Alians
Sign in to saveright|thumb|250px|Demir Baba Teke|Demir Baba teke, Alian sacred place
~6 min read
Encyclopedic overview
5 sectionsContents
- Origin theories
- Observances and beliefs
- Location
- References
- Notes
right|thumb|250px|Demir Baba Teke|Demir Baba teke, Alian sacred place
The Alian Order (in Bulgarian: алиани, in Turkish: Alevi) is a Shia Muslim community based in Bulgaria. The term “Alian” derives from the veneration of Ali ibn Abi Talib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, whom the community considers an emanation of God. The community goes by several names in Bulgaria, including Aliani (Алиани), Alevii (Алевии), Kazalbashi (or Kızılbaşı, meaning “red heads” in Turkish), and Bektashi.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Alians” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.