Hızır İlyas – as Described by Scholars Around the World

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This text is one of Seyit Derviş Tur Dede’s writings on the Alevi faith. For a general introduction, see: What is Alevism? Its faith, history and core values

Who Is Hızır İlyas?

In the historical sources the ancient name appears to us as “El-Hadır” or “El-Hıdır”. In our Turkish these names mean “green, a branch, or a place with much greenery”. The histories explain why Hz. İlyas (Elijah) was given the name Hızır as follows: wherever he wanders and goes, he spreads abundance and blessing. Even if the place where he sits is dry, grass sprouts and waves beneath him; where he strikes the ground with his foot, rivers gush forth. He is remembered in this way because, when called upon with sincere faith from the heart, he hastens to everyone’s aid, appearing in human form, and because the belief has taken root in the community that he delivers people from all their present distress. To introduce Hz. İlyas, we must first know the story of Zulkarneyn (Dhul-Qarnayn, “the two-horned one”). For the figure of Hızır emerges of its own accord as this story is told.

According to Israelite (Jewish) sources in the History of al-Tabari, the Prophet Moses, addressing the people of Israel, said: “Almighty Allah has increased His blessings upon us. He destroyed Pharaoh and the Copts. You who were despised He has honoured, and those who were held in honour He has made despised. He gave you the ‘Torah’ as a book. Through the book and the religion He has increased your superiority over all peoples”, and He said: “Indeed, We once gave the Children of Israel the Book, judgement and prophethood. We provided them with good things and favoured them above the worlds.” Surah al-Jathiya, verse 16

After the Prophet Moses had given this speech, a man came to him and said: “O Kelâmullah (you who speak with God), has God the Exalted given the knowledge He has given you in this world to anyone else as well?” The Prophet Moses replied: “I believe that there is no one in the world with as much knowledge as I have.” At once a revelation comes from Allah the Exalted. “O Moses,” He calls, “I have a servant in the world whose knowledge is many times greater than yours. His name is Hızır.” – “O my Lord! Who among Your servants is the one with greater knowledge? How and where shall I find him? Show him to me, so that I may increase my knowledge from him.” The call came from God the Exalted: “O Moses, his place is Mecmeül Bahreyn (the place where the two seas meet). If you begin to search, your food will tell you where he is.”

Moses, peace be upon him, understands what the command means. At once he calls to him Yuşa (Joshua), the grandson of Ephraim, son of the Prophet Joseph. He says to him: “I shall go as far as Mecmeül Bahreyn. I have no other choice. Get us some provisions and let us go together. Let us see Hızır, peace be upon him. God’s command lies along this path.” According to one tradition, Hızır’s name is “Ermiya”; according to another, Elyesâ; according to yet another, Belyâ. He was called Hızır for this reason: one day he sat on a dry stone; when he stood up, the stone had turned to soil. Wherever he sets his foot, greenery appears or water springs up. This in turn is the symbol of peace, abundance and blessing. That is why he was called Hızır. The Jewish-Israelite sources make no mention at all of İskender Zülkarneyn (Alexander the Two-Horned). After the prophets Joshua and Moses have wandered for a long time, they come to the strait where the two seas do not mix with each other. They sit down beneath a large rock that lies there. But they were very tired and hungry. It is also evening. Joshua took the salted dried fish out of their provisions to wash it so that they could eat it. The moment the fish touches the water, it comes to life and swims away into the water. Because Joshua is tired, he eats some bread and falls asleep at once. He forgets and does not tell the Prophet Moses that the fish came to life and went into the sea. Morning comes, both wake up and set off on their way. In the revelation that had come from God to the Prophet Moses it had been said: “Your food (teâm) will bring you to Hızır.” Moses never forgets these words and was waiting for a sign. When after some time they were about to eat again, Hz. Moses said: “Joshua, we also brought a fish to eat; take it out and let us eat it.” Joshua said: “Oh, I forgot to tell you. The other day, when I was preparing the food by the seashore under the large rock, I also took out the fish to wash it and bring it for us to eat. The moment the water touched the fish, it came to life, slipped into the sea and was gone.” The Prophet Moses says: “Joshua, that is the very place I am looking for”, turns back and comes to the rock – and there is Hızır, worshipping beneath the rock. The rest is told as it is related in Surah al-Kahf of the noble Qur’an. Source: History of al-Tabari, pages 447 to 457.

