixion of Prophet Jesus/Isa son of Mary (may peace be upon him). As such, they argue that the need for prayers is no longer applicable or is redundant and maintaining good intentions is all that is needed.

The second group addresses the Ahlul Bayt and its elevated position in the sect by suggesting that since the Alevis were persecuted by the Seljuk and Ottomans, they (Alevis) mold their beliefs into Shi' like doctrine to avoid being slain. Over a period of time, these concepts became so entrenched in their faith that it became nearly impossible to determine what was added and if it can be separated.

In my opinion, there is some truth in what is being said by both of the subgroups in regards to the history of their faith. The emigration of the Alevis began in the region of Khorasan (a difference of opinion exists about their whereabouts). Let’s assume for the sake of discussion that their migration started from the Pashtun belt in Afghanistan. From there, they moved to Persia to find more fruitful and pasture lands. They picked up some of the Zoroastrian belief (in Persia) and then Shi’ doctrine (in Mesopotamia, Iraq). As they crossed to Levant and southeastern Turkey, they settled where there is an abundant pastureland. Perhaps, they found the native teaching of the local folk (culture), string instruments, Sufi mystics and worshiping the elements of nature (i.e., fire or light).

Under the Ottomans, the Alevis were used as Janissary infantry unit and their presence in places like Albania and Macedonia can be felt. The Janissary infantry units were the frontline fighting in Eastern Europe.

Since the Alevis mostly reside in the rural areas (within their own villages), they have almost no contact with the outsiders (Shias or Sunnis). This might have contributed to the emergence of oral traditions firmly established in their hierarchical systems.
 

Each pocket had its 'alim' (scholar) who could only pass on his knowledge to his son who had to be a descendant of the holy household. These men keep a firm hold on the social order (power) by introducing social traditions (i.e., preventing marriages to someone outside of their sect or not allowing conversion to their sect). However, some men are bringing in women through marriages. But Alevi women are completely forbidden to marry outside of their sect (e.g., marriages to Sunni men are disallowed). 

The hierarchical system in their sect leaves no room for questioning. The common people are subjugated to the will of their alims (scholars), who claims that they are from the descendents of the Holy Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his pure family). Perhaps the uncontrollable proliferation of ideas without any checks or balance can be liken to the snowball effect.
 
Along with the development of technology and the modern way of life, the Alevis (like the rest of the people in the region) emigrated into towns and cities. The mass emigration of the Alevi community causes disruption to their hierarchical system. Also, the increased contact with Islamic ideas and an overwhelming pressure to identify the origin of the sect has led to scholarly research.

The Ottomans, unfortunately, have not keep any records of the Alevis theology. This is very unusual since they have kept record of other sects. Could this be because the Ottomans did not want to offend or upset the Janissary that were fighting in the Balkans or keeping the Beyliks of the south in line?

In the modern time, we have seen an increase in the dawa activity by the Shia Jafari among the Alawis. Since members of this sect revere and love the Holy Household (prophet family), more dawah and scholarly debates are needed to win them over to the school of Shia Immamiyyah.

Most, if not all of the Alevis in Turkey acknowledged all the twelve Imams. They respect the Holy Quran. Their claim of tampering can be rebutted intellectually. However, they are some who tries to distance themselves from the Islamic principles (i.e., hejab, polygamy). Most of them do not agree to the Islamic Sharia (punishment?) because they have only seen heavy handedness from the Ottomans who were notorious for prosecuting their ancestors.

There are two schools of thought in regards to the origin/name of the sect. The first group claims that the sect name “Alevi” is derived from Zoroastrian roots, “Alev”, which means flame. Alternatively since the Turkish language does not permit the use of the 'W' one can argue that Alevi is a simple equivalent of Alawi from its Arabic cousin. Hence the partisan of 'Ali can also be derived from the term.
 

All the above is from my own findings, my humble and semi professional research so please don’t take it for granted; keep an eye out for the list of references.

 
Reference
[1] http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234985799-questions-about-alawinusayris-sect/

Testimonial: Belief of the Alawi/Nusayris sect

The following is a personal testimonial from a person who has met a few members of the Alawi/Nusayris sect. (Note: Some comments have been edited for clarity).

