A Study on Alevi Humanism a Thesis Submitted to The
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A STUDY ON ALEVI HUMANISM A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY BETÜL SÜRÜCÜ IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS MASTER OF IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY JANUARY 2020 Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Yaşar Kondakçı Director I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts. Prof. Dr. Ş. Halil Turan Head of Department This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Parkan Supervisor Examining Committee Members (first name belongs to the chairperson of the jury and the second name belongs to supervisor) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aret Karademir (METU, PHIL) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Parkan (METU, PHIL) Asst. Prof. Dr. Arif Kala (Munzur Uni, SOS) I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last name : Betül Sürücü Signature : iii ABSTRACT A STUDY ON ALEVI HUMANISM Sürücü, Betül M. A., Department of Philosophy Supervisor : Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Parkan January 2020, 123 pages The aim of this study is to discuss the connection between Alevism and Humanism with a detailed examination. The main question of the thesis is whether Alevism can be linked to Humanism or not. The concepts of humanism in the history of Alevism are analyzed in terms of human-centrism, mind, and the love of humanity, tolerance, respect and morality. Alevism, which is largely influenced by Haji Bektash Veli‘s teachings, could open a door for Humanism and for the strength of this connection with Alevism; this door is examined and questioned. While Haji Bektashi Veli and his orders seem compatible with a human-centered philosophy not only for his century but also for today; it has some problematic aspects as well. And this thesis is written to reveal both the reasonable and problematic sides of the link between Alevism and Humanism. By the evaluation of different views, the similarities and differences between Alevism and Humanism are shown. Keywords: Alevism, Syncretism, Haji Bektashi Veli, Humanism, Human- Centered iv ÖZ ALEVİ HÜMANİZMİ ÜZERİNE BİR ÇALIŞMA Sürücü, Betül Yüksek Lisans, Felsefe Bölümü Tez Yöneticisi : Doç. Dr. Barış Parkan Ocak 2020, 123 sayfa Bu çalışmanın amacı Alevilik ve Hümanizm arasındaki bağlantıyı detaylı bir şekilde tartışmaktır. Tezin ana sorunu Alevilik ve Hümanizmin bağlantılı olup olmadığıdır. Hümanizmin kavramları; insan merkezli olması, tolerans, saygı ve ahlak Alevilik tarihinde analiz edilir. Alevilik üzerinde büyük etkisi olan Hacı Bektaşi Veli'nin öğretileri Hümanizme bir kapı açabilir mi ve bu bağlantının gücü araştırılıp, sorgulanır. Hacı Bektaşi Veli ve öğretisindeki kavramlar insan merkezli felsefe ile sadece yüzyıllardır değil günümüzde bile uyumlu fakat bazı açılardan da problemlidir. Bu tez Alevilik ve Hümanizm arasındaki bağlantını mantıklı ve problemli taraflarını göstermek için yazılmıştır. Alevilik ve Hümanizmin benzerlikleri ve farkları konusunda değişik görüşler değerlendirilecektir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Alevilik, Senkretizm, Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli, Hümanizm, İnsan Merkezcilik v TABLE OF CONTENTS PLAGIARISM ........................................................................................................... iii ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. iv ÖZ ............................................................................................................................... v TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... vi CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 1 2. DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT OF ALEVISM ................................................... 7 2.1 Alevi Unorthodoxy ................................................................................... 9 2.1.1 Shamanism .................................................................................. 12 2.1.2 Manichaeism-Buddhism- Zoroastrianism ................................... 13 2.1.3 Christianity .................................................................................. 14 2.1.4 Shiism .......................................................................................... 15 2.2 Esoterism ................................................................................................ 16 2.2.1 Yesevism ..................................................................................... 17 2.3 Alevi Worship ........................................................................................ 18 2.3.1 Cem ............................................................................................. 20 2.3.2 Semah .......................................................................................... 22 2.3.3 Brotherhood (musahiplik) ........................................................... 23 2.3.4 Male and Female ......................................................................... 25 2.3.5 MoralCodes and Sanctions .......................................................... 26 3. HUMANISM IN ANATOLIA ....................................................................... 28 3.1 Historical Origins .................................................................................. 29 3.1.1 Ismailism ..................................................................................... 29 3.1.2 Sufism .......................................................................................... 31 3.1.3 Wahdat al-Wucud ........................................................................ 32 3.1.4 Khorasan Erens ............................................................................ 34 3.1.5 Qalandariyya ............................................................................... 35 3.1.5.1 Qalandariyya-Haidariyya-Bektashim Relationship .............. 36 vi 3.1.6 Hurufism ....................................................................................... 37 3.2 Haji Bektashi Veli ................................................................................. 39 3.2.1 The Janiassaries Cops ................................................................... 40 3.2.2 Alevism-Bektashism .................................................................... 41 3.2.3 Velayetname-Makalat .................................................................. 42 4. ALEVI PHILOSOPHY AND HUMANISM ............................................... 45 4.1 Relation between Philosophy and Religion ............................................ 46 4.2 The Moral Alevi Principles .................................................................... 48 4.2.1 Human-Centeredness and Unity of All Human ........................... 49 4.2.2 Nature of Human .......................................................................... 52 4.2.3 Transformation-Incarnation-Anthropomorphism Velayetname- Makalat ................................................................................................ 53 4.2.4 Speaking Quran ............................................................................ 55 4.2.5 The perfect human ........................................................................ 55 4.2.6 Reason in Alevism ........................................................................ 57 4.2.7 Love .............................................................................................. 58 4.2.8 Cemal-Celal and Purifying Nafs .................................................. 59 5. ALEVI HUMANISM IN RELATION TO WESTERN HUMANISM ....... 64 5.1 Philosophy of Humanism .................................................................... 65 5.2 Humanism in Europe ........................................................................... 66 5.2.1 Renaissance Humanism .............................................................. 67 5.2.1.1 Erasmus ............................................................................... 68 5.2.2 Secular Humanism ..................................................................... 72 5.2.2.1 Feurabach ............................................................................ 74 5.2.2.2 Comparison between Feurabach and Alevi Humanism ..... 81 5.3 Comparison between Alevi Humanism and Western Humanism ....... 83 6. CONCLUDING REMARKS ....................................................................... 87 6.1 Universe ............................................................................................... 87 6.1.1 Microcosm-Macrocosm .............................................................. 90 6.2 The Cult of Ancestors- the Cult of Nature ......................................... 90 6.3 Communism-Socialism .......................................................................... 92 vii 6.4 Modernization and the Reconstruction of Alevism ................................ 94 6.4.1 Laicism ........................................................................................ 96 6.4.1 Objections to the Secularist Interpretation .................................. 98 6.4.1 Self-Identification of Alevis .......................................................