According to the sources of Syriac scholars, the content of the Syriac texts of the Hızır-İlyas legend, written and circulated between 100 and 300 CE, is summarised as follows: İskender Zülkarneyn learns from the scholars of his day that there is a spring in the world that grants human beings eternal life. To seek and find this spring, he sets out in search of it with as many soldiers as can accompany him. After searching for months, one day a sandstorm arises. For a long time, for hours, there is darkness; no one can see anyone else. When the sky clears after a while, İskender sees that no one is left with him except his cook İlyas. After İskender Zülkarneyn has wandered with this cook for a long time, they want to rest and eat right beside a spring that appears before them. While the cook İlyas is taking something out of their provisions, he also wants to wash the salted çiroz fish (dried fish) they had brought to eat. But as soon as he holds the fish in the water, it comes to life, slips from his hand into the water and disappears. The cook İlyas does not even attach any meaning to this, thinking to himself: “If you go, then go; we have plenty more to eat.” He drinks a little of this water and, after washing his hands and face, takes the food to İskender. When he comes before İskender, he tells him exactly what happened and how the fish, the moment the water touched it, came to life in his hand and went into the water. İskender Zülkarneyn says: “That is the spring we are looking for!”, leaps up and rushes off. But sadly he does not find the spring in its place.

According to the sources of Hellenic, Orthodox scholars (according to the Hızır-İlyas legend circulated in Greek), İskender ZÜLKARNEYN, who lived in Macedonia, learns from scholars that there is a spring that grants human beings eternal life. To seek it, he sets out with his army. Because of various events that befall him on the way, he endures all kinds of hardship, but decides to continue on his way. One day a sandstorm arises. Everything is plunged into darkness for hours. For a long time one cannot see one’s hand before one’s eyes. When it clears after hours, he sees that no one is left around him except his cook. Through this event he loses his soldiers and his army. He sees that only his cook is with him. According to all the general sources, the name of this cook is İlyas or İlyase. In some texts of “Hellenic mysticism”, however, the cook’s name is “Andreas”. In communities of the Catholic faith he is given as “Nikolaus”. It is clear that each people gave the name according to the sacred values of its own faith. After İskender Zülkarneyn and İlyase have walked together for a long time, a spring appears before them. To eat and rest a little, they halt at a suitable place near the spring. The cook goes to the spring to prepare the food they have brought. There he wants to wash the salted dried (çiroz) fish from their provisions. But the moment the fish touches the water, it comes to life, leaps into the water and disappears. The cook realises that this water is the sought-after spring of life and drinks some of it. He washes his hands and face and returns. He tells İskender Zülkarneyn what happened to him. Zülkarneyn too gets up to drink from the same spring. But he does not find the spring in its place. He ends his life searching for the spring. Both sources tell almost the same story with slight nuances.

The reason why we have examined the culture of Hızır or Hızır İlyas (its faith and doctrine) from the point of view of scholars of other faiths is my conviction that this will also be quite important, from a scholarly perspective, within our Alevi community. We should know this: Hz. Hızır is not a sacred figure of the Alevis alone. An important reason for considering this Hızır İlyas culture from a general perspective is also that the figure of Hızır or Hızır İlyas, regarded as highly sacred, is kept alive in every faith. These texts make it clear that Hızır İlyas does not belong to the Islamic community alone. The culture and faith of Hızır İlyas carry a sanctity that is not to be underestimated. The culture and faith of Hızır İlyas constitute, historically, one of the most fascinating religious values. In the monotheistic faiths, throughout history, he has been a matchless religious value that attracts people of various religions, binds them to himself and creates unity.

