Thanks everyone for commenting and watching the video! Clearly, as I stated in the video itself, there are many conflicting accounts of the Alawites/Nusayris and a variety of expressions within the group itself. As we can tell from the comments here, the question is quite complex, so don't take the words of the video as gospel but understand that there are a variety of understandings, so I suggest talking to each other to better understand the nuances and differences within Alawite belief. I'm glad this comment-section is a source for discussion and debate, but remember to always keep a good tone and respect each other. These are sensitive subjects, and it's easy to get riled up, but try your best not to insult or spread hate. /Filip
Hi, do you have any knowledge about the moroccan alawit family (monarch family)...If they belong to that group or not? !Thank you in generellay for the content
@@scepticmuslim No, that is not the same. There are many different groups who go under the Arabic name "Alawi" and that's just another one of them. I think it's referring to their lineage going back to Ali ibn Abi Talib.
@@scepticmuslim The 3alawit in North Africa and middle east are descendants of adepts of sufi tariqa "created" by Master La3lawi - or 3allawi- . They were called La3lawi, and some of them kept that " surname" as their name.
Man this channel deserves much more love. Your Arabic pronunciations are pretty good, and not many people have taken the time to put all this information together on such small faiths.
@@LetsTalkReligion asalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. Br have you learnt Arabic? if so would you mind disclosing where you undertook your studies and also your sources on subjects such as these. Barak Allahu Feek.
@@theconnecteduniverse1video629 I have every faith you will benefit greatly from learning the language and religion as many before you have. With that, I hope you find it in your heart to rid yourself of every negative notion that clearly weighs heavy within you. Asalamualaikum
I like the fact that the narrator provides us with facts and information without pouring his personal opinion and favoratism and being biased. Also he kept reminding us that this information can be debated due to the secrecy of the sect. Thank you.
You are an amazing scholar, and with humility, you explore myriad topics, including religions. Blessings and love as different religious groups , sects, and faiths are estimated to be more than four thousand. Best wishes
I have absolutely no idea why this popped up in my recommendations, but I’m glad it did. I can't pretend I've ever heard of the Alawites but after such a clear, objective and well informed description I’m definitely better informed now. Thank you.
I was told thee derogatory term alanine’s was calling them White’s all white not Arab not Kurds But all white people,as theAfricans were called Black as a derogatory term. Well nobody is Black Or White only coal jet obsidian some granite and other minerals are black,and snow is white as are many flowers, some minerals are white and clouds. People are Very dark brown, brown light brown, tan, copper coloured pale brown p, beige, light beige. PinkIsh beige. Pale beige.
@@LetsTalkReligion Good Channel, I've subscribed. May the Grace of God and the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (Whatever your faith; I wanted to give you a blessing. I'm Catholic).
@@LetsTalkReligion I am alawi and your video is nearly completely false please delete it he don’t teach anyone our religion u got your info from Sunni muslims who don’t like us and try to make us look bad
We do fast in Ramadan as I keep watching this video it just gets worse and worse please delete it your wayyyy off our religion and spreading false information about us alawis we don’t drink wine as alchole is haram I am amazed at what sunni muslims would say to make us look bad
@@alz_1875 Then come out into the open nd tell us about ur "religion" . Don't insult the narrator; he obviously got his information from reliable sources . Rectify the mistakes in the video . Come on, tell us the truth about urself nd "religion" , or get someone more knowledgeable to explain.
The fact that he talked about a complex religious debate and was like "I encourage u to continue the discussion in the comments" shows that this channel is unlike anything else on youtube
He’s wrong mate, he couldn’t be more wrong. Their are many many different stories of alawites and nobody has the truth about them except a real alawite and a real alawite will never tell you anything which means he’s automatically a liar
Lebanon is so complex... it reminds me of India. The more you talk to natives, the more confusing it becomes. It seemed "Lebanese" was an umbrella term for many different ethnic groups in one country. Now it seems that "Arab" suffices. It depends who you ask. The latest person I know is an Antiochian Orthodox who identifies more with Syrians than the Catholic west of Lebanon, so this might be why. I'm guessing Muslims and Orthodox Christians are comfortable calling themselves 'Arab', while the coastal Catholic areas are more mixed or identify more along ethnic lines. He seems to like Bashar al-Assad and implies that Alawites are similar to Orthodoxy, that Bashar was raised by Orthodox monks. I always knew the Middle East was complex, but nowhere is this more appreciated than in Lebanon and the Levant. These truly are good, salt-of-the-earth people who live in harmony when left alone; they've been multicultural long before it was in style elsewhere.
As a religious studies major in college, I find myself mostly teaching others about religion, religious philosophy, hermeneutics, etc. This is where I come to learn new information that we didn't even touch in school. Thank you for providing a higher education for me. In this world where religion divides us culturally and politically, this channel brings faiths together through education and inclusivity. Thank you.
I'd never heard of this religion before. It's fascinating how it combines seemingly random aspects of the Abrahamic religions but then disregards other traditions outright. Thank you so much for this video.
@@NarrowcrosNo it's not everything they do is against the teaching of Quran & according to the Quran a person who believes, seek refuge, prays & don't believe in Monotheism the extreme & indestructible unity of one God is a desbelievr
Fascinating as always. These videos on esoteric offshoots of Islam are so illuminating, and the discussion of their internal divisions and diversity always leaves me thinking that there's more to learn rather than feeling content with what I know (which is the mark of good teaching ). Keep it up.
Always shi’ite Islam seems to have the most mystical offshoots. I’d love to learn more but my lack of knowledge of Arabic and Persian are limiting factors
@JEpronuke Bro that's one of their favourite lies. We apparently believe an angel, without free will, made a mistake and gave the prophethood to a 40-year old man by accident when he should have given it to a 7-year old boy.
These are definitely not part of the 73 sects. All of the 73 sects are people of innovation in Asma wal Sifat and other non extreme aqidah issues. Once you become a mushrik your not part of the 73 sect@@mohamedabdullahi3819
@makavellitheprince5256 they was just the companions and the wives of the Prophet (PBUH). Have you seen us with anything beyond that, such as glorification or excessive imitation?
I was most impressed with your presentation. It will take several viewing on my part to absorb all of it. Thank you. I shall follow all of your videos after seeing this.
Just to clarify, the classic Shia scholars did not consider Nusayri as Muslim let alone fellow Shia. Only in the last fifty or so years has this stance changed slightly due mainly for political reasons and the efforts of Hafez al Assad to become closer aligned with the mainstream.
@@sebastianstubenreuther4373 Hafez al Assad didnt care. he had no issue with using Allawites as a defense for his family, imagine him caring about preserving their religion.
I really appreciate all the in depth research you do to bring such rich cultures and interesting beliefs to we your public. I find all your videos fascinating. This religion is so unique because it has elements of the three major religions plus elements Hinduism and more. Aliwate seems all encompassing and may be the golden thread which runs through all Earthly religions. This video is really award winning work. I wish I had one to give you. I love "facts" without slant or spin. You deliver. Thank you! Toda rabah! Shukran jazeeran!
I was born an Alawi but I am an atheist. I had never shown much interest in the religious teachings of the group but I learned them as I decided to officially leave religion and developed an interest in history, particularly the history of Syria. I have no connection left to Syria and I am critical of any religion. I have a significant problem with Islam in general and the teachings of the Alawi sect but I still preserve some traits of the Alawi community, as it is both a social and an ethnic identity. In general the people who live along the coastline of Syria, most of whom are Alawis, are very kind and tend to offer help even in the most difficult situations. They maintain close social connections and support each other. Unfortunately the majority of them are very poor and struggle to survive often relying on agriculture or joining the army. It’s well inown that Bashar al-Assad and his father are responsible for driving the Alawis into poverty intentionally creating hardship to force their youth to join the army. The statement that 80% of Alawis work in the government is not accurate. However many young people from the Alawi community have joined the army . Additionally there are numerous army generals from the Alawi community who are known for their corruption. Even though I have been living in Germany for almost three years now I was initially afraid to speak about Bashar and his regime, fearing they might harm my family who’s still in Syria. No one could openly criticize the regime especially among the Alwai community. As an Alawi the punishment for dissent against Bashar is even harsher. Socially speaking there are many positive aspects of this community. But when it comes to religious thinking the only positive aspect I can acknowledge in the religious teachings of the Alawi sect is that they are generally far less conservative than other branches of Islam. Conservatism and strict adherence to religious teachings are limited to a very small group of religious leaders (sheikhs). However the general public does not pay much attention to religious idiology and live their lives largely separate from religion. This is particularly true for the younger generations. The ethical system of the Alawi community is not primarily based on religion or God’s demands but rather it is grounded in social rules designed to support the social structure and organize social connections. I can give credit to this aspect of the Alawi community.
