NUSAYRIYAH: AN ESOTERI C LIVIN G RELIGIOU S SEC T IN TH E SECULA R MILIEUO F TURKIS H REPUBLIC *

Abstract

The seel of Nusayriyah was founded by Abu Shu'ayb Muhammad Ibn Nusayr alBasri an-Numayri who lived during the time of tenth, eleventh and twelfth Shiitc leaders, i.e. 'Ali al-Hadi, al-Hassan al-'Askari and Muhammad al-Mahdi respectfully (3^/9"' century). Nusayriyah was originally a sect of Shi'alı. The Nusayri community has maintained itself for over one thousand years, fiercely clinging to its syncrelistİc secret religious belief and survived as a distinct group in spite of repeated persecution and the threat of extinction by the Sunni majority rulers who considered them pagans and heretics who were not eligible for the status of a protected religion. The Nıısayris contain three distinctive doctrines which have led them to be treated as heretics by Sunni Muslims. During the French occupation of Syria they were called ai-Alawiyyeen by the French colonizers who assigned them a state known as the State of Alawiyyeen, existed between 1920 and 1936. The people of Nusayriyah {the Nitsayris) are an Arabic speaking ethno-religious community, who live in the Latakiah province of Syria and the adjacent districts of northern Lebanon and southern Turkey. The Nıısayris who live in Turkey can speak Turkish too. Total number of Nıısayris world wide is 2.2 million. Of them 1.6 million which constitute 13% live in Syria where they constitute the largest minority group. The second largest group with 250 thousands people live in southern Turkey where they are known as Alewis. a Turkish name for all Shiite groups. The largest group of Nıısayris İn Turkey lives in Hatay, Adana and Tarsus provinces. In this article 1 examined Nıısayris' belief about incarnation, woman, AJi, and their religious leaders called sheikhs while researching the location, population, representation, and identity of them after the foundation of the Republic of Turkey as well as their relationships with other people, and their social statue. 

Keywords

• Nusayriyah,Nusayri,Alawis,Muhammad Ibn Nusayr

NUSAYRIYAH: AN ESOTERI C LIVIN G RELIGIOU S SEC T IN TH E SECULA R MILIEUO F TURKIS H REPUBLIC *

Abstract

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Keywords

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References

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