The existing texts in the Islamic sources summarise it as follows: İskender-i Zülkarneyn, a descendant of YUHA, grandson of the Prophet Noah, hears of a spring of life that grants eternal life and bestows superhuman power, and decides to seek it. According to the traditions, it was said that Allah would grant this to one of the descendants of Shem. Zülkarneyn sets out on the journey to seek the spring together with İlyas, the son of his paternal aunt, accompanied by his soldiers. For months they travel through various lands. At last, once again during a journey, a great sandstorm arises. Everything becomes pitch dark; for hours one cannot see one’s hand before one’s eyes. When it clears after a while, İskender Zülkarneyn sees that no one is left around him except İlyas, his aunt’s son. Because of this storm that arose on the way, Zülkarneyn and İlyas become separated from the soldiers.

After searching on their own for a while, and after much hardship, they arrive in the land of darkness where the spring of life is located. To find the place of the spring, Zülkarneyn searches on one side and İlyas on another. During this time they experience long adventures and dangers. After travelling for days, İlyas hears a divine voice and sees a light (nur). He goes towards the place to which they draw him. There he suddenly sees the spring and realises that this spring is the spring of life. He drinks of its water and bathes. In this way he attains both eternal life and superhuman powers and abilities. After wandering for a long time, he meets Zülkarneyn and tells him what has happened. Although they turn back and search for the spring, they find no spring in the places where they search. Zülkarneyn resigns himself to his fate and, after some time, dies there.

In many sources there are differing views about the era in which Hızır-İlyas lived. There have also been those who asserted that Hızır-İlyas lived with Hz. Abraham in his time. What matters is that Hızır was charged with teaching someone like the Prophet Moses the “divine ilm-i ledün” – the knowledge given by Allah, hidden from His servants and not granted to every servant. In this way various claims of some scholars are confirmed. Thus very ancient scholars, symbolically, as in antiquity, regarded Hızır-İlyas as a vegetation god who rules over nature.

According to what history tells us about Hızır İlyas, the “Hıdırellez festival” celebrated by the Islamic community coincides with the date of the (Aya Yorgi, Saint George) celebrations. For, as is well known, in Greece, in the Balkans and in some Eastern European countries, the sixth of May is celebrated as a spring festival under the name of the “Green George” (Yeşil Yorgi). Although the outward (zâhirî) faith of Sunni Islam varies regionally among communities, the night from the fifth to the sixth of May is regarded as the night in which Hızır İlyas travels the world. It has been named the “Hıdırellez festival”.

On that night many believing families sift flour, put it on a tray and, with prayers, place it in a clean spot in their kitchen. If in the morning the flour has been disturbed, if there is a sign, they believe that Hızır İlyas has visited their home. In return they keep a fast of thanksgiving (şükür orucu) or perform worship. They do not celebrate the festival on the sixth of May at home. Mostly they go out into the countryside and celebrate amid the greenery with a few relatives or neighbours in the form of a picnic.

When we examine the beliefs of various peoples about Hz. Hızır, the following view emerges: in the Syriac and Hellenic-Orthodox faiths, just as in the Islamic faith, İlyas, the cook of İskender Zülkarneyn, attains superhuman, exalted knowledge by drinking from and bathing in the spring of life. These accounts tell of how Hızır İlyas came into being. If we look at the Israelite-Jewish sources, Hz. Hızır already existed, and the Prophet Moses was sent only to learn the “ilm-i ledün” (hidden divine knowledge) from him. We Seyyids are responsible for telling the community what is true of what we have heard from our elders and learned through reading. Yet Almighty Allah and Hz. Hızır know best. In the talk we shall give tomorrow, I shall try to describe Hz. Hızır in Alevi faith and doctrine and in Alevi mysticism (tasavvuf).

 

Translated from the Turkish original by Seyit Derviş Tur.