I am so glad that i discovered your channel, is is creative, informative, wonderfully crafted. I cant wait to view all the videos in your library. For the Alawites i have been interested in them for a long time, they are mostly in my opinion influenced by Gnostic beliefs, also we can see some traces of Christian rituals and beliefs mixed with Shia islam, it is interesting mixture and somehow they remind me on Druze community.
This video is very helpful to understanding some of the dynamics in Syria after the fall of Assad in December, 2024. I can well understand why so many Alawites are now fleeing Syria, given that their religious views would certainly be considered extremely "heretical" to orthodox Sunni Muslims, and the fact of their past participation in Assad's government. The desire on the part of those oppressed by Assad for vengeance must doubtless be very strong, leaving the Alawites extremely vulnerable to attack. If that desire is acted upon, it will be much more difficult for Syria to re-establish stability, as once violence takes off in one area it often spreads rapidly to other areas. Right now, given the elation over Assad's fall, a lot of Syrians are voicing utopian hopes, and talking about inclusion and diversity, but the challenges facing Syria are absolutely daunting, which means that tensions are bound to rise when these utopian hopes are disappointed in the face of difficult challenges. Whether the HTS will be able to resist the temptation of oppressive crackdowns and revenge-filled actions against those affiliated by religion with the regime when those tensions rise is the big question. This is both a hope-filled, but also very dangerous, time for Syria. One can only pray for the vulnerable.
Would love to see a video on the differences between Alawites, Alevi, and Sufism. I've also heard the term Mevlevi in Turkish, which I think is related. I've always conflated these terms (and might even be doing so now). Thanks!
I see a lot of hate going towards them in the comments due to the Al-Assad family. What people need to understand is that being Alawite doesn't necessarily mean pro-Assad, many people from this religious minority actually suffered from Al-Assad, but they kept silent for a very logical reason, that is staying alive. Another reason why they kept silent is the religious nature of the revolution that started back in 2011, many people used to yell: "Alawites to the coffin, and Christians to Beirut" The thing that made Alwaites panic and support Bashar thinking that he's the only one that can protect them (which now turned out to be wrong since Bashar has abandoned them without a single moment of hesitation). Not to mention the excessive lies and propaganda that Al-Assad's regime used to spread among them to serve his own means and stay on the chair as long as possible all while stealing their money, leaving only the crusts to them.
Good video, would have appreciated a comparison between the Alawites and the Alevis in Turkey (which you state are not the same), as, in Turkey, both the Alevis and the Alawites in Syria are seen as the same, and are historically connected. Then there's the order of Bektashis, who also share common beliefs, but were prominent in Rumelia - which might also be interesting to explore.
@@atomcamgaming alevis are also at fault with the murdering of the alawites and they're also Turkish and the Turkish hate the Alawite and so do the Alawites, if they are like alawites then why don't they become alawites?
Thank you for creating this channel. Religion is a topic I enjoy learning about but it's often hard to find informative but unbiased information in relation to it
@@joaocoelho8320they need to be happy Sunnis are better than them, HTS said it will forgive those alawits who didn't participate in the killing and torture of Muslims and Christians. Something alawits would've never done
RUclips offered me this video after I watched a piece or two about the Druze. Between them, I've come to see that the US's Latter Day Saints -- who may or may not be Christian, according to one's theological point of view -- are not as eccentric as I have always supposed. This "sort of thing" seems to happen a lot. Names, places, events, guiding thoughts, all seem to get mixed and matched with slight variations among people who live in close proximity. It's said that "a language is a dialect with an army and a navy". I suppose we can say in the same way that a religion is a movement (perhaps sect, perhaps cult) with a very large base. I don't know about the religion of Sikh people, but I've heard that it lies somewhere between Islam and Hinduism. And, in recent years, I became aware of the Yazidi people, also eastern, also not Muslim. I hope RUclips dishes up something about them as well as others I haven't yet heard of. Jains? As an American who recognizes but doesn't practice any ancestral religion (outside of the practical, common-sense rules that appear in most), I find this insight-inspiring (as well as fun.) Note: I see there's a talk about the Yazidis in the sidebar -- presented by the same channel. That will be my next click!
I am an Alawite and I love my beliefs, and I say and confirm that most Alawites do not know much about their religion due to a traditional educational dependency. We are very peaceful, but like any normal human being, there is good and bad. They have suffered throughout history because joining The army may be a platform to protect them, but some have deviated from the path and become criminals and thieves, but I can confirm that they are persecuting non-publicly in the current period, and we hope that they will be protected.
Re. "Quddas" - the ceremony involving bread and wine - this would seem to be taken directly from the Jewish "Kiddush" - A blessing said over wine prior to the meal on Sabbath eves (and performed adjacent to the blessing over the bread) prior to starting that meal. "Kiddush" means sanctification, in English.
@@thenewblog There is no such a thing as "accurate" ? Which Arabic dialect is considered as the "Gold Standard" ?... just like whose English is English anyway ?
@@VelMurugan-qb1xq there are two standards, Classical Arabic and MSA (modern standard Arabic) But his Arabic pronunciations are good for a non-arabic speaking person nevertheless!
@Sean Francis Waters Lancaster What the hell is wrong with you. For an English speaker, certain arabic sounds are difficult to pronounce since they aren't in English. Get a life.
They are so secretive, because if their beliefs were known, all of the Sunni scholars would would say they were not Muslims and should be fought like any other occupier.
They endured many massacres in the days of the Ottoman Empire because of this, that's why they're so secretive and were confined in the rural mountain areas
For a non religious christian teacher of History such as myself, a very well constructed and informative presentation. Already watched the programme on Sufism which is similarily excellent..
Sufism isn't a sect of Islam, it's the spiritual side to it. One of the first big imams in Islam was Malik, he said that to succeed in the religion it's important to learn jurisprudence (fiqh) and to tasawwuf (spiritual side).
@@veila0924 how can you call youself 'non-religous,' at that point, just call yourself athiest and be done with it beause it sounds like you CANNOT BE ARSED.
@Mike WazWaz Considering Iran as the collective identity of Shia, is your first mistake. What people choose to do for political gain, be it, shia or sunni, doesn't mean, that the Shia actually support them in religion!?
Many weird things Shia do honestly. Why is it even debated that some of the Shia worship a human or consider a grave to be Makkah while others curse the people of the house and companios. Making up their own things. All respect to the Shias who mostly follow what sunna do but have subtle differences.
@Mike WazWaz Do you take responsibility for the slander caused to Islam and prophet Muhammad (sawa) due to your books and the terrorism of your fellow sunni? Do sunnis believe everyone who isn't a sunni must be killed?
@@bogdanbogdanoff5164 everything in this video was nearly 100 percent incorrect I think the video u should be deleted it’s spread false information about my religion
As an alwait young man i wanna thank you for that great work that have you done Most of this information are accurate but i wish that u spoke more a bout our live in the present I'm glad to help you if decided to make another video a bout us in the future
Abrahamic religions have their hands tainted with blood in persecuting each other;this is a fact that need to be digested..No point blaming each other now.Let us build a healthier community for our future generations…..
I love this channel and find all these heterodox Islamic or Islam-derived religious communities a very interesting topics. It would be nice to see an episode about the Alevites of Turkey.
I met a Turkish girl who belonged to this sect and after listening her story i got interested in knowing more about it. Thank God I came across your channel.
Wow, this is VERY, I mean, very interesting. Taking the secondary figures and turned them into the main one! Hope there is more info on them in the future. Thanks for the video.
There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! To you, LORD, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.’ --------And I tell you that you are Peter,and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hadeswill not overcome it.
Very good video, minorities like these deserve more recognition. Which speaking of I would recommend to make a video on the bektashi another lesser known sect of Islam.
@Alawite Muslim Defence League Hi. I'm a shia from Pakistan. And many of my friends have kinda converted to Alawite or may be they don't even know this. But they call maula Ali as Allah. Can you tell me more about this sect? Any information, any facts, anything?
