Modes of Worship of the Nusayriyyah

Many people believe the Nusayriyyah are an Islamic sect, but their doctrine is, in reality, a strange amalgamation of pagan and other religions and beliefs. They oppose Muslims in everything—except that they use Islamic names and adopt Christian names. However, they forbid anyone among them to bear the names Abu Bakr or ‘Umar. They claim, like other Shia, that Abu Bakr al Siddiq, ‘Umar ibn al Khattab, and ‘Uthman Dhu al Nurayn radiya Llahu ‘anhum transgressed against ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu and denied him his rightful Caliphate.

The terms prayer, pilgrimage, alms, and fasting found in their creed and books do not carry the meanings Muslims ascribe to them. Instead, they interpret these words through esoteric (batini) meanings they deem permissible. They believe that whoever attains knowledge of the esoteric is absolved from performing outward (zahiri) acts of ‘ibadah. For them, understanding the ranks and stations of the believer (i.e., the Nusayri) liberates one from servitude, transitioning from the state of bondage to freedom. The “shackles and chains” of outward rituals —prayer, fasting, etc.—are lifted, as these obligations were only imposed on the deficient.

Al Haft al Sharif states:

قلت يا مولاي أما كان أهله من أهل الصلاة قال ويحك أتدرى ما معنى قوله تعالى وكان يأمر أهله بالصلاة قلت يعني أهله المؤمنين من شيعته الذين يخفون إيمانهم وهي الدرجة العالية والمعرفة والإقرار بالتوحيد وأنه العلي الأعلى أي الإمام علي فأما معنى قوله تعالى وكان يأمر أهله بالصلاة والزكاة فالصلاة أمير المؤمنين والزكاة معرفته أما إقامة الصلاة فهي معرفتنا وإقامتنا

I said, “O my master, were his family not people of prayer?”

He replied, “Woe to you! Do you understand the meaning of Allah’s statement:

ﭮ ﭯ ﭰ ﭱ

He used to urge his people to pray?^[1]

I said, “It refers to his believing family—his Shia who conceal their faith. This is the highest rank: knowledge (ma’rifah) and affirmation of divine unity (tawhid), recognizing Him as the Supreme Most High (i.e. ‘Ali). As for the meaning of Allah’s words, He commanded his family to pray and give zakat, ‘prayer’ refers to the Commander of the Faithful (‘Ali), and ‘zakat’ refers to knowledge of him. ‘Establishing prayer’ means recognizing and upholding us (the Imams).”^[2]

Al Haft al Sharif also states:

لا يحتجن أحدكم بصومه وصلاته وحجه وجهاده فإن الله غنى عن ذلك كله وهو أعلم بعباده البار منهم والفاجر ولا يفوز أحدكم في كثرة صلاته وصومه إذا لم يعرف الله وأولياءه وأعداءه وإمامه وحجته فيما بينه وبين ربه

Let none of you pride themselves on their fasting, prayer, pilgrimage, or jihad. Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala is beyond needing any of this. He knows His servants—the righteous and the wicked. No one will succeed through abundant prayer or fasting unless they know Allah, His allies, His enemies, their Imam, and the hujjah (proof) between them and their Lord.^[3]

Dr. Mustafa al Shak’ah notes that certain obligations apply only to Nusayri religious figures—known as “Sheikhs” or ashab al ‘ahd (holders of the covenant)—while the ordinary, ignorant Nusayriyyah are exempt from such duties.^[4] Dr. Mustafa al Shak’ah further states that the Nusayriyyah pray five times a day,^[5] but their prayers differ in performance and number of rak’ahs from other Islamic sects. Their prayers lack sujud (prostration) though they occasionally include ruku’ (bowing). They neither observe Friday prayers nor recognize them as obligatory. They do not adhere to taharah (ritual purity) before prayer—such as wudu’ (ablution) or cleansing after janabah (major ritual impurity). They define janabah as “allying with adversaries and ignorance of esoteric knowledge” while taharah means “opposing adversaries and possessing esoteric knowledge.”

