Erkânname – The Alevi Interpretation of Islam and the Alevi Rites

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Erkânname – The Alevi Interpretation of Islam and the Alevi Rites – Historical Blows Dealt to the Alevi Faith

The third, expanded edition of this book covers topics such as the era of the Prophet Muhammad, beginning with the arrival of Islam on the Arabian Peninsula; the caliphates of the four caliphs and of Imam Hasan; a summary of Imam Hüseyin (Husayn) and Karbala; the persecution suffered by the lineage of the Ehl-i Beyt (Ahl al-Bayt, the Prophet’s family) after Karbala; the Qarmatians; the lives of the Twelve Imams; the genocide of the Alevis in the 15th and 16th centuries; and the lives of the Seven Great Poets (Yedi Ulu Ozan). Beyond this, it deals with the knowledge an Alevi ought to have. This includes an introduction to Alevism and the Kızılbaş tradition; the Alevi understanding of Islam; an introduction to the roles of mürşid (spiritual guide), pir (spiritual master), rehber (guide), talip (seeker, disciple) and musahip (companion in spiritual kinship) in Alevi mystical belief, and to the Four Gates and Forty Stations (Dört Kapı Kırk Makam); the sanctity of the month of Muharram and the meaning of its fast and mourning; the sanctity of the Feast of Sacrifice (Kurban Bayramı); Nowruz (Nevruz) as celebrated by different peoples; the Hızır fast among the Alevis; and the Hıdırellez festival.

Bibliographic Details

Title	Erkânname – Aleviliğin İslam Yorumu ve Alevi Erkânları – Alevi İnancına Vurulan Tarihi Darbeler (Erkânname – The Alevi Interpretation of Islam and the Alevi Rites – Historical Blows Dealt to the Alevi Faith)
Author	Seyit Derviş Tur
Edition	Third, expanded edition, 2012 (1st and 2nd editions: 2002)
Publisher	Erenler Yayın
Pages	809
ISBN	975-6791-52-7

About the Book

Erkânname is the fruit of Seyit Derviş Tur’s many years of research and of the Alevi path and rites (yol and erkân) that he learned by living them in a Seyyid family. In the author’s words, the book is both an erkânname (a book of rites) and a summary history of Islam from an Alevi perspective.

The author first discusses the birth of Islam, the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the period of the four caliphs; he then recounts the lives of the Twelve Imams, the events of Karbala and the Seven Great Poets of Alevi literature. At the intellectual centre of the book is the author’s definition of Alevism: according to him, Alevism is the mystical interpretation of Islam; its foundation rests on the Cem of the Forty (Kırklar Cemi), and its order was established by Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (İmam Cafer-i Sadık).

The most extensive part of the book is devoted to practice: the rites of the Cem, musahiplik, görgü, düşkünlük and Dâr’dan İndirme (readmission from the dâr) are described step by step, together with gülbanks (ritual blessings) and prayers. The author’s aim is to offer a common guide to the rites beyond regional differences and to pass the faith on, especially to the new generations growing up in Europe.

Chapters

1. The Arrival of Islam on the Arabian Peninsula – the Jahiliyya period, the coming of the revelation, the life of the Prophet Muhammad, the Farewell Pilgrimage and the period of the four caliphs; Imam Ali’s letter of instruction to Malik al-Ashtar (Mâlik-i Eşter).
2. The Era of the Twelve Imams and the Historical Blows Dealt to the Alevi Faith – the lives of the Twelve Imams, Karbala, the Seven Great Poets and Noksani Baba.
3. The Spread of Alevism and the Persecution of the Lineage of the Ehl-i Beyt – the period after Karbala, how the Ehl-i Beyt faith reached Central Asia and Anatolia, Hoca Ahmed Yesevi and Hünkâr Hacı Bektaş Veli.
4. The Alevi Interpretation of Islam – the concepts of Alevism and Kızılbaş, the Alevi system of education, the Four Gates and Forty Stations, the Fourteen Pure Innocents (On Dört Masum-u Pak), the Seventeen Girded Ones (On Yedi Kemerbest) and the place of women.
5. The Rites in the Alevi Faith – the Muharram fast, night worship, the Cem, musahiplik, görgü, düşkünlük, the services for the dead and Dâr’dan İndirme; marriage, kirvelik (ritual sponsorship), sacrifice (kurban), Nowruz and Hıdrellez.

Key Themes

• The Four Gates and Forty Stations: the gates of Şeriat (the Law), Tarikat (the Path), Marifet (Gnosis) and Hakikat (Truth) and their stations
• The Cem rite: the rules of the cem, the order of services, the Twelve Services and the meaning of the semah (ritual dance)
• Musahiplik: its origins, the probation period and how the rite is conducted
• The görgü and düşkünlük rites
• The services for the dead and Dâr’dan İndirme
• The Muharram fast and mourning; individual and family night worship
• Marriage, kirvelik, sacrifice, Nowruz, Hızır-İlyas and Hıdrellez

„Çünkü, Alevilik yalnız okuyarak öğrenilmez, yaşanması lazım.“

“For Alevism cannot be learned by reading alone; it must be lived.”

Erkânname, p. 21

Who Is It For?

It is a reference work for “cans” (fellow believers) who wish to learn and practise the Alevi path and its rites – talips (seekers), candidates for musahiplik, those who perform services in the cem, and dedes. Young generations who have grown up in Europe and are curious about the roots of their faith, as well as readers who wish to get to know Alevism through the account of an Alevi dede, can also benefit from the book.

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Translated from the Turkish original by Seyit Derviş Tur.