@@haydarr7903 Hi. Any general information like who they worship, Or what is role of hazrat Ali in this religion? Or anything else you wish to add to my knowledge
@@shabibmehdi7996 They worship Imam Ali The believe he was a manifestation of god on Earth, he didn't take a human body like Christians believe of jesus, but just was just a "noor" i guess you know what this word means as a muslim. So yeah they belive in a holy trinity, which contains God who was Ali during the islamic era, and Muhamad which was "made" by god (wasn't created cause there's a difference as they believe) And then Muhammad "created " salman al farisi. It's kinda related to what Aristotle thought of the nature of god and then the gonstics adopted it. Names of god and the two in the trinity do change during the eras, in the christian era God was peter or shamoun (شمعون) to be more specific (cause i think there is a a historical mistake, as they believe the apostles (boutros, peter/boulous, paul/youhanna fam alzahab,literally as john the mouth of gold? /youhanna al mamdan, john the baptists/Matta, or marcus) of jesus as other manifestations of Muhammad or jesus and then still believe there was an another character named shamoun was "born" in a mysterious way and was adopted by mary the magdaline (see? Entirely different story) who is supposed to be God, but then this name was turned to peter?, so i'm wondering were there two peters? Cause there's no mention in the new testament of shamoun
Yeah it's really amazing how difficult it is to consider them as "non Muslims" or "Muslims." Their approach to the faith is so specific and clearly defined by pre-existing Syrian traditions yet that can't be said without taking into account that Shia and Sufi schools of thought were affected by Neoplatonism, which is where their Islam (aliwite) was introduced. But sadly, politics is not doing anyone in the Middle East any favors right now...
A A because the heavily more fundamental and literal Sunni interpreters would view them as either heretics or apostates, and I don't think the aliwites are all too keen on having their heads roll all across Syria so that's why it matters.
A A yeah but the bread and wine thing representing Ali is well...not what very orthodox Muslims like to see but yeah I they really do feel like Sufi Shias doing the crazy stuff they like to do, but the rejection of fasting, going to mosque, and unique holidays do make them seem like they are avoiding some of the pillars of Islam, this arguably not Muslims as a result
I've been trying to make sense of the alawites for a long time and this is the best explanation I have seen so far. No wonder I was not able to figure them out!
Much of what you see in this video has been misrepresented, which is because others are telling our beliefs for us, which is natural, because we believe that if we tell, we will be punished.
@@chendaforest Alot of the teachings are passed down. Basically the public information is either exaggerated, incorrect, or only in regard to selective Alawites.
@@chendaforest I am an Alawite. I honestly couldn't tell you a reliable internet source to learn about it. There are also some conflicting online sources. It is usually passed down and spread only throughout the Alawite community.
Why calling them Nusayri is considered derogatory? They have been called that for 1300 years until the French started calling them Alawites in the in1920s.
Hey just stumbled on your video, i loved it, your very informative and your video is very engaging, about to subscribe and watch the rest. Peace be upon you 😉
Nice video, I have one comment or supplememt to add, in the section "holidays/festivals". Actually you forgot the biggest and most important holiday of the Alawites, the Eid Al-Ghadir. This is the event when the Prophet Muhammed proclaimed Ali as his successor, 69 days before the Prophet passed away from this world. Muhammed's famous statement "Min kantu maulahu, fi hatha Ali maulahu" was spoken here. Translation is ""For whomever I am his Mawla (leader), then 'Ali is his Mawla." This is for example also stated in Sunni hadith sources like At-Tirmithi, written record 3713.
The fall of Asad regime lead me to discover your channel(algorithm) and i am glad to become your new subscriber. You have done a great job covering this topic and for that I greatly appreciate and thank you. Take care
In the Middle East, they are viewed as a different sect of Shias. They are mostly hated because of Bachar Alasad and their relationship with Iran. One of the reason Syria is a "secular" country is because Alawites are only 12% of Syrias population, making it a Alawites or Shia country would not have worked.
@@Qwerty-ey5fi partly secular compared to western seculars, but very secular and unique compared to the region. unfortunately Syria was very influenced by extremists thus had a lot of idiots fighting against this so called "infidel" regime.
I actually stumbled on some really amazing Alawite music until it was removed entirely from RUclips after being made privatized. Ya Ali Hadad! It caused me to look into Ali's history. I think the story makes most sense with him defending his caravan while the innocents fled to the mountains. I think that it is a more fundamental honor to sacrifice for the survival of innocent people _of the mountains._ Highlander v flatlander is a very old dynamic and it is first seen in a big way through history in these regions. Primarily Ali's region. It's pretty awesome to believe in a supernatural spirit that protects what you may consider the good and sweet people of the mountains, who have always been preyed upon by the gathered masses of flatlanders claiming authority.
fyi the music you heard is shia music who also love imam ali but us alawites we mostly do accapella song and freestyle a poem right there on the spot rather than recording a song of a video
You keep saying you know very little about this group, well my dear friend, you know much more than i do, although some of that was not supper accurate, keep it up bro. Syrian Alawites here :D :D :D
@@LetsTalkReligion I'll add my reply here since there's another reply from a Syrian Alawite I also come from an Alawite background Yes, certainly, some information in the video is new for me as well, but here's my 2 cents : Unfortunately I am indeed aware that some Alawites literally believe that God (exalted be He) = Imam Ali (RA) however I only became aware of this last year, I never ever met a single Alawite with this belief though... which is weird cuz I lived in Latakia We do fast in Ramadan. The ones of us who practice the religion anyway.. and in that case I mean Islam, I don't mean the Alawi religion. I didn't grow up with the notion that Alawites are a different religion. Generally another unfortunate thing is that, similar to Turkey, there has been a strong forced secularization of society after French occupation, which I feel affected Alawites more than Sunnis, hence the not large number of practicing Alawites nowadays. That's my perception at least. Also...I...NEVER... heard the thing with Alawites being stars around God's throne.... I only read this online, I can't testify to its truthiness at all. Again, I've never met anyone who believes this or anything close to it. I think the Alawites around me are more like Twelver Shia Muslims overall I'll edit later if something else occurs to me
@@harune6594 so you read namaaz 5 times a day and follow the Qur'an? Welcome to Islam brother. I'm a Muslim myself from England. I don't understand the Sunni / Shia divide. We all read namaaz and believe in the prophets and 10 commandments.
@@Darkest_matter Unfortunately no, I knew very few people who prayed 5 times the normal way ... I think my grandpa did , on and off. May Allah have mercy on him and all Muslims. the 10 commandments are a jewish thing brother
Very good information brother, as my neighbour is identified himself as alawite, his good man, very secretive no mosque no books which I tried to get info about them but I got nothing, even one time I want to go with him on funeral but he told me only for him Community. I got along very well with his family as I’m not perfect myself to judge and on the day of judgment everyone will stand before Allah by themselves. May ALLAH guide us all and protect us from Hellfire Amin JazakumALLAHu Kheir
He said he studied Arabic in a university for 1 year. He can write and read arabic and also speak,but not to the point where he can start conversations in arabic. Also his wife's family is from Iraq he said.
Just for the record, Alawites, despite the name similarity are NOT the same as Turkish Alevites. They are two completely different religions. Alevism is a mix of Islam and Turkic Tengrism. The thing they have in common is the name and that both are very different from any form of orthodox Islam. Arab Alawites are also called Nusayri. In fact that's the common name non Alawites used for them and in Turkish it's a lot easier to use that to distinguish between them and Turkish Alevi. But I once had an Arab Alawite tell me they consider Nusayri an insult and prefer using Alawi
Very informative video,you can also make one about Bohri or Bohra sect of Shiites. They are also very secretive about their beliefs and even followers need to get permission to read their books.
Great job! 👍🏼 As an alawite, i want to clarify some points.. "Alawites" = "Nusayreye" = "Khasibeyeh" .. it's all the same.. some people think that we get annoyed if someone called us "Nusayri" haha .. .. The majority of Alawites see themselves as independent group (not Shia nor Sunni) also, many alawites says that "Alawite" is a path not a religion. Because the islamic faith and concept is the religion they follow as the understanding of Islam and its concept can only be taught through the path of Imam Ali. (Quran, Some of Hadith and Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad and the Mind proof) .. Also in Ramadan ... many Alawites fast. And we have more Eids and festivals..
@Alawite Muslim Defence League Yes but Alawites they pray to Imam Ali too , they have a certain trinity that involves Imam Ali as Allah itself same like Jesus in Christianity.
@Alawite Muslim Defence League interesting. i have a question for you. Why do alawites believe in the concepts they believe in. Like even sunni muslims sometimes are critical about some believes and concepts (which derive from some hadith). They ask themselves if what they know and believe is really the reality god created and if its a true believe they should hold. Is there something simillar in alawite believes? Do alawites believe because some guys told them to believe?
You are on the right track however, as a alawhite myself i can tell you that we originated from Imam Ali himself, we are a group in shia that study ali just like shia do except we believe that the scarf is optional and that it is not mandatory, but you still need to have body respect and respect your body. I go to a school which is privately opened to alawhites and have learnt for a long time.
I am an arab and a sunni muslim. I love Syria and the Syrian people regardless of their beleif. and or religion. Algerians have a deep love for the land and its people. I always taught of the Allawite from the name that they are Shia muslims ( 12 vrs) . But thank you for explaining that is lot more complex than that. And I appriciate it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us and not claiming that it is a universal truth as others do.
