the Imams to make a ruling. The Akhbaris were
therefore legal literalists who feared ijtihad would
corrupt the authentic Islamic tradition. Although
the Usulis triumphed over them in the 19th cen-
tury, they still have a respected place in the wider
Shii community of scholars.
See also ahl al-bayt; imam; shiism; tWelve imam
shiism.
Further reading: Robert Gleave, Inevitable Doubt: Two
Theories of Shii Jurisprudence (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 2000);
Mojan Momen, An Introduction to Shii Islam (New
Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1985).
Alawi
Technically meaning “pertaining to Ali” in Arabic,
Alawi is a name for individuals or groups with a
special attachment to ali ibn abi talib (d. 662).
The importance of Ali, the cousin and son-in-law
of the prophet mUhammad, in Islamic history has
led to use of this term for a variety of organiza-
tions and groups of people, which are known col-
lectively as Alawiyya. Descendants of Ali through
either of his sons Hasan (d. 669) and Husayn (d.
680)—and thus descendants of Muhammad (d.
632) through his daughter Fatima (d. 633)—are
often called Alawi, in addition to being known as
sharifs or sayyids. Supporters of Ali in the political
struggle over the caliphate in early Islamic history
are sometimes also referred to as Alawi, though
they are more commonly called Shii. Also, claim-
ing descent from Ali and Fatima has been used to
legitimate a form of local ruling dynasties, some
of which have carried the name Alawi, the prime
example being the alaWid dynasty, which has
ruled morocco since the 17th century.
Because Ali is considered by most Sufis to
represent the esoteric interpretation of the Quran,
many Sufi orders trace their spiritual lineages
back to him and are known as Alawi orders, as
opposed to Bakri orders such as the naqshbandi-
y ya sUFi order, which trace their lineages to abU
bakr (d. 634), the first caliph. Other orders were
named Alawi because of their leaders’ presumed
blood descent from Ali, such as the Alawiyya
order of Hadramawt (in the southern region of the
Arabian Peninsula) and the Alawiyya branch of
the Darqawi order in algeria, which was formed
by Ahmad al-Alawi (d. 1934) in the early 20th
century.
The two largest religious groups carrying the
name Alawi are hereditary groups whose devotion
to Ali is so intense that their belief systems are
considered heretical by orthodox Sunnis, and they
have both been persecuted by them. The Arab
Alawis (historically known as Nusayris) of syria,
lebanon, and southern tUrkey and the Turkish
and Kurdish Alevis (Turkish rendering of Alawi;
historically known as Kizilbash) of Turkey have
each preserved esoteric beliefs and secret practices
for centuries by living secluded in remote areas in
their respective countries. Both see Ali as divine;
rather than regarding him as a historical figure,
they believe in a cosmic Ali who embodies a mani-
festation of God.
Alevis in Turkey conduct ceremonies in which
mystical songs are sung and a spiritual dance is
performed. Numbering several million, they have
in recent years become more open about their
beliefs and practices and are presently attempt-
ing to negotiate a distinctive identity vis-à-vis the
nationalist state and Sunni majority. The Arab
Alawis limit transmission of their secret beliefs to
those who have been formally initiated into their
community. Though they constitute a minority
in Syria, certain members of the sect have estab-
lished themselves in important military positions
there and have even managed to assume political
control over the country through the Syrian baath
party.
See also ahl al-bayt; ghulat; hUsayn ibn ali;
shariF; shiism; sUFism; tafsir; tariqa.
Mark SoileauFurther reading: Krisztina Kehl-Bodrogi, Barbara Kell-
ner-Heinkele, and Anke Otter-Beaujean, eds., Syncretis-
tic Religious Communities in the Near East (New York:K 28 Alawi