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Category: Shia Muslims in the World

Aug 30
Pilgrimage among the Twelvers

The Ithna-Ashariyya Muslims who follow the Twelve Imams compose the largest group of Shia, existing in large numbers in Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Bahrain, with smaller numbers in many other Muslim-majority countries as well as minority communities in North America and Europe. They are referred to as Twelvers or Ithna-Ashariyya because of their […]

Aug 25
Ismaili’s center in London

The most important Ismaili center in the UK is the Agha Khan center, a place where the Ismailis hold events for their social, cultural, and religious gatherings. It was established in 1951 at Kensington Court, London, United Kingdom but later a new place was acquired for building the new center at King’s Cross. It also […]

Aug 24
Alevi Houses of Worship; Cemevi

The Cemevis Introduction According to this branch of Shiism, the cemevis are Alevi houses of worship that have significant importance in Alevi Islam. A cemevi literally means “a house of gathering” that usually is a place for gatherings of Alevis where men and women hold the traditional worship ceremony called ‘cem’, a paradigm of Prophet […]

Aug 16
Pilgrimage among Ismailis

Origins of Pilgrimage among Shias Pilgrimage among Ismailis can be seen as a part of Shia pilgrimage which begins with the story of Karbala, an event largely focused on the sacrifice of bodies and the miracles associated with the martyrs. Stories about his head and its miraculous powers reflect the reverence Shi‘i Muslims have for […]

Aug 09
Ashura Celebrations

Ashura is a light to guide mankind from darkness to clarity and a safe ship in every horrible storm knowing this the importance of Ashura celebrations is undeniable. This wonderful event is a portray of excellence of spirit and ethics, mysticism, love, faith, purity, social integration and privacy protection as well as all precious beliefs […]

Aug 07
Ashura Festival among Alevis

The Alevis is a sect of Shia Islam who follow the teaching of Twelve Imams and the mystic Haji Bektash Vali. They are mainly based in Turkey and follow rituals and beliefs that are similar to that of the Twelver Shias like the importance of the family of Propet (PBUH), mourning in the month of […]

Aug 07
Events Celebrated by Ismaili Shias – part 2

To complete the previous post, there are some other festivals held by Ismaili Shias which need to be mentioned and briefly described:  Navroz Navroz or Nowruz, is a nation-wide celebration that marks the beginning of a brand-new year and highlights spiritual and physical transformation. It is a time to gain a positive outlook on life […]

Aug 07
Events Celebrated by Ismaili Shias – part 1

Events Celebrated by Ismaili Shias- part 1 After knowing about the Ismaili branch of Shiism, taking a look at the ceremonies celebrated by this sect can be helpful. In the following section we are further familiarized with different events celebrated by Ismaili Shias: Eid-e Ghadir This is a commemoration of the gathering of Ghadir Khumm […]

Aug 01
Events Celebrated by Alawites

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 […]

Jul 26
The Doctrines of Alawites

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 […]