The Doctrine of the Nusayriyyah

The Nusayriyyah consider their religion and doctrine to be a deep secret, which they do not reveal to anyone else.^[1] We often read in their secret letters and books repeated instructions to followers about the necessity of keeping their doctrine secret. For example, what is mentioned in their book al Haft al Sharif:

يا مفضل لقد أعطيت فضلا كثيراً وتعلمت علماً باطناً فعليك بكتمان سر الله ولا تطلع عليه إلا ولياً مخاصاً فإن أفشيته إلى أعدائنا فقد أعنت على قتل نفسك

O Mufaddal, you have been given much grace and have learned secret knowledge. So, you must keep Allah’s subhanahu wa ta ‘ala secret and do not reveal it to anyone except a special friend. If you disclose it to our enemies, then you have helped kill yourself.^[2]

And the similar statement in another place in the same book:

وأوصيك يا أخى ونفسى بكتمان سر الله تعالى وباطن مكنونه إلا من إخوانك الموحدين المقرين بمعرفة علي الأعلى

I advise you, my brother, as I advise myself: to keep the secret of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and His essence hidden except from your monotheistic brothers who have attained recognition of ‘Ali the Most High.^[3]

In the conclusion of one of their epistles, it is stated:

وقد كشفت لك في هذه الجوابات ما لم يكن يجب كشفه إلا من لسان إلى أذن لمن يوثق به وهو عندك أمانة ولا توقف عليه أحداً

I have revealed to you in these responses what should not have been disclosed, except from tongue to ear… to one who is trusted… It is a trust with you. Do not expose it to anyone.^[4]

The Nusayri woman, in their view, is not entrusted with the secrets of their doctrine, as they consider her weak in intellect and will. Al Haft al Sharif states:

قال المفضل يا مولاى روى عن أبيك أنه قال النساء شر من الرجال وأكثر احتيالا ومكراً قال الصادق يا مفضل إن أصل كل شر هو النساء وحين أخرج أبونا آدم من الجنة كان ذلك بسبب حواء وكذلك قتل قابيل أخاه هابيل بسبب النساء ألم تسمع كلام الله عن امرأة نوح ولوط وكيف خانتاهما وكذلك قتل يحيى بن زكريا بسبب امرأة باغية وقد قال النبي وأبلغ في القول وأزجر في المعنى حيث نظر في النار فرأى أكثر أهلها نساء وقال منه السلام والشياطين من الامرأة وإن الإنسان إذا ارتقى في كفره وعتوه وتمرده وتناهي في ذلك صار إبليساً ويرد في صورة امرأة

Mufaddal said, “O my master, it is narrated from your father that he said, ‘Women are worse than men, more deceitful and cunning.” Al Sadiq (i.e. Jafar) said, “O Mufaddal, the root of all evil is women. When our father Adam was expelled from Paradise, it was because of Hawwa’. Likewise, Qabil killed his brother Habil because of women. Have you not heard the words of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala about the wives of Nuh and Lut, and how they betrayed them? Similarly, the killing of Yahya ibn Zakariyya was due to a promiscuous woman. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam spoke most emphatically and warned gravely when he looked into Hell and saw that most of its inhabitants were women. He salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam also said, ‘Devils are from women. When a human persists in disbelief, defiance, and rebellion, reaching the peak of it, he becomes a devil and is reincarnated in the form of a woman!’”^[5]

Therefore, they do not trust women with the secrets of the sect—as we previously mentioned—nor do they reveal them to her. Thus, the Nusayri woman has no religion. As for the man, he is likewise not initiated into the secrets of the sect until he reaches the age of nineteen, provided he passes through three stages:

They call the first stage the “Stage of the Ignorant” (al Juhhal). In this grade or stage, they prepare selected individuals from the sect’s youth to accept and bear the secrets of the doctrine. They impart or teach him some of these secrets in a subsequent stage called the “Stage of Attachment” (al Ta’liq). The ‘Ignorant’ remains under the supervision of a sect elder for one to two years, during which he is gradually introduced to some secrets of the creed, as previously mentioned.

