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Are Syrian Alawites and Turkish Alevis the Same?

(CNN) Soner Cagaptay - The Arab Alawites are a part of a highly secretive offshoot of Islam, thought to be open only to men and, in this case, an initiated few. The Alawite faith is considered by some to be close to Shiism. Following the Islamic Revolution, Iran reached out to the Alawites, disseminating propaganda suggesting that they are really Shiites, in the hopes of justifying Shiite Iranian support for the Alawite-backed regime in Damascus. The Alevi faith, on the other hand, is a relatively unstructured interpretation of Islam, open to both genders and, historically, even to non-Muslims. Alevism is unique among Muslim sects, as it does not segregate men and women, even during prayers. The Alevi faith mixes Islam and Sufism, as well as harboring respect for some traditions of Christianity and the Turks' pre-Islamic religion, Shamanism. Unlike the Alawite faith, Alevism lacks written traditions and does not emphasize religious practice. Many assume that because the Alevis are not Sunnis, they must be Shiites, confusing them with the similarly named Alawites. This myth is common even among some Muslims who assume that the Alawites and Alevis are identical. Surprisingly, this misconception even exists among the Turkish Alevis. Turkish Alevis have historically defined themselves as a minority group persecuted by the majority Sunnis. Accordingly, should the conflict in Syria turn Sunni on Alawite, it is conceivable that religiously conscious Turkish Alevis will empathize with the minority Alawites in Syria. The writer is director of the Turkish Research Program at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
2012-04-27 00:00:00
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