The Nusayriyyah do not pray in the Masjid. They have no mosques and instead perform prayers in their homes. They gather periodically in designated houses for assemblies called Eid (festival), where their Sheikhs recite mythical stories and miracles attributed to their Imams. Each Nusayri must designate a specific day for this Eid, during which the sahib al Eid (host) fulfills requests. It is said that “the ignorant and the enlightened mingle” on this day.

During these gatherings, after hearing the recited myths, they perform rituals, liturgies, and prayers resembling Christian sacraments. One such liturgy is called the “Liturgy of Goodness for Every Beloved Brother”:

أيها المؤمنون اسمعوا وأطيعوا وانظروا إلى مقامي هذا الذي فيه نحن مجتمعون انزعوا الغل والحسد من قلوبكم يكمل لكم دينكم ويستجيب الله لدعائكم واعلموا أن الله حاضر موجود بينكم يسمع ويرى إنه عليم بذات الصدور إياكم يا مؤمنين من الضحك والقهقهة في أوقات الصلاة مع الجهال فمنها تحبط الأعمال وتتغير الأحوال لأنها من طريق إبليس اللعين لعنه الله تعالى اسمعوا ما يقول لكم الإمام لأنه قائم فيكم في طاعة العلي العلام إن هذا قداس الطيب بعد عقد النية على الصلاة الحقيقية عطاء كل نفس هواها التي خص بها السيد المسيح إلى سين قال في القداس المبارك سبحان من جعل من الماء كل شيء حي سبحان من يحيى الموت في صرصر بقدرته العلي الكبير الله أكبر أسألك اللهم مولاي بحق هذا قداس الطيب بحق السيد محمد الحبيب الذي أخضر في يده القضيب أن تحل في دياركم البركة يا أصحاب هذا الفضل وهذا الطيب ونقدس أرواح إخواننا المؤمنين البعيد منهم والقريب يا مولاي يا أمير النحل يا علي يا عظيم

O believers! Listen, obey, and behold this gathering where we are assembled. Remove malice and envy from your hearts, so your faith may be perfected and Allah may answer your supplications. Know that Allah is present among you—He hears and sees. “He knows the secrets of hearts.”^[6] Beware, O believers, of laughter and mockery during prayer with the ignorant, for it nullifies deeds and alters states—it is a path of the accursed Iblis. Listen to what the Imam tells you, for he stands among you in obedience to the Supreme All Knowing. This is the Liturgy of Goodness, following the intention of true prayer—the granting of every soul’s desire, bestowed by the Messiah upon Sinai. He said in the blessed liturgy, “Glory to Him who made all living things from water! Glory to Him who revives the dead in the sarsar^[7] by His power—the Supreme, the Great! God is Most Great! I ask You, O my Lord, by the right of this Liturgy of Goodness and by the right of Sayed Muhammad the Beloved, in whose hand the staff blossomed—bless our lands, O people of virtue and goodness. Sanctify the souls of our believing brothers, near and far. O my Lord, O Master of Bees, O ‘Ali, O Magnificent!”^[8]

This liturgy has been cited by the Ismaili writer Mustafa Ghalib in the introduction to al Haft al Sharif^[9] with a slightly different wording. Its text is as follows:

أيها المؤمنون اسمعوا وادعوا وانظروا إلى مقامكم الذى أنتم فيه مجتمعون وانزعوا الغل والحقد من قلوبكم والحسد من صدوركم ليكمل لكم دينكم في معرفة معينكم واعلموا أن الله حاضر معنا يسمع ويرى عليم بذات الصدور العزيز الغفور إياكم يا مؤمنين من الضحك والقهقهة في أوقات الصلاة مع الجهال فإنها تحبط الأعمال وتغير الأحوال لأنها طريق إبليس لعنه الله الله أكبر قد قامت الصلاة لأربابها وثبتت الحجة على أصحابها أقمها يا ربي وأدمها واجعل السيد محمد ختامها والسيد سلمان زكاتها والمؤمنين دليلها والعاملين سبيلها وأبا ذر شمالها والشيخ على الصورى جبينها

