Alevi Muslims celebrate Ramadan with a difference

Muslims around the world are fasting for this month of Ramadan, in predominantly Muslim Turkey, many are not. The is because they are Alevi - a sect of Islam, which is very different from the main stream Islamic faith.

Alevis are followers of Ali, the son-in-law of prophet Mohammed. Unlike the majority of Muslims, they don’t fast during Ramadan, but go on pilgrimage to Mohammed’s birthplace in Mecca. Women are allowed to pray together with men.

It is estimated that up to third of Turkey’s population are followers of Alevi. Izzetin Dogan is an Alevi spiritual leader who believes the faith of the Alevi people is based on a philosophy of love, rather than strict rules.

“What are the main principles laid down by God?,” he asks. “Not to violate the rights of the other person, believe in the unity of God, love the other person and share with the other one. “These are the four main principles of Islam according to Alewites.”

But followers of such a radically different interpretation of Islam face problems. Hatici Kose is an Alevi. She says Alevis frequently face pressure to assimilate with the majority Sunni Muslims, especially during Ramada. That pressure Hatici says is especially felt by her son in his school’s compulsory religious education classes.

“At school, his teacher is imposing other religious beliefs on him. For example fasting is a big issue. My son comes to me and says his Religion teacher tells him he has to fast, and that only filthy infidels don’t observe Ramadan. Every week he faces three hours of indoctrination. When my son answers, “this not my faith”, the teacher says, “what kind of Muslim are you?” Another child I know was even beaten by his teacher for refusing to fast.”

Hatici herself says that as a child her parents insisted she fasted to avoid confrontation with Sunnis.

Even now many Alevis fast for the same reason. Professor Cihan of Istanbul’s Bosphorus University has been studying relations between Alevis and Sunnis in Turkey. He says that Ramadan is a particularly tense time for the two Muslim sects.

“For example in Istanbul there are a lot of mixed districts and mixed neighborhoods. In these places there is a lot of tension. They don't go by the basic tenets of orthodox Islam, like praying or fasting; they fast in another month. But there is also dirty gossip, the Sunnis say for example that Alevi people engage in incestuous relations during their religious ceremonies.”

The Uskudar mosque in central Istanbul is packed with worshipers. During Ramadan, religious feeling is especially high in Turkey. Many people who don’t pray at other times of the year, attend mosques during the holy month.

One man voiced his voice deep suspicion against the Alevis.

“To be honest, they don’t fit with us, I can’t lie about it. Their religious beliefs are not proper. They don’t fast, they have funny ideas, and they are not real Muslims. Don’t get me wrong I am not prejudiced some of my friends are Alevi, but I would never let my daughter marry one.”

At Alevi religious ceremonies, women and men pray side by side, using music and dance to worship. The ceremony is held in a Cemevi. Alevi don’t worship in mosques because the founder of their faith Ali was murdered in one. But for all the differences between their faith and mainstream Islam, Alevis are ephmatic they are Muslims. One Alevi follower stressed there was no difference between Islam and Alevi.

“It is a sect of Islam. We are all Muslims that’s what we know and what we learned. Some people interpret it differently, but that doesn’t make them any less Muslim. There is a lot of ignorance and lies said about Alevis in Turkey. But I am proud to be an Alevi.”

Over the centuries, the Alevis have carried out their religious practices in hiding, fearful of violent retribution by mainstream Muslims. In 1994 a hotel full of Alevis attending a festival was burned to the ground by radical Islamists and 34 people were killed. Despite this, the Alevis are becoming more assertive about their right to religious freedom and many are now turning to the European Court of Human Rights to seek redress. The hope is that Turkey can live peacefully with its religious diversity.

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