@@alexander3893Do you mind if I ask why alawites think that imam ali is god? He didn’t even have any miracles attributed to him like prophet Jesus for example. Just curious
I am astonished to see the versatility of religious sects. I did not know about alawies. Thank you very much for enriching my knowledge. I don't want to argue. I strictly believe in freedom of thought as long as one's thoughts do not hurt others. Stay blessed
Very interesting that so much is still so little understood and their community continues to hold their beliefs so secret. You mention that they celebrate a kind of communion which brings to mind the recent exploration of the early Christian eucharist and its relationship to the Greek mystery cult of Eleusis and in particular the increasing currency for the evidence that wine as it was referred to back then would likely include a medicinal component that would be formulated to generate visions among the participants. Considering the long history of Hellenism along the Coast of the Levant, and the strong focus that the early Christian churches had in that region it would not surprise me to know that it is still practiced or at least venerated to some degree. I refer to the recent book by Brian Muraresku "The Immortality Key" which is really quite an remarkable examination of the recent and ongoing research. Cheers.
Some of the beliefs are sounded very much like the Gnostics, especially Valentinan's Gnosis (like the light connection, the different forms of God's incarnation, the use of Gate and the Veil).
Being an Alawite myself I think you got pretty good insight about us. Your work is very interesting. However, there are some misconceptions. keep up the good work :)
So is there really an issue about different aliwi sects disagreeing? Like some wanting to be more Sunni, whilst others more traditional and conservative?
@@parchment543 Not really, some individuals though want to be more like Shia muslims. However, they are relatively rare. The majority of us are non religious but still identify as alawites (same as how the Jewish people views themselves). About 10% are conservative alawites which means that they study and practice our religion regularly. But almost no alawite would identify as sunni muslim or would want to be viewed as such due to the historic persecution.
A A This is generally true in the alawites case for two main reasons: 1) The current war and historic persecution made alawites distant themselves from religion including my family members 2) the fact that alawism is a secret religion make people less observant and talkative of their religion which makes adherence and practice far less common
@@ammaralli5242 Honestly, I really would like to communicate with you hence, we, new generation Alawites in Turkey have limited source to acknowledge all the details.
Thanks everyone for commenting and watching the video! Clearly, as I stated in the video itself, there are many conflicting accounts of the Alawites/Nusayris and a variety of expressions within the group itself. As we can tell from the comments here, the question is quite complex, so don't take the words of the video as gospel but understand that there are a variety of understandings, so I suggest talking to each other to better understand the nuances and differences within Alawite belief. I'm glad this comment-section is a source for discussion and debate, but remember to always keep a good tone and respect each other. These are sensitive subjects, and it's easy to get riled up, but try your best not to insult or spread hate.
/Filip
Who are Turkish alavites?
Hi, do you have any knowledge about the moroccan alawit family (monarch family)...If they belong to that group or not? !Thank you in generellay for the content
@@scepticmuslim No, that is not the same. There are many different groups who go under the Arabic name "Alawi" and that's just another one of them. I think it's referring to their lineage going back to Ali ibn Abi Talib.
Let’s hope. Diversity doesn’t infect your country !
@@scepticmuslim The 3alawit in North Africa and middle east are descendants of adepts of sufi tariqa "created" by Master La3lawi - or 3allawi- . They were called La3lawi, and some of them kept that " surname" as their name.
Well, since Assad's regime in Syria fell, time to revisit this video for cultural contexts.
I am getting this as bushars regin is falling
Syria fet a while ago, Assad's regime was the one that fell
You mean Syria was freed
These are reminiscences of Phoenician culture
Alawites is another name of Shia. They knew only from inside they can divide the Muslims
Who's here after Syria fell? RUclips Recommendations are sentient.
Me!
Me
Yes
Yo same, that's whats up.
@@oliverbengtsson9198😂me too
Man this channel deserves much more love. Your Arabic pronunciations are pretty good, and not many people have taken the time to put all this information together on such small faiths.
Thanks :)
@@LetsTalkReligion ur welcome
@@LetsTalkReligion asalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. Br have you learnt Arabic? if so would you mind disclosing where you undertook your studies and also your sources on subjects such as these. Barak Allahu Feek.
@@KK-fs6hg yes i wanna learn arabic to expose your fake islam faith and fake arabic history .
@@theconnecteduniverse1video629 I have every faith you will benefit greatly from learning the language and religion as many before you have. With that, I hope you find it in your heart to rid yourself of every negative notion that clearly weighs heavy within you. Asalamualaikum
Who's here after the end of Assad's regime?
Me
here lol
Occupying Kurds
Here 😂
@kizilkedi8604 yes the kurds should have been provided a homeland after ww I. It should be corrected now.
I like the fact that the narrator provides us with facts and information without pouring his personal opinion and favoratism and being biased. Also he kept reminding us that this information can be debated due to the secrecy of the sect. Thank you.
Yet people are going to still complain about how WRONG HE IS!!!!! LOL!
@@charlesandrews2360 Because he is probably a bit wrong who knows
I was a bit worried because politics comes up in this video, he stayed as unbiased as ever. Great stuff.
@@barahng This religion seems to be evil, given everything that surrounds it, especially its secrecy...
You are an amazing scholar, and with humility, you explore myriad topics, including religions. Blessings and love as different religious groups , sects, and faiths are estimated to be more than four thousand.
Best wishes
I have absolutely no idea why this popped up in my recommendations, but I’m glad it did. I can't pretend I've ever heard of the Alawites but after such a clear, objective and well informed description I’m definitely better informed now. Thank you.
Well the more you know you realize that you really don't know.
The Algorithm is The Gate.
Or something...
Ditto!
@@LuisAldamiz haha, good one!
I was told thee derogatory term alanine’s was calling them White’s all white not Arab not Kurds But all white people,as theAfricans were called Black as a derogatory term. Well nobody is Black Or White only coal jet obsidian some granite and other minerals are black,and snow is white as are many flowers, some minerals are white and clouds. People are Very dark brown, brown light brown, tan, copper coloured pale brown p, beige, light beige. PinkIsh beige. Pale beige.
Who is HERE IN DEC 2024 , after asad fall
Me...
Me
Me
Me
First time I’ve actually listened and read about Alawites Thank you well presented
The best thing about this channel is, it's uniqueness. Another great analysis, well done.
Thank you!
@@LetsTalkReligion Good Channel, I've subscribed. May the Grace of God and the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (Whatever your faith; I wanted to give you a blessing. I'm Catholic).
@@LetsTalkReligion I am alawi and your video is nearly completely false please delete it he don’t teach anyone our religion u got your info from Sunni muslims who don’t like us and try to make us look bad
We do fast in Ramadan as I keep watching this video it just gets worse and worse please delete it your wayyyy off our religion and spreading false information about us alawis we don’t drink wine as alchole is haram I am amazed at what sunni muslims would say to make us look bad
@@alz_1875 Then come out into the open nd tell us about ur "religion" . Don't insult the narrator; he obviously got his information from reliable sources . Rectify the mistakes in the video . Come on, tell us the truth about urself nd "religion" , or get someone more knowledgeable to explain.
The fact that he talked about a complex religious debate and was like "I encourage u to continue the discussion in the comments" shows that this channel is unlike anything else on youtube
I lived for 10 years in northern Lebanon and never really understood the group called Alawites. This video is a real insight. Thank you
He’s wrong mate, he couldn’t be more wrong. Their are many many different stories of alawites and nobody has the truth about them except a real alawite and a real alawite will never tell you anything which means he’s automatically a liar
There's nothing wrong with Alawites @@ETAD1K
@@ETAD1K is alawite tha arab version of he illuminati???? or the arab version of jews??
This much is known that they call Ali Ibn Talib RA was reincarnation of Allah.. astagfirullah. Henceforth they are kafirs..@@ETAD1K
Lebanon is so complex... it reminds me of India. The more you talk to natives, the more confusing it becomes. It seemed "Lebanese" was an umbrella term for many different ethnic groups in one country. Now it seems that "Arab" suffices. It depends who you ask. The latest person I know is an Antiochian Orthodox who identifies more with Syrians than the Catholic west of Lebanon, so this might be why. I'm guessing Muslims and Orthodox Christians are comfortable calling themselves 'Arab', while the coastal Catholic areas are more mixed or identify more along ethnic lines. He seems to like Bashar al-Assad and implies that Alawites are similar to Orthodoxy, that Bashar was raised by Orthodox monks. I always knew the Middle East was complex, but nowhere is this more appreciated than in Lebanon and the Levant. These truly are good, salt-of-the-earth people who live in harmony when left alone; they've been multicultural long before it was in style elsewhere.
Your scholarship is undeniable. Thank you for sharing this post.
