Alians

The Alians in Turkish Alyanlar, are a Shi`a order, similar to the Sufi Mevlevi, who live in several regions of Bulgaria. Alians revere Ali ibn Abi Talib, son-in-law and first cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, whom they consider an emanation of God. They follow the mystical rituals of the wandering dervishes.

Their exact origin is not certain, since there are few historical records preserved from that time, but according to the prevailing theory they settled in Bulgaria after the 1512 victory by the Ottoman Sultan Selim I, a Sunni, over the first Turcoman Safavid shah of the Persians, Ismail I. It is believed that Alians are descendants of a Sufi-dervish group of priests, who came to the Balkans during the 15th century, in order to keep up the morale of Ottoman soldiers and to help integrate the newly conquered peoples into the empire. The Alians are similar but not the same as Alevi. Because the Alians believed to be descendant's of Imam Ali's son Abbas ibn Ali and Umm ul-Banin.

Other Muslims view Alians as ghulat, because of their views about imam Ali. They are an extremely closed society and zealously hide their rituals. Circumcision is done when the Boy is one week old, and with 13 year's he got the first time shaved his Pubic Hair in a special ceremony, who only Male Elders are there. They married closed in the Tribe and in a young age. It is known that Alians are mysticists and believe in personal communication with God through a near-trance state. They do not use the traditional Islamic rituals, but use candles and wine.

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