If they find no good in the ‘Ignorant’, they expel him and do not impart the secrets of the doctrine. However, if they deem him worthy of bearing the secrets, he is elevated to a higher stage called the “Stage of Hearing” (al Sama’). After a period in this stage, where he learns many fundamentals of the Nusayri doctrine, the spiritual leaders of the sect convene a special assembly to instruct him in the secrets of the doctrine and elevate him to a higher grade called the “Stage of the Sheikh” or “Holder of the Covenant” (Sahib al ‘Ahd). Two witnesses or guarantors attest to the man’s readiness to accept the secret, his commitment to safeguarding it, and his fitness to undertake the responsibilities of this grade. He is then taught the secret of the doctrine after swearing an oath—established among them—which entails never divulging it and which emphasizes the necessity of preserving it, even if his blood be spilled.

This method employed by the Nusayriyyah closely resembles that used by Freemasonry when inducting a new member into its ranks. After attaining this grade, he becomes a ‘Sheikh’ among the sect’s elders.^[6]

Although the authors of various books on sects differ regarding Muhammad ibn Nusayr—the founder of this sect—they agree that the sect deifies ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu. In this, they follow the Saba’iyyah (i.e. the followers of ‘Abdullah ibn Saba’), who asserted the incarnation of the divine essence in ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu and the Imams after him. That is, that Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala manifested Himself for the final time in ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu—just as He had previously manifested (according to their belief) in Habil, Shith, Sam, Ismail, Harun, and Sham’un—and in each era appointed a speaking prophet, represented successively in Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, and ‘Isa. Thus, ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu is Allah inwardly (al batin) and an Imam outwardly (al zahir), who was neither born nor gives birth, neither dies nor is killed, and neither eats nor drinks.

According to the aforementioned belief, ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu took Muhammad salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam as a manifestation, and Muhammad salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam is connected to ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu at night but separated from him by day. ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu created Muhammad, Muhammad in turn created Salman al Farisi, and Salman in turn created al Aytam al Khamsah^[7] who hold the reins of the heavens and the earth. They are:

Al Miqdad: Lord of humanity, their creator, entrusted with thunder, lightning, and earthquakes.
Abu al Durr (i.e. Abu Dharr al Ghifari): Entrusted with the rotation of planets and stars.
‘Abdullah ibn Rawahah al Ansari: Entrusted with the winds and the collection of human souls.
‘Uthman ibn Maz’un: Entrusted with the stomach, bodily heat, and human diseases.
Qanbar ibn Kadan: Entrusted with breathing souls into bodies.^[8]

The Nusayriyyah justify this creed by arguing:

الإله معبود مقدس يحل في الأجسام متى يشاء وله التصرف المطلق وإليه ترجع الأمور فالإله حل في علي بن أبي طالب فهو إمام في الظاهر وإله في الباطن لا يأكل ولا يشرب ولم يلد ولم يولد فأما الظاهر فهو القسم البشرى منه قسم الناسوت الذى يأكل ويشرب ويلد ويولد وأما الباطن منه فهو قسم اللاهوت الذي لا يأكل ولا يشرب

The deity is a sacred object of worship; He incarnates in bodies as He wills, possesses absolute authority, and to Him all matters return. The deity incarnated in ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib. Thus, he is an Imam outwardly and God in essence. In his outward appearance (i.e. zahir), he has a human form (nasut), meaning he eats and he drinks, is born and begets. Furthermore, in his inner essence (batin) is the aspect of divinity (lahut), which neither eats nor drinks.

They say:

إن ظهور الروحاني بالجسد الإنساني لا ينكره عاقل كما ظهر جبريل بصورة الأعرابي والشيطان بصورة إنسان فإن الله أيضاً يظهر بصورة أشخاص ولما كان علي بن أبي طالب وأولاده وأحفاده من بعده أفضل العالمين فقد ظهر الحق بصورتهم ونطق بلسانهم وأخذ بأيديهم

The manifestation of the spiritual in a human body is not denied by any rational person, just as Jibril appeared in the form of a Bedouin and Shaitan in the form of a man. Thus, Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala also manifests in the form of individuals. Since ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, his sons, and his descendants after him are the most superior of all beings, the Truth (al Haqq) has appeared in their forms, spoken through their tongues, and held with their hands.