O believers! Listen, pray, and behold the station in which you are gathered. Remove malice and grudges from your hearts and envy from your chests, so that your faith may be perfected through knowledge of your source. Know that Allah is present with us—He hears and sees, Knower of the secrets within breasts, the Mighty, the Forgiving. Beware, O believers, of laughter and mockery during prayer with the ignorant, for it nullifies deeds and alters states, as it is the path of Iblis, may Allah curse him. Allah is Most Great! The prayer has commenced for its masters, and the proof has been established for its people. Sustain it, O my Lord, and perpetuate it. Make Sayed Muhammad its conclusion, Sayed Salman its zakat, the believers its guide, the workers its path, Abu Dharr its left, and Sheikh ‘Ali al Sura its forehead.

They have another liturgy called the “Liturgy of Incense in the Spirit of What Revolves in the Abode of Joy and Delight,” which states:

كان سيدنا محمد بن سنان الزهرية يقوم بالصلاة مرة ومرتين في يده ياقوتة حمراء وقيل مرجانة صفراء يبخر بها عبد النور ويقول يا أيها المؤمنون بخروا أقداحكم انجزوا أعمالكم تنالوا بها الآمال ويقول بأجمعكم الحمد لله الذي جعل نوره تاماً وفضله عاماً علينا وعلى سائر إخواننا براح وريحان وجنة الله والنعيم أسألك اللهم مولاي بحق هذا قداس البخور وبحق البراء بن معروف وبحق المدني وتلميذه أبي الطاهر سابور تحل في دياركم البركة يا أصحاب هذا الفضل وهذا البخور يا أمير النحل يا علي يا عظيم

Our master Muhammad ibn Sinan al Zuhri once led prayer, holding a red ruby—or a yellow coral—in his hand. He would incense ‘Abdul Nur and say, “O believers! Incense your cups, fulfill your deeds, and attain your hopes through them.” He then proclaimed, “Praise be to Allah, Who made His light complete and His grace universal upon us and all our brothers, with fragrance and basil, and the gardens of Allah and bliss. I ask You, O my Lord, by the right of this Liturgy of Incense, by the right of al Bara ibn Ma’ruf, and by the right of al Madani and his disciple Abu al Tahir Sabur, bless our lands, O people of this virtue and incense! O master of bees, O ‘Ali, O magnificent!”

Dr. ‘Abdur Rahman Badawi cites this in his book Mazahib al Islamiyyin,^[10] quoting the German orientalist, Catafago. However, Ismaili writer Mustafa Ghalib presents a different version in the introduction to al Haft al Sharif:^[11]

قداس البخور بينما يدور في البيت المعموركان السيد محمد بن سنان الزاهري يبخر بأقداح المؤمنين ويبخر بها عبد النور وكان معه ياقوتة حمراء وقيل صفراء فبخروا أقدا حكم أيها المؤمنون لعلكم تنالون السعادة والهناء والفوز بالمني وأشهد أن مولاي مولاك علي بن أبي طالب لا حال ولا زال ولا انتقل من حال إلى حال بل هو الكريم المقيم على كل حال اهـ

Liturgy of Incense. While circling al Bayt al Ma’mur (the Populated House)^[12], Sayed Muhammad ibn Sinan al Zuhri incensed the cups of the believers. ‘Abdul Nur incensed them with a red ruby, or a yellow one. Incense your cups, O believers, that you may attain happiness, bliss, and the fulfillment of desires. I testify that my master is your master, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, who neither changes nor passes from state to state. Rather, he is the noble one, eternally established in every state.