This story is narrated by Cosmos [1]

I've only met two Alawi's in my life. The first time was three years ago at my university. One thing you should know about them is that their faith is top secret. It is really hard to extract information from them. They only reveal their teachings to those who join them. They have no mosques, but have weekly gatherings inside their houses. 

The first Alawi was a man.  He confused my friend (a Sunni) and I (a Shia). By this I mean they "morph" or "blend" into whichever group they join. When he was with me, he used to show me latmia and nasheed from Basim al-Karbalaei. But when he was with Sunnis, he discussed Uthman, Umar and other teachings with them. We eventually found out about his sect. Every time we called him for prayers, he said he would pray at home. Later, my friends told me that he was an Alawi. He denied all. I did not see him after that.

The second member of this group was a woman. She was from Syria. She was a little bit open about her faith. She revealed that She was an Alawi. This, only after we talk about religion. She made sure that I'm mature and will not be making fun of what she is about to say.

According to her, they believe that Imam Ali (peace be upon him) is the God and that the light is the very essence of God. As such, they worship the sun and the moon and see them as the residence of Imam 'Ali (a.s), Prophet Muhammad (may the peace on blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) and Salman al farisi (A Persian disciple and a close companion of Prophet Muhammad(May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family). They identify Imam 'Ali with the sun and Salman with the moon. They also believe in all the prophets of Islam (total number of prophets is about 124 000). They follow all the twelve Imams, eleven Imams from the progeny of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), the last being Imam Mahdi (May Allah hasten his return).  They also believe in the trinity manifestation of God from Christianity.

Alawi/Nusayris celebrate the following Eids; Eid al-Fitr (but they don't fast), Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Ghadir when imam Ali (a.s) became the successor of prophet Mohammad (may the peace on blessings of Allah be upon him and his family). They also celebrate Eid al-Nawruz (Persian New Year) and Christmas and Epiphany Holiday (from Christianity).

It was really difficult to get things out from from her. And to find an Alawi that reveals he/she is an Alawi/Nusayris is even rare (except for maybe Syrian). My guess is that if they join a group, they blend in and making it hard to identify them. I don't know the exact reason why they are secretive. I guess it must be part of their faith.

Reference

[1] http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234985799-questions-about-alawinusayris-sect/

Some leads on Alawi/Nusayris - part 1

The following notes are taken from this thread.

According to siraatoaliyinhaqqun 

Member of this sect do not perform salah (Muslim prayers). Neither do they believe in the twelve Imams of Ahlul Bayt (Shia Ithna Asharis). This group has been noted in religious books (Shia), i.e., in the Rijal of an-Najashi and in al-Khisal of Shaykh Saduq. It is believe that Ibn Saba was a member of this group. Imam Hassan Askari (may peace be upon him) have cursed Nusary and considered him as an exaggerator (ghulat).

According to Cosmos (who had a few discussions with a member of this sect from Syria)

Abu Shu'ayb Muhammad ibn Nusayr started the Alawi sector during the 9th century, and spread to Syria during the 10th century. Members of this sect worship Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and consider him a manifestation of God. They do acknowledge Ahlul Bayt and accepts all the twelve Imams. Their main book is Kitab al-Majmu. Other books used by them (for debates) are the Holy Quran and Nahjul Balagha. Alawi or Nusayris (named after sect founder) call themselves Alawi Shia muslim, there are over 2 million of them and most are in Syria, others are found in Turkey and some in Lebanon, most of their religion is a mixed bag originating from mixtures of ancient pagan, gnostic and Christian elements along with Shia Islamic teaching. Alawis came to power in Syria in 1960's when Hafez Assad was elected as president, he is also an Alawi, hence he gave them more freedom and power.

Bhooka provided a reference from rijal al-Kashi on his blog. According to him, a hadeeth stated that the founder of the Nusayris sect (Muhammad b. Nusayr al-Numari) claimed prophet-hood for himself. Muhammad b. Nusayr al-Numari also claimed that he was a representative of Imam Hassan Askari. He promoted ideas and teachings that were contrary to Islam, such as, the belief in the reincarnation/transfer of the soul, exaggeration about the Imams of Ahlul Bayt (divinity of Imam Ali), haram acts (e.g. relationship between the same sex). 

To be continued in part 2 .....

