Alevism or
Alevi (/'ælɛvij/, also /æˈlɛviː/ or /əˈleɪviː/, or /
Alevileri, also called as
Qizilbash,
Spiritual Shiism or
Shī‘ah Imāmī-Tasawwufī Ṭarīqah) is a
mystical branch of
Islam whose adherents are followers of
Ali,
the Twelve Imams (other than
Sunni Muslims who believe in the four
Rashidun caliphs) and their descendant, the 13th century Alevi saint
Haji Bektash Veli. Having some links with
Twelver Shia Islam (like the importance of the
Ahl al-Bayt, the
day of Ashura, the
Mourning of Muharram, commemorating
Karbala, etc.), the practices of the Alevis are based on
Sufi elements of the
Bektashi tariqa. Alevism is seen as one of the two main branches of Islam in Turkey, the other being Sunni Islam.