page_title: Alevism
section_title: Social groups
hierarchical_section_title: Alevism / Demographics / Social groups
caption_attribution_description: English: Old calligraphy related to Alevism&#160;? Dansk: Kalligrafiet er måske hundrede af år gammelt. Og det vides heller ikke hvem der har lavet det.
context_page_description: Alevism is a syncretic, heterodox, and local Islamic tradition, whose adherents follow the mystical teachings of Ali, the Twelve Imams and a descendant—the 13th century Alevi saint Haji Bektash Veli. Alevis are found primarily in Turkey among ethnic Turks and Kurds, and make up approximately 11% of the population; they are the second-largest sect of Islam in Turkey, with Sunni Hanafi Islam being the largest.
  After the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, a dispute arose about his legitimate successor. The Islamic community was divided into those who adhered to Abu Bakr, named Sunnis, and those who sided with Ali, called Shia. Concurrently, people who sided with Ali were called Alevis, defined as "those who adore Ali and his family". Therefore, some authors use Shiism synonymously with Alevism. However, Alevism is not Twelver Shiism, but rather its own Sufi centric form of Shiism, and although they share some common beliefs with the Twelver Shia, their rites and practises are different from Shiism.
context_section_description: A Turkish scholar working in France has distinguished four main groups among contemporary Alevis, which cautiously show their distinctive features in modern Turkey.
  The first group, who form majority of the Alevi population regard themselves as true Muslims and are prepared to cooperate with the state. It adheres to the way of Jafar as-Sadiq, the Sixth Imam of Shia Islam. This groups, concept of God is the same as Orthodox Islam, and like their Shia counterparts they reject the first three chosen Caliph's, who Sunni's accept as legitimate and only accept Ali as the actual and true Caliph.
  The second group, which has the second most following among Alevis are said to be under the active influence of the official Iranian Shia's and to be confirmed adherents of the Twelver branch of Shia Islam and they reject the teachings of Bektashism Tariqa. They follow the Ja'fari jurisprudence and oppose secular state power.
  The third group a minority belief held by the Alevis is mainly represented by people who belong to the political left and presumed the Aleviness just as an outlook on the individual human life rather than a religious conviction by persistently renouncing the ties of the Batiniyya-Alevism with Twelver political branch of Shia Islam. The followers of this congregation, who later turned out to be the very stern defenders of Erdoğan Çınar, hold ritual unions of a religious character and have established cultural associations named after Pir Sultan Abdal as well. According to their philosophy, human being should enjoy a central role reminiscent of the doctrine of Khurramites, and as illustrated by Hurufi phrase of God is Man quoted above in the context of the Trinity.
  The fourthwho adopted some aspirations of Christian mysticism, is more directed towards heterodox mysticism and stands closer to the Hajji Bektashi Brotherhood. According to the philosophy developed by this congregation, Christian mystic St Francis of Assisi and Hindu Mahatma Gandhi are supposedly considered better believers of God than many Muslims.
caption: Calligraphic hat in Alevi-Bektashism.
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