Questions about Alawi/Nusayris sect

I am absolutely unclear how to even form thoughts about Alawi/Nusayris. I hope to get more information about them soon.


I have posted the following questions, in hope that someone may know more about this sect or at least point me to some reading materials.

1. When did this sect come into existence? How?
2. Do they worship Imam Ali (peace be upon him) as a God?
3. Is this the group that thought the angel Jibrael made a mistake and sent the revelation to a wrong person, when it should have gone to Imam Ali?
4. Do they acknowledge all the 12 Imams of ahlul bayt (peace be upon them)?
5. Do we have any sayings from our Imams that speak about them?
6. Names of some books/literature that can explain this sect.

Notes about the Druze belief

• The Druze does not recognize Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam (May Allah grant peace and blessings to him and his family)
• The Druze believe in the Divinity of the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah and reincarnation 
• The Druze are not obligated to perform the daily prayers even in their house of worship 
• The Druze do not fast in the month of Ramadhan. 
• The Druze do not require or perform pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah 
• The Druze do not observe the zakat as prescribe in Islam

The Druze do not see themselves as Muslims, despite the fact that most of the Druze believers are apparently of Muslim origin and despite the fact that they focus their activity primarily in proximity to Muslims[1].

"The founders of the Druze religion were, moreover, greatly influenced by certain beliefs, notably the incarnation or hulul of the divine essence in human bodies, held by the early Shıı ghulat, especially the Khattabiyya, who believed in the divinity of the imams. Under such influences, Hamza and his chief associates believed in the periodical manifestations of the divine spirit in human form. They taught that in their time, the ultimate One, the Godhead, who had created the universal intellect or intelligence (al-aql al-kullı), the first cosmic emanation or principle who was himself beyond name or rank, was embodied in the person of al-Hakim. In other words, al-Hakim was the last maqam, or locus, of the Creator, and it was only by recognising al-Hakim that men could purify themselves. On 27 Shawwal 411/13 February 1021, he left for one of his usual outings to the Muqattam hills and never returned. The Druzes interpret al-Hakim’s disappearance as a voluntary retreat initiating his ghayba or occultation." [2]

Discussions: 1, 2, 3, 4

References

[1] The Druze in the Middle East: Their Faith, Leadership, Identity and Status by Nissim Dana (2003)

[2] The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines by Farhad Daftary (2007)

Ghulat Groups

The following two groups exhibit ghuluww (exaggeration in religious matter) tendencies as per definition

1. The Druze
2. The Alawi/Nusayris

The Druze

According to Wikipedia: "The Druze emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism and incorporated several elements of Gnosticism, Neoplatonism and other philosophies."

• Locations: Reside primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and the west
• Est. population 750K - 2500K (approx)
• Important literature: Rasa'il al-hikmah (Epistles of Wisdom)
• Written/Spoken: Arabic, English and local languages/dialects
• Established since the year 1016 AD
• Membership: Not open to the public and extremely secretive
• Symbols: Multi-colored stars

The Alawi

According to Wikipedia: 

"The origin of the Alawis is disputed. The Alawis themselves trace their origins to the followers of the eleventh Imam, Hasan al'Askari (d.873) and his pupil ibn Nusayr (d. 868)

Alawis are self-described Shi'i Muslims, and have been called Shia by other sources including the highly influential Lebanese Shia cleric Musa al-Sadr of Lebanon. 

On the other hand, conservative Sunnis do not always recognize Alawi as Muslims. At least one source has compared them to Baha'is, Babis, Bektashis, Ahmadis, and similar groups that have arisen within the Muslim community, and declared that it has always been the consensus of the Muslim Ulama, both Sunni and Shi'i, that the Nusayri Alawi are kuffar unbelievers and mushrikun polytheists.

The Alawi themselves have insisted that they are Twelver Shi'ites since at least the 1920s, in spite of the French encouraging them to identify as a separate religion.

Alawis have much in common with the Ismailis in terms of overall beliefs, and they are sometimes regarded as an offshoot of this group."

• Locations: Reside primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Turkey
• Est. population: 3M (approx)
• Important literature: Al-Quran and Kitab al-Majmu 
• Written/Spoken: Arabic, Turkish
• Established since the year 1000 AD (approximate date)
  
• Membership: Not open to the public and secretive
• Symbols: Unknown