Given the events in Syria this December, gave this another viewing. Quite a good review of this religious sect.
this religion not sect
@@Cine95 yeah its not a sect of islam because they hold completely different views
@theoneguest1Would it be fair to say that Alawites are to Islam what Mormons are to Christianity?
This isn’t a religion, rather a cult.
@@Cine95it's a sect my good man
As a religious studies major in college, I find myself mostly teaching others about religion, religious philosophy, hermeneutics, etc. This is where I come to learn new information that we didn't even touch in school. Thank you for providing a higher education for me. In this world where religion divides us culturally and politically, this channel brings faiths together through education and inclusivity. Thank you.
I'd never heard of this religion before. It's fascinating how it combines seemingly random aspects of the Abrahamic religions but then disregards other traditions outright. Thank you so much for this video.
Its not a religion, its still considered part of Islam (barely)
its not lol @@Narrowcros
@@Narrowcrosit's against the teachings of Islam it has nothing to do with Islam
@@Joker-sp1ci There main book is the Quran
@@NarrowcrosNo it's not everything they do is against the teaching of Quran & according to the Quran a person who believes, seek refuge, prays & don't believe in Monotheism the extreme & indestructible unity of one God is a desbelievr
Impartiality: check
Depth: check
Pronunciation: check
Subsbcribe: click
same lol
Hotel: Trivago
Same
Very impressed by your knowledge, the best of all you interpret everything in a very neutral way
That's curious how little views this channel has despite some good quality videos with thorough explanations!
Tells you how much people want to educate themselves
Very sad
Thousands spout opinions about religion bupt without studying
People don't like religion videos.
Fascinating as always. These videos on esoteric offshoots of Islam are so illuminating, and the discussion of their internal divisions and diversity always leaves me thinking that there's more to learn rather than feeling content with what I know (which is the mark of good teaching ). Keep it up.
Always shi’ite Islam seems to have the most mystical offshoots. I’d love to learn more but my lack of knowledge of Arabic and Persian are limiting factors
Alawites are not an offshoot of Islam - they are the original Muslims! It's the rest of Islam that is an Abassid offshoot.
@@corvusglaive4804 Not really, those are heretical sects that have nothing to do with the authentic version.
@@phillipholland6795 yes really. All the latest research says that it's the reverse. "Authentic" mainstream Islam is a later Abbasid Persian invention
You know you are lying,alawite is not islam in any way@@corvusglaive4804
i was born Alawite and i live in Syria , not a religious guy , but you were right about most things .
Big fan of your channel
You believe Ali is God?
Let me guess, latakia ?
@JEpronuke So you believe Ali should've been a prophet not muhammad but gabriel was mistaken
@JEpronuke Bro that's one of their favourite lies. We apparently believe an angel, without free will, made a mistake and gave the prophethood to a 40-year old man by accident when he should have given it to a 7-year old boy.
@JEpronuke can you pls tell me if ali is over Muhammad?
As a Sunni Muslim, I always wondered what they were, thank you for explaining so clearly!
But it reminds me of the warning of the 73 sects subhanaAllah
These are definitely not part of the 73 sects. All of the 73 sects are people of innovation in Asma wal Sifat and other non extreme aqidah issues. Once you become a mushrik your not part of the 73 sect@@mohamedabdullahi3819
Aren’t Sunni’s followers of Abu Bakr, Omar & Ayesha instead of the Prophets family?
@makavellitheprince5256 they was just the companions and the wives of the Prophet (PBUH).
Have you seen us with anything beyond that, such as glorification or excessive imitation?
@@Xirsiev well I’ve seen videos of glorifying the rapist Khalid- quite a few tbh.
I was most impressed with your presentation. It will take several viewing on my part to absorb all of it. Thank you. I shall follow all of your videos after seeing this.
Just to clarify, the classic Shia scholars did not consider Nusayri as Muslim let alone fellow Shia.
Only in the last fifty or so years has this stance changed slightly due mainly for political reasons and the efforts of Hafez al Assad to become closer aligned with the mainstream.
They are accepted as Twelvers by the rest of the Shi'a world now aren't they? Even by Iran's Ayatollahs?
yeah its only political
they wanted to get close with Iran, and Assad wanted to appeal to the majority Sunni Muslim population.
@@sebastianstubenreuther4373 Hafez al Assad didnt care.
he had no issue with using Allawites as a defense for his family, imagine him caring about preserving their religion.
They just aren’t Muslim plain and simple. They have completely different views.
I really appreciate all the in depth research you do to bring such rich cultures and interesting beliefs to we your public. I find all your videos fascinating. This religion is so unique because it has elements of the three major religions plus elements Hinduism and more. Aliwate seems all encompassing and may be the golden thread which runs through all Earthly religions. This video is really award winning work. I wish I had one to give you. I love "facts" without slant or spin. You deliver.
Thank you!
Toda rabah!
Shukran jazeeran!
Hello, dear human being! Could you tell me who God is?
I was born an Alawi but I am an atheist. I had never shown much interest in the religious teachings of the group but I learned them as I decided to officially leave religion and developed an interest in history, particularly the history of Syria. I have no connection left to Syria and I am critical of any religion. I have a significant problem with Islam in general and the teachings of the Alawi sect but I still preserve some traits of the Alawi community, as it is both a social and an ethnic identity.
In general the people who live along the coastline of Syria, most of whom are Alawis, are very kind and tend to offer help even in the most difficult situations. They maintain close social connections and support each other. Unfortunately the majority of them are very poor and struggle to survive often relying on agriculture or joining the army. It’s well inown that Bashar al-Assad and his father are responsible for driving the Alawis into poverty intentionally creating hardship to force their youth to join the army.
The statement that 80% of Alawis work in the government is not accurate. However many young people from the Alawi community have joined the army . Additionally there are numerous army generals from the Alawi community who are known for their corruption.
Even though I have been living in Germany for almost three years now I was initially afraid to speak about Bashar and his regime, fearing they might harm my family who’s still in Syria. No one could openly criticize the regime especially among the Alwai community. As an Alawi the punishment for dissent against Bashar is even harsher.
Socially speaking there are many positive aspects of this community. But when it comes to religious thinking the only positive aspect I can acknowledge in the religious teachings of the Alawi sect is that they are generally far less conservative than other branches of Islam. Conservatism and strict adherence to religious teachings are limited to a very small group of religious leaders (sheikhs). However the general public does not pay much attention to religious idiology and live their lives largely separate from religion. This is particularly true for the younger generations. The ethical system of the Alawi community is not primarily based on religion or God’s demands but rather it is grounded in social rules designed to support the social structure and organize social connections. I can give credit to this aspect of the Alawi community.
Super interesting! I love learning about religion and culture from around the world. You do such an amazing job. Ty😊
Thanks for this wonderful and informative summary. This makes the political situation in Syria a lot clearer to me.
I am so glad that i discovered your channel, is is creative, informative, wonderfully crafted. I cant wait to view all the videos in your library. For the Alawites i have been interested in them for a long time, they are mostly in my opinion influenced by Gnostic beliefs, also we can see some traces of Christian rituals and beliefs mixed with Shia islam, it is interesting mixture and somehow they remind me on Druze community.
This video is very helpful to understanding some of the dynamics in Syria after the fall of Assad in December, 2024. I can well understand why so many Alawites are now fleeing Syria, given that their religious views would certainly be considered extremely "heretical" to orthodox Sunni Muslims, and the fact of their past participation in Assad's government. The desire on the part of those oppressed by Assad for vengeance must doubtless be very strong, leaving the Alawites extremely vulnerable to attack. If that desire is acted upon, it will be much more difficult for Syria to re-establish stability, as once violence takes off in one area it often spreads rapidly to other areas. Right now, given the elation over Assad's fall, a lot of Syrians are voicing utopian hopes, and talking about inclusion and diversity, but the challenges facing Syria are absolutely daunting, which means that tensions are bound to rise when these utopian hopes are disappointed in the face of difficult challenges. Whether the HTS will be able to resist the temptation of oppressive crackdowns and revenge-filled actions against those affiliated by religion with the regime when those tensions rise is the big question. This is both a hope-filled, but also very dangerous, time for Syria. One can only pray for the vulnerable.
Would love to see a video on the differences between Alawites, Alevi, and Sufism. I've also heard the term Mevlevi in Turkish, which I think is related. I've always conflated these terms (and might even be doing so now). Thanks!
Sufism are sunni sect . It has nothing to do with alevism or nusayrism who are shia
@@abeilledelalune7202 Sufism have many branches but most of them have beliefs and views completely opposite of Islamic teachings.
@@TheLadla1 only the new age branches. Original Sufism is the true Islam
Alawites are an ethno-religious groups on comparison to the others
@@Dragoncam13 initiatic group from chiisme gnostic
Subscribed because of the pronounciation. It by itself speaks a lot about the effort you have put in the video.
