Who are Alawite Shia?

The Alawis, Alawites (Arabic: علوية Alawīyah), or Nusayris (Arabic: نصيرية Nuṣayrīyah) are an ethnoreligious group primarily in the Levant which originated from Shia Islam. The Alawites revere Ali (Ali ibn Abi Talib), considered the first Imam of the Twelver school.

What do the Alawites believe in?

Alawites adhere to this general Shia principle and share other commonalities with Twelver Shias, the most common Shia subsect in the Arab world. Both believe in “the oneness of God, justice of God, prophecy of Muhammad, divine leadership of the 12 imams [descendants of Ali] and the day of judgment.”

What is the Alawi religion?

Alawi Muslims practice an esoteric form of Shi’a Islam. This complex faith includes an emphasis on a trinity (Muhammad, his nephew and eventual successor Ali, and Salman al-Farisi, an early Persian convert to Islam), a belief in reincarnation, and the celebration of a “mass” involving wine and bread.

What is Alawi in Arabic?

Alawi (Arabic: علاوي) means “follower of Ali” or “descendant of Ali”, and is a common surname (and sometimes as a given name) in the Muslim world. In Arab countries occupied by the British Empire, the name is transliterated as “Alawi”.

Where are the Alawites?

Syria
WHERE ARE THEY? — The sect, in Syria, is predominant in the coastal town of Latakia. It also extends north into Turkey, where some Arabic-speaking Alawites live.

What is the difference between Alawite and Sunni?

The Alawites hold Ali to be the (Jesus-like) incarnation of divinity. While mainstream Muslims (both Sunni and Shi’ite) proclaim their faith with the phrase “There is no deity but God and Muhammad is His prophet,” Alawites assert, “There is no deity but Ali, no veil but Muhammad, and no bab but Salman.”

What is the difference between Sunni and Alawite?

What is the difference between Shia and Alawi?

What do the Alawites believe? The major divide in Islam is between Shiite and Sunni Muslims, who initially split over who was supposed to succeed the prophet Muhammad. Alawites identify as Shiite Muslims, but the sect carried over older beliefs that predate Islam.

Are there Alawites in Iran?

Ethnically, Iran is predominantly Persian, while Syria is predominantly Arab. Yet Tehran and Damascus have one of the region’s strongest alliances—based in part on religion. Iran is Shiite-dominated and Syria is predominantly ruled by Alawites, a Shiite offshoot.

How many Alawites are there in Syria?

about 2 million people
Who are the Alawites? Today Alawites comprise 12-15% of the Syria’s population, or about 2 million people. They mainly live in the mountainous areas of Latakia on the northwestern coast, where they constitute almost two-thirds of the population. The Alawites are composed of several main tribes with numerous sub-tribes.

Are Shia and Alawite the same?

The major divide in Islam is between Shiite and Sunni Muslims, who initially split over who was supposed to succeed the prophet Muhammad. Alawites identify as Shiite Muslims, but the sect carried over older beliefs that predate Islam. For instance, Alawites celebrate some Christian and Zoroastrian holidays.

What is the difference between Alawites and Shia?

Although most Muslims have five pillars of faith, the Alawites have seven. They believe in the divinity of Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad; other Shiites revere Ali but do not believe he was divine.

Are Alawites Arabic?

Furthermore, the Alawites are Arabs and the Alevis are Turks. Even Alevi populations among the Kurds and Balkan Muslims pray in Turkish, testifying to the essentially Turkish nature of Alevism.

How many Alawites are there?

Today Alawites comprise 12-15% of the Syria’s population, or about 2 million people. They mainly live in the mountainous areas of Latakia on the northwestern coast, where they constitute almost two-thirds of the population.