They have a third liturgy called the “Liturgy of the Call to Prayer… and in God We Seek Help,” which states:

الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر كبيراً والحمد لله كثيراً وجهت وجهي إلى محمد المحمود طالباً سره المقصود المتقرب بتجلي الصفات وعين الذات وفاطر الفطر ذو الجلال والحسن ذو الكمال اتبعوا ملة أبيكم إبراهيم الخليل هو الذي سماكم مسلمين حنيفاً مسلماً ولا أنا من المشركين دیني سلسل طاعة إلى القديم الأزل أقر كما أقر السيد سلمان حين أذن المؤذن في أذنه وهو يقول شهدت أن لا إله إلا هو العلى المعبود ولا حجاب إلا السيد محمد المحمود ولا باب إلا السيد سلمان الفارسي ولا ملائكة إلا الملائكة الخمسة الأيتام الكرام ولا رب إلا ربي شيخنا وسيدنا الحسين بن حمدان الخصيبي سفينة النجاة وعين الحياة حي على الصلاة حي على الفلاح تفلحوا يا مؤمنون حي على خير العمل يعينه الأجل الله أكبر الله أكبر قد قامت الصلاة على أربابها وثبتت الحجة على أصحابها الله مولاي يا علي أسألك أن تقيمها وتديمها ما دامت السموات والأرض وتجعل السيد محمد ختامها والسيد سلمان زكاتها والمقداد يمينها وأبا ذر شمالها تحمد الله بحمد الحامدين ونشكر الله بشكر الشاكرين وصلى الله على سيدنا محمد وآله وصحبه أجمعين أسألك اللهم مولاي بحق هذا قداس الأذان وبحق متى وسمعان والتواريخ والأعوام بحق يوسف بن ما كان بحق الأحد عشر كوكباً الذين راهم يوسف بالمنام أن تحل في دياركم البركة بالتمام

Allah is Most Great! Allah is Most Great! Allah is Most Great, greatly! Praise be to Allah, abundantly! I have turned my face to Muhammad the praised, seeking His treasured secret, drawing near through the manifestation of attributes, the essence of Being, the Originator of creation, the Possessor of Majesty and Beauty, the Possessor of Perfection. Follow the religion of your father Ibrahim al Khalil, he who named you Muslims, upright and submissive, not among the polytheists. My religion is a chain, obedience to the Eternal. I affirm as Sayed Salman affirmed when the caller proclaimed in his ear, saying, “I bear witness that there is no God but Him, the Supreme Object of Worship; no veil except Sayed Muhammad the praised; no gate except Sayed Salman al Farisi the desired; no angels except the Aytam al Khamsah (five noble supreme angels)^[13]; and no Lord except my Lord, our Sheikh and Master al Hussain ibn Hamdan al Khasibi, the ark of salvation, the fountain of life. Hasten to prayer! Hasten to success! Prosper, O believers! Hasten to the best of deeds, ordained by destiny. Allah is Most Great! Allah is Most Great! The prayer has commenced for its masters, and the proof has been established for its people. O Allah, my Lord! O ‘Ali! I ask You to sustain and perpetuate it as long as the heavens and earth endure. Make Sayed Muhammad its conclusion, Sayed Salman its zakat, al Miqdad its right, and Abu Dharr its left. Praise Allah with the praise of the praisers, and thank Allah with the gratitude of the thankful. May Allah bless our master Muhammad, his family, and all his companions. I ask You, O my Lord, by the right of this Liturgy of the Call to Prayer, by the right of Matta and Sam’an, by the epochs and years, by Yusuf ibn Ma Kan, and by the right of the eleven stars that Yusuf saw in his dream, that You bless our lands completely!^[14]

Dr. ‘Abdur Rahman Badawi cites this based on the German orientalist, Catafago, which differs from the version quoted by the Ismaili writer Mustafa Ghalib in the introduction to al Haft al Sharif. The latter states:

