Alevism Facts for Kids

Alevism is a unique religious and cultural group. It began in a region called Anatolia, which is now part of modern-day Turkey. This was a long time ago, around the 1200s and 1300s. Alevites are the second-largest religious group in Turkey. They make up about 15% of the population there. Alevites share many beliefs with Shia Islam. Because of this, some people see them as a part of Shia Islam. Throughout history, Alevites have sometimes faced difficulties because of their beliefs. This is why there are no exact official numbers of how many Alevites are in the world.

Images for kids

A representation of the sword of Ali, the Zulfiqar in an Ottoman emblem.
The Ja'far al-Sadiq's historical tomb of Al-Baqi' before being destroyed in 1926.
Sheikh Safi-ad-din Ardabili Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble.
Bağlama.
10th of Muharrem – The Day of Ashura: Huseyn bin Ali was murdered at Kerbela. Mourning of Muharram and the remembrance of this event by Jafaris, Alevis and Bektashis together in Ottoman Empire. Painted by Fausto Zonaro.
The grave of Husayn at Karbala.
A Persian miniature depicting Elijah and al-Khiḍr (A miniature version of Stories of the Prophets).
It is a common Alevi-Sunni tradition to distribute lokma publicly in Turkey.
Distribution of Alevi population in Turkey. Red = Anatolian Alevis (Turks, Kurmanjis and Zazas). Dark red = Alawites (Arabs) in Southern Turkey.
The founder of the Bektashiyyah Sufi order Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli (Ḥājjī Baktāsh Walī), a murid of Malāmatī-Qalāndārī Sheikh Qutb ad-Dīn Haydar, who introduced the Ahmad Yasavi's doctrine of "Four Doors and Forty Stending" into his tariqah.
Calligraphic hat in Alevi-Bektashism.
Four Spiritual Stations in Bektashiyyah: Sharia, tariqa, haqiqa, and the fourth station, marifa, which is considered "unseen", is actually the center of the haqiqa region. Marifa is the essence of all four stations.
Cenotaph for the Bektashi dervish Gül Baba at his türbe in Buda.
Shah Ismail I, the Sheikh of the Safavi tariqa, founder of the Safavid Dynasty of Iran, of Turkoman and Kurdish ethnicity, and the Commander-in-chief of the Kızılbaş armies.

Alevism facts for kids

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