Pir Rıza: Alevi Society Must Act Organised and Conscious
Pir Rıza Yağmur, a Pir of the Dersim Derviş Cemal Ocak (an Alevi hereditary spiritual lineage), criticised recent statements by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Leader Devlet Bahçeli. He addressed these comments in the context of the so-called “Alevi opening” by exploring the ancient history and philosophy of the Alevi faith.
He defined the core of Alevism as “the struggle between the rightful and the unjust in the Middle East.” According to Pir Rıza, many Alevi organisations in recent years have merely been “chasing rent,” risking corruption of the faith.
Pir Rıza highlighted the profound origins of the Alevi belief system, stating that the Kızılbash were among the earliest communities to profess belief in one God, a truth rooted deep in the region.
“For example, one of them says, ‘For 14 thousand years I have wandered in the whirling of the moth. I found my name Sıtkı in my delusion. I drank the wine of love in my intoxication. In the cem of the Forty I became a soul in the dara.’ Starting 14 thousand years ago, it suggests that the religion of Islam, which came later, is also included, and ‘in the cem of the Forty I became a soul in the dara.’”
Pir Rıza pointed out that the truths uncovered at the Göbekli Tepe archaeological site are reflected in deyişler — the spiritual hymns of the Alevi tradition.
This perspective invites reflection on the continuity and resilience of Alevism as a spiritual and cultural force in the Middle East.
Author’s summary: Pir Rıza Yağmur urges Alevi communities to remain conscious and united, highlighting their ancient spiritual heritage and warning against modern corruption of their beliefs.