قداس الأذان وبالله المستعان يقولون فيه وجهت وجهي إلى محمد المحمود وطالب سره المقصود وظله المحدود إياكم يا مؤمنين اتبعوا ملة أبيكم إبراهيم الخليل حنيفاً مسلماً ولا أنا من المشركين ديناً سلسلا وطاعتي إلى قديم الأزل وروحي بدت من روح الإحياء وأقرت به كما أقر به سيدنا سلمان الفارسي لما بلغ أذان في أذنيه وهو يقول لا إله إلا مولاي على المعبود ولا باب إلا باب السيد سلمان الفارسي المقصود ولا حجاب إلا حجاب السيد محمد المحمود اللهم صلى على سيدنا محمد وعلى آل سيدنا محمد وسلم تسليما كثيراً إلى يوم الملأ والدين وقيل الحمد لله رب العالمين

Liturgy of the Call to Prayer… and in God We Seek Help. They say in it: I have turned my face to Muhammad the praised, seeking His treasured secret and His bounded shadow. Beware, O believers! Follow the religion of your father Ibrahim al Khalil, upright and submissive, not among the polytheists. A smooth religion, my obedience is to the Eternal. My soul emerged from the spirit of life, and I affirmed it as our master Sayed Salman al Farisi affirmed when the call to prayer reached his ears, saying, ‘There is no god but my master ‘Ali the worshipped! No gate except the gate of Sayed Salman al Farisi the desired! No veil except the veil of Sayed Muhammad the praised! O God, bless our master Muhammad and the family of our master Muhammad, and grant them abundant peace until the Day of Reckoning.’ And it is said, ‘Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds!”^[15]

As for the Banawiyyah sect—the followers of Salman al Murshid and his son Mujib—they recite special invocations in their prayers, including Surat al Salah al Murshidiyyah (The Chapter of the Murshidi Prayer), attributed to Mujib al Murshid. According to Dr. Mustafa al Shak’ah, this text is more a proclamation of colonialism than a serious religious call. It states:

تسبيح إلى مولانا مجيب بن سلمان المرشد الرب العظيم مولانا لك العزة والمجد والتهليل والتكبير سبحانك ربنا أشياعك الذين يسبحونك وينزهونك عن الصورة البشرية وأنت أنت وعدتنا قبل أن تصعد إلى سمائك وتجلس على عرشك العظيم كما أنك وعدتنا وأنت خير من يوعد بأن ترسل على الذين يظلمون من الحكام والبشر النقمة والغضب وتنقذنا من يدى الأشرار كما قلت إنني سأجعل لكم من لدني عوناً ونصيرا غريباً عن دينكم وغريباً عن وطنكم ليكون سنداً لكم إلى يوم الحساب إننا ثابتون على صحة يقيننا وعلى صحة هذا الدين ولا نشك بوعودك الصادقة إنك كريم رحيم يا مولانا يا مجيب المرشد سبحانك أنت الرب العظيم ارحمنا من الحكام الأشرار وأرسل لنا الذين وعدتنا بهم ينقذوننا من الحكام الفجار والقوم الأشرار إنك على ذلك لقدير لقد بزغت شمس وجودك من المغرب كما كان غيابك في المغرب مولانا أرسل لنا الجحافل والناصرين لإنقاذنا من الظالمين الذين يمنعوننا من عبادتك وعن مديد التسبيح لأهل بيتك إنك على ذلك لقدير نختتم دعاءنا بكلمة سبحانك إنك أنت الرب العظيم

Glorification to our lord Mujib ibn Salman al Murshid, the great lord, our master. Yours is the might and glory, the proclamation of divine unity and greatness. Glory to you, our lord! Your followers glorify and exalt you beyond human form, for you are as you promised before ascending to your heaven and seating yourself upon your mighty throne. you promised—and you are the best of promisers—to send wrath and vengeance upon the oppressive rulers and people, delivering us from the hands of the wicked. As you said, “I shall grant you from myself a helper and supporter—strange to your religion, strange to your homeland—to sustain you until the Day of Judgment.” We stand firm in the certainty of our faith and the truth of this religion. We doubt not your sincere promises, for you are generous, merciful, O our master, O Mujib al Murshid. Glory to you, the great lord! Deliver us from the wicked rulers. Send us those you promised to rescue us from the tyrant rulers and evil people. You are capable of this. The sun of your existence has risen from the West! Just as your absence was in the West. O our master, send us armies and supporters to save us from the oppressors who prevent us from worshipping you and endlessly glorifying your household. You are capable of this. We conclude our supplication with the word, “Glory to you! You are the great lord!” [Al Shak’ah says: “Or they utter a great word from their mouths, speaking nothing but falsehood].”^[16]

And who are these saviors and supporters—mentioned in the prayer—who will come from the West… if not the colonizers?