Thank you for this explanation. I met many syrians and asked them about the Alawite. but no one could give a clear answer.
Informative summary for westerners to have a nutural point of view on the subject.
Thank you for your efforts. I'm a big fan.
Very good indeed. And I also heard you on Duruz community. Keep up the good work.
I see a lot of hate going towards them in the comments due to the Al-Assad family. What people need to understand is that being Alawite doesn't necessarily mean pro-Assad, many people from this religious minority actually suffered from Al-Assad, but they kept silent for a very logical reason, that is staying alive. Another reason why they kept silent is the religious nature of the revolution that started back in 2011, many people used to yell: "Alawites to the coffin, and Christians to Beirut" The thing that made Alwaites panic and support Bashar thinking that he's the only one that can protect them (which now turned out to be wrong since Bashar has abandoned them without a single moment of hesitation). Not to mention the excessive lies and propaganda that Al-Assad's regime used to spread among them to serve his own means and stay on the chair as long as possible all while stealing their money, leaving only the crusts to them.
a 100k alawite men willing to fight for him for 40 dollars a month says something... those protestors got tortured
Before 2011 Syria had excellent healthcare education there was peace and prosperity. The "rebels" are mostly foreigners and mercs.
Thanks for such a fantastic full of knowledge and research, I can keep reading this fascinating information and listening to you. Great
Good video, would have appreciated a comparison between the Alawites and the Alevis in Turkey (which you state are not the same), as, in Turkey, both the Alevis and the Alawites in Syria are seen as the same, and are historically connected. Then there's the order of Bektashis, who also share common beliefs, but were prominent in Rumelia - which might also be interesting to explore.
You should know one thing, the Alawites and the Alevis ARE NOTHING ALIKE AND NEVER COMPARE THEM TO EACHOTHER THANKS
@@atomcamgaming alevis are also at fault with the murdering of the alawites and they're also Turkish and the Turkish hate the Alawite and so do the Alawites, if they are like alawites then why don't they become alawites?
Thank you for creating this channel. Religion is a topic I enjoy learning about but it's often hard to find informative but unbiased information in relation to it
I'm glad you feel that way!
Who is here after the fall of assad regime!
Me!
We all know what’s happening to these alawites now 💀
I am
you have mosad in your name i guess ziobots are not trying to hide anymore 😂
@@joaocoelho8320they need to be happy Sunnis are better than them, HTS said it will forgive those alawits who didn't participate in the killing and torture of Muslims and Christians. Something alawits would've never done
Great, channel. All the information without any bias or judgement
Keep up the good work
RUclips offered me this video after I watched a piece or two about the Druze. Between them, I've come to see that the US's Latter Day Saints -- who may or may not be Christian, according to one's theological point of view -- are not as eccentric as I have always supposed. This "sort of thing" seems to happen a lot. Names, places, events, guiding thoughts, all seem to get mixed and matched with slight variations among people who live in close proximity.
It's said that "a language is a dialect with an army and a navy". I suppose we can say in the same way that a religion is a movement (perhaps sect, perhaps cult) with a very large base. I don't know about the religion of Sikh people, but I've heard that it lies somewhere between Islam and Hinduism. And, in recent years, I became aware of the Yazidi people, also eastern, also not Muslim. I hope RUclips dishes up something about them as well as others I haven't yet heard of. Jains?
As an American who recognizes but doesn't practice any ancestral religion (outside of the practical, common-sense rules that appear in most), I find this insight-inspiring (as well as fun.)
Note: I see there's a talk about the Yazidis in the sidebar -- presented by the same channel. That will be my next click!
I didn’t know about the Alawites until now. Interesting topic. Thanks.
I am an Alawite and I love my beliefs, and I say and confirm that most Alawites do not know much about their religion due to a traditional educational dependency. We are very peaceful, but like any normal human being, there is good and bad. They have suffered throughout history because joining The army may be a platform to protect them, but some have deviated from the path and become criminals and thieves, but I can confirm that they are persecuting non-publicly in the current period, and we hope that they will be protected.
Re. "Quddas" - the ceremony involving bread and wine - this would seem to be taken directly from the Jewish "Kiddush" - A blessing said over wine prior to the meal on Sabbath eves (and performed adjacent to the blessing over the bread) prior to starting that meal. "Kiddush" means sanctification, in English.
"quddies" also means Catholic Mass in Maltese.
@@timothymuscat1728 What is the root of the Maltese word? The root of the Hebrew word "Kiddush" (sanctification) is "Kodesh" (Holy or sanctified).
Your pronunciation of Arabic words is surprisingly accurate for a non-arabic speaker
Not that accurate at all especially the الشدة but still there's no shame in this
@@thenewblog There is no such a thing as "accurate" ? Which Arabic dialect is considered as the "Gold Standard" ?... just like whose English is English anyway ?
@@VelMurugan-qb1xq It would be safe to assume that they are talking about msa
@@VelMurugan-qb1xq
there are two standards, Classical Arabic and MSA (modern standard Arabic)
But his Arabic pronunciations are good for a non-arabic speaking person nevertheless!
@Sean Francis Waters Lancaster What the hell is wrong with you. For an English speaker, certain arabic sounds are difficult to pronounce since they aren't in English. Get a life.
You never disappoint. Great info 👍
They are so secretive, because if their beliefs were known, all of the Sunni scholars would would say they were not Muslims and should be fought like any other occupier.
we shall see in the forthcoming days
They endured many massacres in the days of the Ottoman Empire because of this, that's why they're so secretive and were confined in the rural mountain areas
we already know about them they are considered some of the worst people on earth by the scholars
For a non religious christian teacher of History such as myself, a very well constructed and informative presentation. Already watched the programme on Sufism which is similarily excellent..
Sufism isn't a sect of Islam, it's the spiritual side to it. One of the first big imams in Islam was Malik, he said that to succeed in the religion it's important to learn jurisprudence (fiqh) and to tasawwuf (spiritual side).
How can you be a non religious christian teacher?
@@BroMan-vm5gt
How is that difficult to understand? He's a history teacher, he's a Christian, but he's not religious. Do you not speak English?
@@veila0924 how can you call youself 'non-religous,' at that point, just call yourself athiest and be done with it beause it sounds like you CANNOT BE ARSED.
Christian and non religious is an oxymoron in all sense of the words
We Shias don't worship Imam Ali (a.s). One who worship Imam Ali as Allah isn't a Muslim. 💙
@Mike WazWaz Considering Iran as the collective identity of Shia, is your first mistake. What people choose to do for political gain, be it, shia or sunni, doesn't mean, that the Shia actually support them in religion!?
Many weird things Shia do honestly. Why is it even debated that some of the Shia worship a human or consider a grave to be Makkah while others curse the people of the house and companios. Making up their own things. All respect to the Shias who mostly follow what sunna do but have subtle differences.
@Mike WazWaz Do you take responsibility for the killing of the Shias, in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen ?
@Mike WazWaz Do you take responsibility for the slander caused to Islam and prophet Muhammad (sawa) due to your books and the terrorism of your fellow sunni? Do sunnis believe everyone who isn't a sunni must be killed?
@abu Isa Do you wanna see all the weird stuff in your books? Do you think its only us that have " weird " beliefs ?
wow, you’re very underrated! Good work.
The whole thing is false im alawi
I’m so embarrassed about this video
@@alz_1875 What do you disagree with?
@@bogdanbogdanoff5164 everything in this video was nearly 100 percent incorrect I think the video u should be deleted it’s spread false information about my religion
@@alz_1875 Another Alawi commenter contacted the author about it. You should do it too, correct the issues. Maybe he can remake it?
Your pronunciation and knowledge are amazing.
I admired you. You are an eye-opener to the world.
I learned so much from you.
Thank you so much.❤❤❤
As an alwait young man i wanna thank you for that great work that have you done
Most of this information are accurate but i wish that u spoke more a bout our live in the present
I'm glad to help you if decided to make another video a bout us in the future
Sooo Un-alawi of you tbh
Ehlen Ya Ghali, I'am Alawite too from Liwa Iskandaroun, Arsuz. Hobb Ikter hayye Allah Yihmik int wa Suriyya
@@fadiibrahim7506 why is that
@@mehmetyanms1202 thank you brother
God bless you
@@solemanali7448 cuz that would be snitchin.
And snitches get stitches u know
As a Muslim I don't understand why its "complicated" as to whether or not they are Muslims. They are clearly not.
You never been inside Alawite practices, so don't speculate.
As a non Moslem i observe the aggressive attitude among many Moslems towards the different types of teachings - as more 'religious' as worse.
@@karlhacki6890😂😂😂no joke what about history of Christianly and war between catholics and arthdox
Abrahamic religions have their hands tainted with blood in persecuting each other;this is a fact that need to be digested..No point blaming each other now.Let us build a healthier community for our future generations…..
