Alawites (Syria): Difference between revisions

===In the Period of al-Sham’s Seljuks===

Although the establishment of the [[Seljuk]] government in al-Sham in 487/1094 was a serious resistance to [[Crusaders]], the first Anti-Shiite actions were also carried out in this period in the northern areas of al-Sham. The Seljuks, who were biased Sunni Turks, had a negative opinion of Shiism and Shiite sects in al-Sham, including the [[Isma'iliyya]] and the Alawites.

The anti-Shiite actions of the Seljuks were done in Aleppo while the city was still dominated by Shiite populations and some of the Shi'as still held high-ranking governmental positions, such as judgeship. The pressures by the Seljuks on the Alawites were so high that some researchers take it to be the main reason for the migration of the Alawites from Aleppo to Lattakia.

The event of Ra's Masin in which a great number of the Alawites and their seniors were killed by the Seljuk Turks counts as one of the greatest elegies of the Alawites in this period. Along with such violent actions, the Seljuks also did cultural activities against the Shi'as. Not only did the Seljuks obstructed any cultural activities by the Alawites, they established Sunni seminary schools to spread an anti-Shiite atmosphere. The oppressions of the Alawites by the Seljuks in al-Sham continued until 521/1127 when the Seljuk dynasty was toppled down by Imam al-Din Zangi.

When the Seljuk dynasty in al-Sham was defeated by Imad al-Din Zangi in 521/1127 in Aleppo, the Zengid dynasty began to rule al-Sham and northern Iraq. Not only did not the change of government decrease pressures on the Alawites, it increased anti-Shiite actions to some extent. Nur al-Din Muhammad Zangi who succeeded his father, Imad al-Din, was known as the most biased anti-Shiite ruler in Aleppo and northern al-Sham.

He strongly oppressed the Shiite rituals since 541/1146. For example, he banned the recitation of [[Hayya 'ala khayr al-'amal]] in [[adhan]]. The action was followed by Shiite reactions and led to clashes with Sunni groups.

The Zengid oppressions lasted until the invasion of [[Salah al-Din b. Ayyub]] (Saladin) to conquer Aleppo. However, Malik Salih, Nur al-Din’s son, who had first adopted his father’s policy against the Shi'as, took resort to the Shi'as after the Ayyubid invasion and siege of Aleppo in 570/1174 in order to resist the Ayyubids. The Shi'as pledged to support him on the condition that he removes the restrictions on their religious freedom.

When the [[Isma'ili]] [[Fatimid]] caliphate was toppled down by Saladin, he departed to [[al-Sham]] and conquered its northern and central areas. The Alawites played a crucial role in Saladin’s conquests of these areas because of their knowledge of the mountainous roads and ways. The contributions of the Alawites in Saladin’s victories in his battles against the Romans overshadowed his biased religious policies for the Alawites, such that he is highly regarded of in Alawite sources, although his biased actions are also referred to.

After his conquests, Saladin always attacked [[Imami]] Shi'as, and in particular, the Alawites, in Aleppo and the coasts of al-Sham. His biases against the Imami Shi'as led to cultural and social actions and even military actions against the Alawites. Thus, some researchers believe that the history of Aleppo and al-Sham after the 2nd/8th century did not see a ruler more biased than Saladin.

In period of the [[Mamluk dynasty]], the Alawites faced a great deal of oppressions just like the earlier Sunni governments. According to some scholars, the Mamluks were harder on the Shi'as and the Alawites than other governments in al-Sham. It should not be overlooked that [[Ibn Taymiyya]] had a role in increasing the oppressions in early 8th/14th century. In a [[fatwa]] he issued in 705/1305, Ibn Taymiyya announced that different Shiite sects, including the Nusayriyya, were permitted to be killed, and then he stated that it is the greatest Sharia obligation to wage a [[jihad]] against them and execute the Islamic rulings about them.

After the fatwa, the army of Mamluks attacked the residential areas of the Alawites in [[Muharram]] 705 (July 1305) under the commandership of the regent, Aqrash Afram, killing the Alawites and plundered their residences. The event is referred to in the Alawite sources as the “slaughter of the Alawites”. The Alawites underwent most tragedies after the invasion of the territories of the Mamluks by [[Timur]], the founder of the [[Timurid]] dynasty. In these attacks, 20,000 people were killed in Aleppo in 802/1399 and the areas in the north of al-Sham were ruined and the decline of the Alawites was thus accomplished.