page_title: Alevism
section_title: Hıdırellez
hierarchical_section_title: Alevism / Practices / Festivals / Hıdırellez
caption_attribution_description: English: A depiction of Elijah and Khidr praying together from an illuminated manuscript version of Stories of the Prophets.
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: Hıdırellez honors the mysterious figure Khidr (Turkish: Hızır) who is sometimes identified with Elijah (Ilyas), and is said to have drunk of the water of life. Some hold that Khidr comes to the rescue of those in distress on land, while Elijah helps those at sea; and that they meet at a rose tree in the evening of every 6 May. The festival is also celebrated in parts of the Balkans by the name of "Erdelez," where it falls on the same day as Đurđevdan or St. George's Day.
  Khidr is also honored with a three-day fast in mid-February called Hızır Orucu. In addition to avoiding any sort of comfort or enjoyment, Alevis also abstain from food and water for the entire day, though they do drink liquids other than water during the evening.
  Note that the dates of the Khidr holidays can differ among Alevis, most of whom use a lunar calendar, but some a solar calendar.
caption: A Persian miniature depicting Elijah and al-Khiḍr (A miniature version of Stories of the Prophets).
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