It's a no brainer
I love this channel and find all these heterodox Islamic or Islam-derived religious communities a very interesting topics. It would be nice to see an episode about the Alevites of Turkey.
I found your historical account of the Alawites instructive and enlightening. Thank you.
Who is here after the fall of Aleppo !!
👇🏽
I'm here before the fall of Assad.
I'm here before the creación of the World...
Let God save and support you in this storm. (Kiev, Ukraine ❤)
@@balung he has fallen
Am here after the fall of Dimashq and Bashar fleeing the country...!
I met a Turkish girl who belonged to this sect and after listening her story i got interested in knowing more about it. Thank God I came across your channel.
She was probably Alevi which he clearly makes a distinction in this video lmao
Im here after the fall of Assad. This is a fascinating video.
Thank you very much. This is a very useful presentation for the world to watch!
Wow, this is VERY, I mean, very interesting. Taking the secondary figures and turned them into the main one! Hope there is more info on them in the future. Thanks for the video.
I know! I love researching some of these videos
There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! To you, LORD, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.’ --------And I tell you that you are Peter,and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hadeswill not overcome it.
@@thetruthuntold9642 I am a rock, I am an island. And a rock feels no pain. And an island never cries.
Very good video, minorities like these deserve more recognition. Which speaking of I would recommend to make a video on the bektashi another lesser known sect of Islam.
Bektashis are not Muslim
Very well done - learned a great deal from your thorough layout.
Your vids are exceptionally well done. You cut to the point, give relevant material, and don't drag.
Wow your video is absolutely amazing and unique . Greetings to you and Alawites from Poland!!! :)
@@ayan1807 38 mln abt
@Alawite Muslim Defence League Hi. I'm a shia from Pakistan. And many of my friends have kinda converted to Alawite or may be they don't even know this. But they call maula Ali as Allah. Can you tell me more about this sect? Any information, any facts, anything?
@@shabibmehdi7996
Okay i'm an agnostic, but was born to an alawite family so i have some knowledge about this faith, what do you want exactly?
@@haydarr7903 Hi. Any general information like who they worship, Or what is role of hazrat Ali in this religion?
Or anything else you wish to add to my knowledge
@@shabibmehdi7996
They worship Imam Ali
The believe he was a manifestation of god on Earth, he didn't take a human body like Christians believe of jesus, but just was just a "noor" i guess you know what this word means as a muslim.
So yeah they belive in a holy trinity, which contains God who was Ali during the islamic era, and Muhamad which was "made" by god (wasn't created cause there's a difference as they believe)
And then Muhammad "created " salman al farisi.
It's kinda related to what Aristotle thought of the nature of god and then the gonstics adopted it.
Names of god and the two in the trinity do change during the eras, in the christian era God was peter or shamoun (شمعون) to be more specific (cause i think there is a a historical mistake, as they believe the apostles (boutros, peter/boulous, paul/youhanna fam alzahab,literally as john the mouth of gold? /youhanna al mamdan, john the baptists/Matta, or marcus) of jesus as other manifestations of Muhammad or jesus and then still believe there was an another character named shamoun was "born" in a mysterious way and was adopted by mary the magdaline (see? Entirely different story) who is supposed to be God, but then this name was turned to peter?, so i'm wondering were there two peters? Cause there's no mention in the new testament of shamoun
Yeah it's really amazing how difficult it is to consider them as "non Muslims" or "Muslims." Their approach to the faith is so specific and clearly defined by pre-existing Syrian traditions yet that can't be said without taking into account that Shia and Sufi schools of thought were affected by Neoplatonism, which is where their Islam (aliwite) was introduced. But sadly, politics is not doing anyone in the Middle East any favors right now...
A A because the heavily more fundamental and literal Sunni interpreters would view them as either heretics or apostates, and I don't think the aliwites are all too keen on having their heads roll all across Syria so that's why it matters.
A A yeah but the bread and wine thing representing Ali is well...not what very orthodox Muslims like to see but yeah I they really do feel like Sufi Shias doing the crazy stuff they like to do, but the rejection of fasting, going to mosque, and unique holidays do make them seem like they are avoiding some of the pillars of Islam, this arguably not Muslims as a result
@@parchment543 alawites literally run Syria under bashar though lol
What are the pre existing syrian traditions ? You pulled that outta ur a$$
I think they developed a pan-Arab Muslim identity to protect themselves and their own survival. Can't blame them really.
I've been trying to make sense of the alawites for a long time and this is the best explanation I have seen so far. No wonder I was not able to figure them out!
Much of what you see in this video has been misrepresented, which is because others are telling our beliefs for us, which is natural, because we believe that if we tell, we will be punished.
@@thetruthuntold9642 Oh you are an alawi? Nice to know! Do you have any reliable source on Alawism ? can we convert to it ?
Well keep trying because this video is far from the truth. Happy to answer any questions you have
@@NatalieIC are u an alawite?
@@Hamsaaa0 Yeah I am
Thank you. Very informative and well presented.
This channel is excellent!
Thank you!
Always enjoy your programs which are based on facts. 🙏🙏
Thank you for this interesting explanation. Never realized the Alawites were as different as you described.
Well he is wrong on many aspects of the alawittes, how and why do you consider that everything he said was factual
@@kkay5813 what is wrong ?
@@chendaforest Alot of the teachings are passed down. Basically the public information is either exaggerated, incorrect, or only in regard to selective Alawites.
@@donmoez6289 where would you recommend learning about it? Or are you an Alawite?
@@chendaforest I am an Alawite. I honestly couldn't tell you a reliable internet source to learn about it. There are also some conflicting online sources. It is usually passed down and spread only throughout the Alawite community.
This is a dope watch. I learned a lot. Thank you, sir.
Amazing so glad to find this video.
Why calling them Nusayri is considered derogatory? They have been called that for 1300 years until the French started calling them Alawites in the in1920s.
I have an Alawite friend in Syria. I asked him about beliefs and all that he said was that someone taught his father a secret prayer.
This is an excellent overview of a complex religious phenomenon. Thank you for posting this!
So with their reverence to Ali, the Alawites to Islam are as Christianity to Judaism.
alawites to shia ithna-ashria are as Christianity to judaism
Ummm, that's seems somewhat simplistic an analogy, wouldn't you say?
@@soxx795 yep, it is really hard to draw good analogies between religions because they intently try to be different from each other.
the analogy I'd make is more like Cathars' reverence to Catholicism
@S Han I studied in Russia. Finally, we are the West!
Hey just stumbled on your video, i loved it, your very informative and your video is very engaging, about to subscribe and watch the rest. Peace be upon you 😉
Nice video, I have one comment or supplememt to add, in the section "holidays/festivals". Actually you forgot the biggest and most important holiday of the Alawites, the Eid Al-Ghadir.
This is the event when the Prophet Muhammed proclaimed Ali as his successor, 69 days before the Prophet passed away from this world.
Muhammed's famous statement "Min kantu maulahu, fi hatha Ali maulahu" was spoken here. Translation is ""For whomever I am his Mawla (leader), then 'Ali is his Mawla." This is for example also stated in Sunni hadith sources like At-Tirmithi, written record 3713.
the prophet told abu bakr to lead prayer before he died
The fall of Asad regime lead me to discover your channel(algorithm) and i am glad to become your new subscriber. You have done a great job covering this topic and for that I greatly appreciate and thank you.
Take care
In the Middle East, they are viewed as a different sect of Shias. They are mostly hated because of Bachar Alasad and their relationship with Iran. One of the reason Syria is a "secular" country is because Alawites are only 12% of Syrias population, making it a Alawites or Shia country would not have worked.
How is it "secular" though? The Alawite regime still permit Islamic laws and traditions like polygamy.
@@Qwerty-ey5fi partly secular compared to western seculars, but very secular and unique compared to the region. unfortunately Syria was very influenced by extremists thus had a lot of idiots fighting against this so called "infidel" regime.
@@jetnas8048 In the region, Israel/Turkey/Lebanon are far more secular. "Secular Syria" is a myth popular among Western Assadists.
@@Qwerty-ey5fi secular enough where alcohol is freely available and no obligatory dress code
Most alawites used to be Christian, usually Assyrians. A lot of them converted over time
I actually stumbled on some really amazing Alawite music until it was removed entirely from RUclips after being made privatized. Ya Ali Hadad! It caused me to look into Ali's history. I think the story makes most sense with him defending his caravan while the innocents fled to the mountains. I think that it is a more fundamental honor to sacrifice for the survival of innocent people _of the mountains._ Highlander v flatlander is a very old dynamic and it is first seen in a big way through history in these regions. Primarily Ali's region.
