Alevism facts for kids

Alevism is a movement that originated in Anatolia in the 13th and 14th century. In Turkey, Alevites are the second-largest religious group, with up to 15% of the population. Alevites accept most of the teachings of Shia Islam, so they are sometimes seen as a group within Shia Islam. During history, Alevites have been persecuted, so there are no official figures of how many Alevites there are.

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.
Asādʿullāh: Nickname given by Muhammad to describe his kinsman Ali. Asadullah means "Lion of Allah", which is also well known as "Ismāʿīlī". Alevism, Bektashism and Sufism consider Ali as the holder of the divine secrets and esoteric meaning of Islam, transmitted to him by Muhammad. "I am the city of knowledge, Ali is its gate." —Muhammad.
Bağlama.
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 Kurdish ethnicity, and the Commander-in-chief of the Kızılbaş armies.
Aşık Veysel, Alevi folk poet.
The tomb of Ruhi Su at Zincirlikuyu Mezarlığı in Istanbul.