Alians

Demir Baba teke, Alian sacred place

The Alian Order (in Bulgarian: алиани, in Turkish: Alevi) is a Shia Muslim community based in Bulgaria. The term “Alian” derives from the veneration of Ali ibn Abi Talib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, whom the community considers an emanation of God. The community goes by several names in Bulgaria, including Aliani (Алиани), Alevii (Алевии), Kazalbashi (or Kızılbaşı, meaning “red heads” in Turkish), and Bektashi.

The Alian community's historical connection to the Safavid dynasty represents an important element of their identity and historical development. The Qizilbash tribes who sided with Ismail I (r. 1501-1524) are considered among the ancestors of the Alians. Theologically, the Alian community adheres to a form of Shi'a Islam with distinctive principles that differentiate them from Sunnism and Twelver Shi'ism. They are also Sufi and believe that the union that a person can achieve with God is entirely personal and based on individual experience.

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