They also say:

لم يكن قتال المنافقين ومكالمة الجن وقلع باب خيبر بقوة جسدية وإنما هي من أبرز الدلائل على أن فيه جزءاً إلهياً وقوة ربانية إذ هو الذى ظهر الإله بصورته وخلق بيده وأمر بلسانه

The defeat of the hypocrites, the communication with jinn, and the uprooting of the gate of Khaybar were not achieved through physical strength but were clear proofs of the divine essence and a celestial power within him, for it is He (Allah) who manifested in his form, created with his hand, and commanded with his tongue.^[9]

This aligns with what was reported about them by the author of al Firaq al Islamiyyah, who states:

ولما لم يكن شخص أفضل من علي وأولاده قلنا ظهر الحق تعالى بصورتهم ونطق بلسانهم وأخذ بأيديهم ومن هنا أطلقنا الألوهية على الأئمة إلا أن علياً اختص بتأييد من الله فيما يتعلق ببواطن الأسرار قال النبي عليه السلام أنا أحكم بالظاهر والله يتولى الدائر وعلى هذا كان قتال المشركين الظاهر كفرهم إلى النبي عليه السلام وقتال المنافقين والنفاق محله القلب إلى علي

Since no individual is superior to ‘Ali and his descendants, we assert that Al Haqq (Allah) has manifested in their forms, spoken through their tongues, and held with their hands. Hence, we attribute divinity to the Imams. However, ‘Ali was uniquely endowed with divine support concerning the innermost secrets. The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “I judge by the apparent, and Allah oversees the hidden.” Based on this, the fighting of polytheists (whose apparent disbelief is evident) was delegated to the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, while the fighting of hypocrites (whose hypocrisy resides in the heart) was delegated to ‘Ali.

According to the Nusayriyyah, the divine did not incarnate solely in ‘Ali radiya Llahu ‘anhu but also in the Imams who succeeded him. This is supported by a narrative in their sacred book al Haft al Sharif regarding the martyrdom of al Hussain radiya Llahu ‘anhu:

وإن الحسين لما خرج إلى العراق وكان الله محتجباً به وصار لا ينزل منزلا صلوات الله عليه إلا ويأتيه جبريل فيحدثه حتى إذا كان اليوم الذي اجتمعت فيه العساكر عليه واصطفت الخيول لديه وقام الحرب حينئذ دعا مولانا الحسين جبريل وقال له يا أخي من أنا قال أنت الله الذي لا إله إلا هو الحي القيوم والمميت والمحيي أنت الذي تأمر السماء فتطيعك والأرض فتنتهى لأمرك والجبال فتجيبك والبحار فتسارع إلى طاعتك وأنت الذى لا يصل إليك كيد كائد ولا ضرر ضار قال الحسين افترى هذا الخلق المنكوس تحدثهم أنفسهم أن يقتلوا سيدهم لضعفهم ولكنهم لن يصلوا إلى ذلك ولا إلى أحد من أولياء الله كما أنهم لم يصلوا إلى عيسى ولا إلى أمير المؤمنين علي ولكنهم عملوا ذلك ليحل عليهم العذاب بعد الحجة والبيان

When al Hussain departed for Iraq, Allah was veiled within him. Whenever he settled in a place, Jibril would come to him and converse with him. On the day the armies gathered against him, and the horses lined up for battle. Al Hussain called to Jibril and said, “O my brother, who am I?” Jibril replied, “You are Allah, there is no deity but Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer! You command the heavens, and they obey; the earth, and it submits; the mountains, and they respond; the seas, and they hasten to Your will. You are the One whom no plotter can harm!” Al Hussain said, “Do these inverted creatures (the enemies) truly imagine they can kill their Lord due to their weakness? But they will never reach me or any of Allah’s saints, just as they could not reach ‘Isa or Amir al Mu’minin ‘Ali. Yet they act thus so that punishment may justly befall them after the evidence has been established against them.”^[10]

Al Haft al Sharif also attributes a statement to Jafar al Sadiq (from which he is innocent):