This is a glimpse of the prayers and liturgies they recite in their assemblies and during their prayers, which bear little or no resemblance to Muslim prayers, whether in minor or major aspects.

Although Dr. Mustafa al Shak’ah states in his book Islam bi la Mazahib:

أن رجال الدين تسرى عليهم جبرية التكاليف أما غيرهم من جهال النصيريين فليسوا بمكافين

Religious figures are bound by compulsory obligations, while ordinary, ignorant Nusayri are exempt.

I disagree. Obligations—including prayer—may be compulsory for a Nusayri progressing through the stages of al Juhhal (the Ignorant), al Ta’liq (Attachment), and al Sama’ (Hearing) until reaching the stage of Sheikh. At this point, they have attained knowledge of the batin (esoteric), and those who know the esoteric are absolved from zahir (outward acts of worship). The shackles and chains of rituals are lifted, for these were only imposed on the deficient who failed to grasp the esoteric.

Sultan al Zahir Baybars (13th century) acted wisely by ordering Masjids built in their villages and settlements. However, the Nusayriyyah never entered them. The renowned traveler Ibn Batutah (14th century) later found these Masjids reduced to sheep pens and stables. Similarly, the Ottoman Sultan ‘Abdul Hamid II (19th century) built mosques for them, but they soon defiled and ruined them.

As for Zakat, beyond their esoteric reinterpretation diverging from Islamic norms, they pay a tax to their sheikhs amounting to one-fifth of each sect member’s possessions, be it merchandise, livestock, and crops, even from their daughters’ dowries! Their fasting does not entail abstaining from food and drink but only from sexual relations with women throughout Ramadan.

They reject the obligation of Hajj to the Ka’bah, considering it idolatry and disbelief.

Dr. ‘Abdur Rahman Badawi^[17] notes that a concise summary of Nusayri teachings and beliefs exists in a small booklet titled Kitab Ta’lim Diyanat al Nusayriyyah (Book of Nusayri Religious Instruction). A manuscript of this text is held in the National Library of Paris (No. 6182). It follows a question-and-answer format, divided into theoretical and practical sections. Below are select questions and summarized answers to illustrate their doctrines (numbered per the original text):

Q 1: Who created us?

A: ’Ali ibn Abi Talib, Commander of the Faithful.

Q 2: How do we know ‘Ali is divine?

A: From his own words in the Sermon of Declaration:

“I am the Secret of Secrets, the Tree of Lights, the Guide of Heavens, the Companion of the Answered, the Driver of the Call, the Witness of the Covenant, the Repeller of Storms, the Mover of Tempests, the Rain of Clouds, the Light of Depths, the Proof of Proofs, the Auspice of Nations, the Cause of Causes, the Rectifier of Creatures, the Affirmer of Truths, the Essence of Eternity, the Arranger of Judgments, the First and the Last, the Hidden and the Manifest, the Gatherer of Signs, the Secret of Secrets, the Calmer of Seas, the Splitter of Rivers, the Interpreter of Interpretation, the Explainer of the Gospel, the Mother of the Book, the Decisive Word.”^[18]

Q 3: Who called us to know our Lord?

A: Muhammad salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as he declared in his sermon, “He (‘Ali) is my Lord and your Lord.”

Q 4: If he (‘Ali) is the Lord, how did he assume human form?

A: He did not incarnate but veiled himself within Muhammad during his transformation, adopting the name ‘Ali.