It's pretty awesome to believe in a supernatural spirit that protects what you may consider the good and sweet people of the mountains, who have always been preyed upon by the gathered masses of flatlanders claiming authority.
where can I find Alawite music?
fyi the music you heard is shia music who also love imam ali but us alawites we mostly do accapella song and freestyle a poem right there on the spot rather than recording a song of a video
@@RS-xn7rs can you link address some examples? I always ask my people but they can only give Syrian wedding music etc.
You keep saying you know very little about this group, well my dear friend, you know much more than i do, although some of that was not supper accurate, keep it up bro.
Syrian Alawites here :D :D :D
Always glad to hear from people who actually identifies with the religion I talk about. Happy that you're satisfied with the video!
I heard once that Alawites branched off from Druze not Shia Islam. Is it true?
@@LetsTalkReligion I'll add my reply here since there's another reply from a Syrian Alawite
I also come from an Alawite background
Yes, certainly, some information in the video is new for me as well, but here's my 2 cents :
Unfortunately I am indeed aware that some Alawites literally believe that God (exalted be He) = Imam Ali (RA)
however I only became aware of this last year, I never ever met a single Alawite with this belief though... which is weird cuz I lived in Latakia
We do fast in Ramadan. The ones of us who practice the religion anyway.. and in that case I mean Islam, I don't mean the Alawi religion. I didn't grow up with the notion that Alawites are a different religion.
Generally another unfortunate thing is that, similar to Turkey, there has been a strong forced secularization of society after French occupation, which I feel affected Alawites more than Sunnis, hence the not large number of practicing Alawites nowadays. That's my perception at least.
Also...I...NEVER... heard the thing with Alawites being stars around God's throne.... I only read this online, I can't testify to its truthiness at all. Again, I've never met anyone who believes this or anything close to it.
I think the Alawites around me are more like Twelver Shia Muslims overall
I'll edit later if something else occurs to me
@@harune6594 so you read namaaz 5 times a day and follow the Qur'an? Welcome to Islam brother. I'm a Muslim myself from England. I don't understand the Sunni / Shia divide. We all read namaaz and believe in the prophets and 10 commandments.
@@Darkest_matter
Unfortunately no, I knew very few people who prayed 5 times the normal way ... I think my grandpa did , on and off. May Allah have mercy on him and all Muslims.
the 10 commandments are a jewish thing brother
Very good information brother, as my neighbour is identified himself as alawite, his good man, very secretive no mosque no books which I tried to get info about them but I got nothing, even one time I want to go with him on funeral but he told me only for him Community. I got along very well with his family as I’m not perfect myself to judge and on the day of judgment everyone will stand before Allah by themselves. May ALLAH guide us all and protect us from Hellfire
Amin
JazakumALLAHu Kheir
Very well explained brother. And I’m fascinated by how well you pronounce Arabic letters. I wonder if you have any Middle Eastern background?
He said he studied Arabic in a university for 1 year. He can write and read arabic and also speak,but not to the point where he can start conversations in arabic. Also his wife's family is from Iraq he said.
Are you Alawi bro?
Love the channel. Would also love to see a video about the Alevis
ruclips.net/video/ORg-uNAgmn0/видео.html
Could you make a video about Al-Ma'arri? He was known to be one of the greatest Arabic poets despite his abnormal irreligious worldview.
I'll add him to the list!
Colorado’s former American football quarterback player John Elway “Al Awi” is originally from Syria
Just for the record, Alawites, despite the name similarity are NOT the same as Turkish Alevites. They are two completely different religions. Alevism is a mix of Islam and Turkic Tengrism. The thing they have in common is the name and that both are very different from any form of orthodox Islam. Arab Alawites are also called Nusayri. In fact that's the common name non Alawites used for them and in Turkish it's a lot easier to use that to distinguish between them and Turkish Alevi. But I once had an Arab Alawite tell me they consider Nusayri an insult and prefer using Alawi
he said this in the video...
Very informative video,you can also make one about Bohri or Bohra sect of Shiites. They are also very secretive about their beliefs and even followers need to get permission to read their books.
Great job! 👍🏼
As an alawite, i want to clarify some points..
"Alawites" = "Nusayreye" = "Khasibeyeh" .. it's all the same.. some people think that we get annoyed if someone called us "Nusayri" haha ..
..
The majority of Alawites see themselves as independent group (not Shia nor Sunni)
also, many alawites says that "Alawite" is a path not a religion. Because the islamic faith and concept is the religion they follow as the understanding of Islam and its concept can only be taught through the path of Imam Ali. (Quran, Some of Hadith and Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad and the Mind proof)
..
Also in Ramadan ... many Alawites fast. And we have more Eids and festivals..
Who is your god?
Who is your prophet?
What is your qalimah?
Just want to clear these things
@Alawite Muslim Defence League Yes but Alawites they pray to Imam Ali too , they have a certain trinity that involves Imam Ali as Allah itself same like Jesus in Christianity.
Can you elaborate more about your shahada, your book n the way you pray ?
@Alawite Muslim Defence League do u have discord?
@Alawite Muslim Defence League interesting. i have a question for you. Why do alawites believe in the concepts they believe in. Like even sunni muslims sometimes are critical about some believes and concepts (which derive from some hadith). They ask themselves if what they know and believe is really the reality god created and if its a true believe they should hold. Is there something simillar in alawite believes? Do alawites believe because some guys told them to believe?
Thank you for the qualitative content. As always.
Hello fellow 2023 viewer!
You are on the right track however, as a alawhite myself i can tell you that we originated from Imam Ali himself, we are a group in shia that study ali just like shia do except we believe that the scarf is optional and that it is not mandatory, but you still need to have body respect and respect your body. I go to a school which is privately opened to alawhites and have learnt for a long time.
Did you go to al Sadiq college aswell? I’m alawite from Australia
@@alzybladerunner954 is your family from south turkey or syria?
I am an arab and a sunni muslim. I love Syria and the Syrian people regardless of their beleif. and or religion. Algerians have a deep love for the land and its people. I always taught of the Allawite from the name that they are Shia muslims ( 12 vrs) . But thank you for explaining that is lot more complex than that. And I appriciate it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us and not claiming that it is a universal truth as others do.
Absolutely. Sometimes its good to just learn without all the shenanigans and emotion.
Much love from your alawite brother 🇸🇾❤🇩🇿
Liking someone regardless of their religion should be a given and not a statement to include unless you dislike others due to their religion
@@alexander3893Do you mind if I ask why alawites think that imam ali is god? He didn’t even have any miracles attributed to him like prophet Jesus for example. Just curious
I am astonished to see the versatility of religious sects. I did not know about alawies. Thank you very much for enriching my knowledge. I don't want to argue. I strictly believe in freedom of thought as long as one's thoughts do not hurt others.
Stay blessed
Thank yoi for the video. I hope to a video about Alevis in Turkiye as well. Wish you a happy new year!
Very interesting that so much is still so little understood and their community continues to hold their beliefs so secret. You mention that they celebrate a kind of communion which brings to mind the recent exploration of the early Christian eucharist and its relationship to the Greek mystery cult of Eleusis and in particular the increasing currency for the evidence that wine as it was referred to back then would likely include a medicinal component that would be formulated to generate visions among the participants. Considering the long history of Hellenism along the Coast of the Levant, and the strong focus that the early Christian churches had in that region it would not surprise me to know that it is still practiced or at least venerated to some degree. I refer to the recent book by Brian Muraresku "The Immortality Key" which is really quite an remarkable examination of the recent and ongoing research. Cheers.
Some of the beliefs are sounded very much like the Gnostics, especially Valentinan's Gnosis (like the light connection, the different forms of God's incarnation, the use of Gate and the Veil).
Being an Alawite myself I think you got pretty good insight about us. Your work is very interesting. However, there are some misconceptions. keep up the good work :)
So is there really an issue about different aliwi sects disagreeing? Like some wanting to be more Sunni, whilst others more traditional and conservative?
@@parchment543 Not really, some individuals though want to be more like Shia muslims. However, they are relatively rare. The majority of us are non religious but still identify as alawites (same as how the Jewish people views themselves). About 10% are conservative alawites which means that they study and practice our religion regularly. But almost no alawite would identify as sunni muslim or would want to be viewed as such due to the historic persecution.
A A This is generally true in the alawites case for two main reasons: 1) The current war and historic persecution made alawites distant themselves from religion including my family members 2) the fact that alawism is a secret religion make people less observant and talkative of their religion which makes adherence and practice far less common
@@ammaralli5242 Honestly, I really would like to communicate with you hence, we, new generation Alawites in Turkey have limited source to acknowledge all the details.
Can you tell why is it practiced secretly n why the knowledge of ones religion wasn’t shared to the next generation ?
Thank God for the algorithm 😊
Very appropriate. Excellent channel