Celebrating religious events is of high significance among Shias and different branches of this sect share many rituals. There are many events celebrated by Alawites and other religions or sects of Shiism but they have different interpretations and they celebrate them in different ways. Shared festivals between Alawites and Mullims: The Alawites, whose doctrines have […]

The Nusayris-ʿAlawis, whose history and origins were discussed in the previous post, have remained a secretive, esoteric community, observing taqiyya and closely guarding the religious doctrines of Alawites. Even within their community, Nusayri teachings are accessible only to the initiated members (khassa), as distinct from the uninitiated masses (ʿamma), while women are excluded from the […]

The origins of Alawits branch of Shiism or the Nusayris may be traced to a certain Abu Shuʿayb Muhammad b. Nusayr al-Namiri (or al-Numayri), who hailed from the ghulat circles on the fringes of Imami Shiʿism Ibn Nusayr was a supporter of the tenth and eleventh Twelver Shiʿi Imams and later proclaimed the divinity of […]