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The Alian Kızılbaşī community (in Bulgarian: алиани, in Turkish: Alevi), are a Shi`a order, similar to the Sufi Mevlevi, who live in several regions of Bulgaria. Alians revere the name "Ali" carried by their circle of 12 Imams (awliya'), which they consider an emanation of God. They follow the mystical rituals of the wandering dervishes.

Origin theories

Their exact origin is not certain, since few relevant historical records have been preserved, but according to the prevailing theory they fled to Bulgaria from Central Anatolia after the 1512 victory by the Ottoman Sultan Selim I, a Sunni, over the first, part-Turcoman Safavid shah of the Persians, Ismail I.

Alians appear to be descendants of a Sufi-dervish-like group of priests but they themselves believe about 10% are the descendants of the earliest Christians of Asia Minor who fled the Sunni invasion of Anatolia. Ali for them is not one single historical person but the ineffable name kept by God's Ministers (Avlioh).

It has also been suggested that they perhaps first came to the Balkans during the 15th century, in order to keep up the morale of Ottoman soldiers and to help integrate the newly conquered peoples into the empire.

Observances and beliefs

The Alians have similar beliefs and practices to the Alevis and, along with Alevis are surviving examples of pre-Sunni Islam because the Alians are believed to be descendants of a member of the Banu Eli tribe who was called Abbas ibn Ali and Umm ul-Banin. Their 12 imams refer to 12 ministerial roles during the Alian religious ceremony, and they are hence different from those of Twelver Shiism. They believe the Quran was compiled by Salman al-Farsi, whom they hold in high esteem. Their tafsir of the Quran is based on harmony between the 4 books (Quran, the Old Testament, the New Testament, and Psalter).

They are a closed society and hide their rituals. Circumcision, reserved for the priests, is done when the boy is one week old. At the age of 13 years, his pubic hair may be trimmed in a special ceremony where only male Elders are present. They are monogamous and should only marry other Alians. Marriages may be arranged years in advance by the families, but the couple is only married together as young men and women because Alians abhor child marriage. Alians believe in personal communication with God through a near-trance state during Zikr. They use the Persian calendar, an Old Rite-style breviary, and use candles and wine during their Dzhem on Thursday nights to achieve the Haqq–Muhammad–Ali communion. They celebrate Christmas Gaxand in winter and Nowruz in spring, while revering Christian saints, especially Saint Nicholas, and Sufi saints, using icons and crosses alongside tasbih. They historically placed a great role among themselves for converting Christians in Bulgaria.

A tradition is performed among Alians after the 3rd week of December until the first week of January, during which St Nicholas (Grandfather Gaxan, also known more recently as Baba Noel), his bride Fadike, and a character normally known as the Arab, will visit homes to perform a play and collect gifts. They distribute these to others in the community, especially Zeyi, i.e. young women who can not afford dowries; they also distribute nuts, sweets, chocolate and dried fruits to children.

Balkan Christians visit Alian shrines. Alians refused to visit madrassahs in the Ottoman Empire because Sunni Islam was taught there. Consequently, they educated their children only within the bounds of their society, which has led to a decline among them. The situation, their esoteric culture, and urbanization puts them at risk of gradual assimilation into Orthodox Christianity or secularism. By the Second World War and the following Communism in Bulgaria, many Alians fled to the European part of Turkey.

Demir Baba teke is a sacred place to Alians and other Islamic sects because Demir Baba, a famous dervish who lived during the 16th century, is buried there. The tekke of Otman Baba, located in the Haskovo-region village of Teketo, is another Alian holy site.

Location

In Bulgaria, Alians inhabit predominantly the villages of Yablanovo and Malko Selo in Sliven Province; Sevar, Ostrovo, Madrevo, Sveshtari, Bisertsi, and Lavino in Razgrad Province; Preslavci, Chernik, and Bradvari in Silistra Province; and Mogilets and Bayachevo in Targovishte Province.

References

1. Based on Ayats 2:107, 3:105, 5:55, 6:14, 33:17 and 9:116 etc.
2. Tareekh e Alian – Shaikh Zakaria pages – 92–113
3. Bosakov, p. 282.

Notes

• Житието на Демир Баба и създаването на ръкописи от мюсюлманите от хетеродоксните течения на исляма в Североизточна България (in Bulgarian).: Demir Baba's life and the creation of manuscripts by heterodox Muslims in northeastern Bulgaria

• "Демир баба теке е светиня" (in Bulgarian). Archived from the original on 2020-06-29.: Demir baba teke is a holy place

• "Националният институт за паметници на културата иска да спре реставрацията на Демир баба теке" (in Bulgarian). Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-06-16.: The National institute of cultural monuments want to halt the restоration of Demir baba teke

• Георгиева, И. (1997). Българските алиани. Сборник етнографски материали (in Bulgarian). Sofia.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) Bulgarian Alians. A collection of ethnographic materials.

• Bosakov, Vesselin (1999). "Religious and sociocultural dimensions of the Kazalbashi community in Bulgaria". Facta Universitatis. 2 (6). University of Niš: 277–283.

• Islam in Bulgaria
• Alevism
• Sufi orders
• Shia Sufi orders
• Liberal and progressive movements within Islam
• Shia Islamic branches