Alawite

:Note: The terms Alawi and Alevi, although related, refer to different religious groups, the latter based in Turkey.

Religion

Theologically, Alawites today claim to be Twelver Shiites, but traditionally they have been designated as “extremists – ghulat” and outside the bounds of Islam by the Muslim mainstream for their love of Ali ibn Abi Talib. They have only one holy book, the Qur'an, but insist that without knowledge of the family of Muhammad, the Qur'an cannot be properly interpreted. Alawites study the book of Jafaar al-Saadaq (al-hefat al-shariif) which has been translated into French and printed. This was done in Beirut in the mid-nineteenth century by an Alawite convert to Christianity, who was later killed by a fellow Alawite for exposing a secret sacred book.

Related Topics:
Twelver - Shiites - Islam - Ali ibn Abi Talib - Qur'an - Muhammad - Beirut - Christianity

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The Alawite religion has many similarities to Isma’ilism. Alawis believe in Ali as the true Successor of Prophet Mohammed as well as an esoteric reading of the Qur'an. Unlike Ismailis, Alawites regard Ali as the purpose of life and the divine knowledge of the prophet Mohammed. In their esoteric interpretation, Muhammad, Ali's cousin, is the "Fountain" , Salman_the_Persian is the "gate" of knowledge; and Ali posses's the "keys" to heaven.

Related Topics:
Qur'an - Muhammad

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The Alawite catechism is expressed in the formula: "I turn to the door of knowledge. In order for the father to provide me with a key; Thus receiving the reward which is the knowledge of 'Ali'." An Alawite prays in a manner patterned after the shahada: "I testify that there is no God but Allah, Mohammed is his messenger and Ali ibn Abi Talib his Wali (protector/ally)."

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The Alawite religion is believed to be secret because of the lack of knowledge about Alawites. Alawites do not accept converts or the publication of their texts which is passed down from scholar to scholar. The vast majority of Alawites know precious little about the contents of their sacred texts or theology which is guarded by a small class of male initiates.

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Because only one book has been translated, outsiders know little about Alawite theology. Hanna Batatu’s last book has a short but reliable section on Alawite doctrine, theology and recent debates within the community. How sincere is this rejection of bida` or innovation? There is no way to tell, but it has a long tradition within the community. The French tried to pressure leading Alawite Shaykhs to declare the Alawite religion a separate, non-Muslim religion during the early 1920s but they lost their battle because many religious leaders refused to do so. After all, Alawites declare themselves to be Muslims in their catechism and believe that Muhammad is God’s messenger.

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The Alawite religion seems to be based on Gnosticism and Neo-Platonism. According to Alawite belief, all persons at first were stars in the world of light but fell from the firmament through the passion of jealousy. The material world is a place of danger, enemies and impurity. The essential evil of this present existence can be escaped by the help of the divine creator. Every Alawite has within his soul a bit of the light of the divine creator, which can be accessed and lead him on the right path and salvation. Faithful Alawites believe that all who put forth towards their soul shall receive their due reward from Allah. Alawites believe that their rewards are not financial gain or property but true knowledge of the Prophets of Allah. They also believe infidels are reborn as animals, which is witnessed in the Quran.

Related Topics:
Gnosticism - Neo-Platonism - Star - Allah - Quran

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Because of the highly syncretistic nature of the religion, scholars have claimed that Alawism is related to Christianity because they have a strong love for Jesus and the former prophets but Alawites say that all the prophets were Muslims and that knowledge is like the sea it nevers ends. Alawites also study the writings of Aristotle, Socrates and Alexander the Great.

Related Topics:
Jesus - Aristotle - Socrates - Alexander the Great

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Alawites try to follow the prime example left by Ali. Ali lived out of the eye of the public. Like Ali the Alawites are too called names and rejected by the common, Like Ali the Alawites also keep to themselves and like Ali they say that they too "worship Allah in private and not for show".

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Although Alawites recognize the five pillars of Islam, they do not believe that anyone has the privilege of practising them because they are too pure to be performed by "any" soul. Alawites believe that there is no back door entrance to the gates of heaven (i.e. follow the five pillars and you receive the keys to heaven). Instead they believe that one should devote his life the way that the prophet Muhammed would have permitted by following the example of Ali.

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The insistence on conformism has brought rich political rewards – Alawites enjoy all the rights of Muslims in Syria and can hold the office of President, which must be filled by a Muslim according the constitution. Nevertheless, Alawites have paid a steep price for political success for a share of political power and equality in the nation.

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Alawites who have speculated on the success are considerably more optimistic about the percentage of Syrians who considered them Muslim than are their Druze counterparts. Several claim that 50% of Syrians or more accepted them as Muslims. The reason Alawites give for their success is that they try harder than the Druze to be like Sunni Muslims and to assimilate to the textbook version of Islam. One native of Latakia, an Alawi woman who is in her thirties with an advanced degree, gave the following explanation:

Related Topics:
Druze - Latakia

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"We are accepted as Muslims because we have worked hard to be accepted. Some Alawis cover their hair and wear hijab, either for personal reasons or for humblness to allah. We don’t eat ham, We fast – we don’t eat during Ramadan. We have built mosques in our major towns. But we believe that praying at home for ones own soul not for show is what allah deems pure. Many muslims go to mosques to show that they pray whereas alawites know that God knows there true intentions and it is more pure to talk to allah personally though Many Alawis go to Friday prayer and to the Hajj. My grandfather was a modern shaykh who encouraged everyone to pray at the mosque in Jable. The charitable foundation established and run by Jamil al-Asad (the brother of former President Hafiz al-Assad) finances hundreds of Alawis to go on Hajj, and the women working for the organization wear the hijab. Hafiz al-Asad prayed in Mosque and fasted always. When his mother and son died, he prayed for them in Mosque. He built the Na`isa mosque in Qardaha, his home town, in the name of his mother. All these things are proof to the doubters that we try hard to be part of Islam. They accept it. We have succeeded, God willing."

Related Topics:
Hijab - Ramadan - Jable - Jamil al-Asad - Qardaha

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The introduction of the state school system into the Alawite region during the last fifty years has transformed the religious identity of Alawites. Today, most Alawites only know the tenets of Sunni Islam because they are taught them in mandatory religion classes from first grade through twelfth grade. Syrian school texts do not mention the word Alawite, nor do they refer to diversity of belief and practice in Islam. Although Alawites know they are different from Sunnis, they don’t know exactly how. Most will tell you about the popular religious ceremonies their families engage in, which include annual visits to saints’ shrines, the sacrificing of sheep, and wearing of talismans.

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Evidently, the Asads go to great lengths to make sure that the different tribes are equally represented in top military posts, just as they try to divvy out government posts among the various religious and ethnic groups of Syria.

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