The Alawites, also known as Nusayris, are a religious minority primarily found in Syria, Lebanon and Turkey, whose religious philosophy is deeply influenced by Hellenistic thought, particularly the Neoplatonic school.
Historically, they have been part of the larger Shia Islamic tradition but are distinct due to their unique beliefs, practices, and theological foundations. Their origins can be traced back to the early days of Islam. Scholars such as the German Werner Cohn suggest that their religious practices diverged during the 9th century. He traces their development to the period after the death of Imam Ali.
The Alawite faith blends elements of Shia Islam, local Syrian traditions, and esoteric beliefs. However, the Alawite faith’s roots go further back, incorporating Christian Gnostic, Neoplatonic, and Greco-Roman influences. The Alawites often trace their ancestry to the Mardaites, a group of Christian and pagan Greeks who fiercely resisted early Arab expansion. This theory posits that the Alawites share ethnic ties with the Greeks.
The Greek roots of the Alawites
The Alawites support the theory of their Greek roots through their religious doctrine, which mirrors elements of Acncient Greek philosophy, particularly Neoplatonism. The Alawites have an ancient connection to the Greek-speaking Christian and pagan communities of the Syrian coast. The Mardaites, a Christian group fiercely loyal to the Byzantine Empire, are often cited as possible ancestors of the Alawites. Their resistance to early Arab invaders strengthens this argument.
Middle Eastern scholars, including Yaron Friedman, argue that Alawite doctrine bears Hellenistic influences, especially in incorporating Greek philosophical concepts such as Gnosticism and Neoplatonism. These philosophical systems focus on the notion of the soul’s ascent and divine unity. Such concepts also appear in Alawite teachings.
Neoplatonism and Alawite theological beliefs
One of the core elements of Alawite thought that aligns with Neoplatonism is the belief in God’s uncreated nature. Just as in Plato’s philosophy, where the One or the Good is the source of all existence, the Alawites view God as the eternal, uncreated source of all life. This mirrors the Neoplatonic concept of an ultimate, transcendent principle that lies beyond the physical world.
Another key Neoplatonic idea present in Alawite belief is that of the soul’s immortality. Alawites, like Neoplatonists, believe in the reincarnation of souls. They perceive the soul as an eternal entity that undergoes multiple lifetimes, each one an opportunity to transcend the earthly world and approach divine unity. This idea of transmigration is central to Alawite doctrine, and they hold that only the soul’s liberation from the cycle of reincarnation allows it to ascend to the heavens.
The doctrine of the transmigration of souls
In the “Holy Books of the Alawites,” which tradition attributes to Imam Ali himself, we read:
“And know, O Salman, that when a believer purifies his deeds along with his faith and sincerity, and does good in the lower abode by accumulating righteous acts, he becomes one of My spiritual citizens. He does not go alone but ascends to the highest realm, the elevated heaven. He attains a degree close to the faithful near ones.
Know this, O Salman! As for the disbelieving rejecters, when they are removed from My torment to another, they are transferred from nasakh to faskh, from faskh to maskh, from maskh to raskh, from raskh to faskh, and from faskh to vegetation, then to trees, then to water, and finally to clay. The knowledgeable ones traverse the highest heavens, managing the celestial spheres, and oversee the cosmic dominion. They move from the East of this world to the West in a single night. They return to their homes as if they had never departed. These mountains refer to something else.”
The concepts of the transmigration of souls (tanasukh), spiritual hierarchies and cosmic movements of believers align with Plato’s teachings. Nasakh means transmigration from one human body to another. Faskh is a form of spiritual degradation, where a soul is downgraded from a human form to a lower, less noble form. Maskh refers to a soul being transformed into an animal as punishment. Raskh, on the other hand, means fixation, a state in which a soul is imprisoned in an inanimate object such as a tree, stone or water.
Comparison with Platonic afterlife
According to Alawite beliefs, the more faithful, just and knowledgeable of divine affairs someone is, the more they can elevate themselves to the heavens. In contrast, an unjust and ignorant person degrades themself ontologically into lower and more earthly forms of life.
The above views echo and are perfectly identical with Plato’s views on the afterlife. In his dialogue, “Timaeus,” the creator of the universe explains how the divine craftsman creates the soul. He also describes the process by which souls “liberate” themselves or reincarnate into lower forms:
“He that has lived his appointed time well shall return again to his abode in his native star, and shall gain a life that is blessed and congenial but whoso has failed therein shall be changed into woman’s nature at the second birth; and if, in that shape, he still refraineth not from wickedness he shall be changed every time, according to the nature of his wickedness, into some bestial form after the similitude of his own nature.” (Timaeus 41d-42a)
The Alawite view of the heavens also aligns with Neoplatonic thought. They believe that there are various ranks in the afterlife, with the highest being the most purified souls. The idea of reaching the heavens is tied to the liberation of the soul from material constraints, akin to the Platonic belief that the soul can ascend through various levels of existence to reunite with the divine.
Divine reincarnation: A connection to Greek and Biblical figures
The Alawites believe in the reincarnation of divine figures, including their prophets. This illustrates a syncretic blend of Hellenistic, Christian and Islamic influences. They view certain historical figures, such as Moses, Alexander the Great and Jesus, as divine incarnations. They also hold that Imam Ali is the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. This fusion of religious figures is one of the more unique aspects of Alawite theology. It shows both Hellenistic influence and Islamic Shia thought.
Ali’s role is central in Alawite belief, where he is revered not only as the first Imam of the Shia, but also as a divine incarnation of Jesus. This symbolizes both spiritual leadership and divinity. This belief in the reincarnation of figures like Ali and Jesus connects the Alawite faith to both the Abrahamic traditions and Ancient Greek philosophical concepts.
Alawites and the Final Judgment
The Alawites also share some views with mainstream Shia Islam, particularly in their belief in the concept of the final judgment. However, their understanding of the afterlife differs significantly from that of orthodox Islam.
In Alawite tradition, the soul undergoes purification and ascends to the divine during the final judgment. The Alawites do not await the return of Mahdi, as is common in Twelver Shia Islam. Instead, they emphasize the role of Jesus in their eschatology. They believe that Jesus, rather than the Mahdi, will return as a messianic figure to lead the righteous into the afterlife.
The Alawites closely tie their view of death and the afterlife to the purification and liberation of the soul. As they approach death, many Alawites pray, “May God not let us die except on the religion of Jesus the Messiah” (Allah la yimawwutna illa ‘a deen ‘Isa al-Masih). This reflects their deep reverence for Jesus Christ. This prayer is a plea for liberation from the cycle of reincarnation. It’s also a request for the soul’s ultimate return to the divine source.
The Alawite faith is a complex blend of Greek Neoplatonic philosophical ideas, Shia Islamic theology, Christianity, and mystical beliefs that have evolved over centuries. Their views on the soul, divine reincarnation and the final judgment are a unique synthesis. The Alawites have preserved a distinct religious and cultural identity that continues to subsist to this day.
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