Middle East Information Resource
Religions/Belief Systems - Alevi
Alevi is a Turkish name for the followers of Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, and the fourth Muslim Caliph. Alevi is the name given to an important sect of Islam in Turkey. They are a minority in Turkey, where most of the population is Sunni. Members of the Alevi sect are distinct from the largely Syrian Alawis, as well as from the mainstream Shi’a. They were formerly concentrated in the central and eastern parts of Anatolia. However, today they can be found in all parts of the Turkey. They are predominantly ethnic Turks, though some of them are also Kurds and Arabs. They tend to be of the lower socio-economic strata.
They originate from some of the early Turkish tribes who settled Anatolia in the late Middle Ages. They were very much influenced by Shi’a and Sufi groups. Their beliefs are an amalgam of both influences, with their own unique set of principles and rites. They are widely regarded as lax in terms of Islamic religious observance. They have been denounced by the Sunni establishment and were persecuted by the Ottoman authorities. They have often kept their beliefs secret.
When the Turkish Republic was formed, most of the Shi’is supported the secularism of progressive Kemalist ideology, and more recently supported the Turkish leftist parties. A leftist and largely Alevi party, called the Turkey Unity Party, led by Mustafa Timisi, was formed in 1973, but it did not lead to a mass movement. In recent years, relations between the Alevis and conservative or ultra-nationalist Sunnis has deteriorated. Beginning in the late 1970’s, riots erupted between them in various cities, adding to the already serious breakdown in law and order in the Turkey. The worst incident took place in Kahramanmaras in December 1978, resulting in the deaths of over 100 people. There were also bloody riots in Çorum in June 1980, leading further deaths. The September 1980 military coup for the most part was in the interests of preserving civil order, but incidents between Alevis and Sunnis continued to erupt from time to time. A deeprooted tension continues to exist between the two communities.