Q 5: How many times has our Lord transformed to manifest in human form?

A: Seven times:

In Adam as Habil.
In Nuh as Shith.
In Yaqub as Yusuf.
In Musa as Yusha’.
In Sulaiman as ’Asif.
In ‘Isa as Peter.
In Muhammad as ’Ali.

Q 43: What are the names of our Master, the Commander of the Faithful, in different languages?

A: Arabs call him ’Ali. He named himself Aristotle. In the Gospel, he is Ilyas. Hindus call him Ibn Kankarah, etc.

Q 47: What are the names of our Master’s children in his human form?

A: Sons: Hassan and Hussain. Daughters: Zainab and Umm Kulthum.

Q 50: Why do we call our Master ‘Lord of the Bees’?

A: Because sincere believers (Nusayriyyah) are like bees gathering from the finest flowers; hence his title.

Q 66: Who are al Nujaba’ (the ‘Noble Ones’) in the earthly realm?

A: 25 names, beginning with Abu Ayyub and ending with ’Abdullah ibn Saba’ (the Yemeni Jewish founder of the Saba’iyyah sect).

Q 72: What is the Qur’an?

A: A prophecy heralding our Master’s manifestation in human form.

Q 74: What is the mark of our sincere believing brothers?

A: The initials A.M.S.:

A for ’Ali.
M for Muhammad.
S for Salsal (Salman).

Q 76: What is the Liturgy?

A: The sanctification of wine, drunk to honor the Nuqaba’ (leaders) or Nujaba’ (noble ones).

Q 77: What is the Sacrifice (Qurban)?

A: The sanctification of bread, taken by believers in remembrance of their brothers’ souls, for whom they recite the liturgy.

Q 79: What is God’s Greatest Secret?

A: The secret of the Body and Blood, as Jesus said, “This is my body, this is my blood. Consume them, and you shall attain eternal life.”^[19]

Q 86: May a believer disclose the secret mysteries to others?

A: Only to fellow believers. Otherwise, they incur the wrath of Allah.

Q 90: What is the name of the sacred wine foretold to believers?

A: ‘Abdul Nur (Servant of Light).

Q 93: What is Light?

A: The eternal essence veiled by light.

Q 94: If our Master is veiled by Light, where does He appear?

A: In wine.

These questions and answers suffice to illustrate the pagan myths and fabricated doctrines embedded in this sect.

NEXT⇒ The Festivals of the Nusayriyyah

^[1] Surah Maryam: 55.

^[2] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 64.

^[3] Ibid., pg. 221.

^[4] Al Shuk’ah: Islam bi la Mazahib, pg. 312-314.

^[5] Ibid., pg. 487.

^[6] Surah al Mulk: 13.

^[7] An animal similar to a locust or cricket. It can also be a rooster, a large camel, or a butterfly with wings between black and red. It also refers to a violent wind.

^[8] See Badawi: Mazahib al Islamiyyin, 490. The author cites the Orientalist Catafago, who published three liturgy texts in ZDMG (Journal of the German Oriental Society), vol. 2 (1848), pp. 388–394, with German translations.

^[9] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 23.

^[10] Badawi: Mazahib al Islamiyyin, pg. 492.

^[11] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 22.

^[12] It is like the Ka’bah, and angels circumambulate it, but in the unseen realm. It is located above the physical Ka’bah.

^[13] See the chapter “Doctrines of the Nusayriyyah”.

^[14] Badawi: Mazahib al Islamiyyin, pg. 493.

^[15] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 22-23.

^[16] Al Shuk’ah: Islam bi la Mazahib, pg. 309-310. The text of this prayer is taken from the book Ikhwatuna fi Jibal al Ladhakiyyah by Muhammad al Majdhub.

^[17] Badawi: Mazahib al Islamiyyin, pg. 474.

^[18] Badawi: Al Insan al Kamil fi al Islam, pg. 104.

^[19] See Gospel of Matthew 27:27; and Mark 14:22-25.

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