نحن الأئمة أولياء الله لا يفتر علينا من علمه شيء لا في الأرض ولا في السماء نحن يد الله وجنبه ونحن وجه الله ويمينه وأينما نظر المؤمن يقصد النصيري يرانا إن شئنا شاء الله ولا تلقه إلا لأهله أي هذا القول والحمد لله الذى اصطفانا من طينة نور قدرته ووهبنا سر علم مشيئته وأمرنا بأن نعرف شيعتنا حق حقيقة معرفة أمانته ونخلص نفوسهم من كدر العذاب بولايته

We, the Imams, are the allies of Allah. Nothing in the heavens or the earth is hidden from our knowledge. We are the Hand of Allah, His Side, His Face, and His Right. Wherever a believer (i.e., a Nusayri) looks, he sees us. What we will, God wills. This truth is only for its rightful people. Praise be to Allah, who chose us from the clay of His light’s power, granted us the secret knowledge of His will, and commanded us to teach our followers the true reality of His trust, purifying their souls from the filth of punishment through allegiance to Him.”^[11]

For the Nusayriyyah, the Imams—as previously mentioned—possess unique distinctions that elevate them above other humans. They claim that the Imams’ actions and words perfectly align with divine will, and they are infallible because sin is impurity. Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala says:

ﮇ ﮈ ﮉﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ

Allah only intends to keep the causes of evil away from you and purify you completely, O members of the Prophet’s family.^[12]

Thus, the Imams are the source of divine will in their deeds, words, and intentions. While prophets receive revelation through Jibril, the Imams—being of higher rank—communicate directly with God without intermediaries, receiving divine inspiration. They are the authors of independent religious laws. The correct and sound interpretation of the Qur’an is exclusive to the Imams, as Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala states:

ﯧ ﯨ ﯩ ﯪ ﯫ ﯬ

Everything is listed by Us in a perfect Imam (record).^[13]

Thus, the Imam knows the sciences of the past and future, for ignorance is a defect. The Imam is free from defects; ignorance is misguidance, and the Imam embodies only guidance.^[14]

In Nusayri belief, the Imams are not born like ordinary humans but through a unique process exclusive to them. Their book al Haft al Sharif states:

فإذا أراد الله إظهار الإمام في الظاهر تأديباً لهذا الخلق أرسل روحاً من عنده فيتدخل في المولود الذي قد يتطهر من کل دنس ولم يزاحمه رحم ولكن تدخل الروح فيه تأديباً للناس أتدرى يا مفضل ما مثل ذلك قلت لا يا مولاى قال إن ميلاد الإمام وموته ليس بميلاد ولا موت وإنما مثله كمثل رجل لبس قميصاً ونزعه حينما شاء فلذلك قال الله ويكلم الناس في المهد وكهلا لهذه العلة ألم تسمع إلى قوله تعالى في المهد حين قال كيف نكلم من كان في المهد صبياً ثم قال الصادق وإني لست صبياً آناني الكتاب قبل أن تروني وإنما دخلت في هذا البدن على التخيير وكذلك الأوصياء لو كانوا صبياناً لم يفهموا ولم يعقلوا ومثله كما أخبرتك عن رجل لبس قميصه ونزعه والحمد لله دائماً وأبداً والسلام

“When God wills to manifest an Imam outwardly—as a discipline for creation—He sends a spirit from Himself. This spirit enters a purified fetus untainted by any impurity. The spirit’s entry disciplines humanity. Do you understand, O Mufaddal?”

I said, “No, my master.”

He replied, “The Imam’s birth and death are not true birth or death. His likeness is that of a man who dons a shirt and removes it at will. This is why Allah said:

ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ

And he will speak to people in his infancy and adulthood.^[15]

Have you not heard God’s words:

ﮁ ﮂ ﮃ ﮄ ﮅ ﮆ ﮇ

How can we talk to someone who is an infant in the cradle?^[16]

Then al Sadiq said, “I am not a child. The Book acknowledged me before you saw me. I entered this body by choice, as did the successors (awsiya). If they were mere children, they would neither comprehend nor reason. Their example is like the man with the shirt, as I explained. Praise and peace be to Allah eternally.”^[17]

In our time, a Nusayri named Salman al Murshid (from the village of Joubet Barghal, east of Latakia, Syria) claimed divinity, gaining a large following among the Nusayriyyah. He played his role masterfully: he wore clothes with electric buttons connected to a small battery in his pocket. When he activated the current, lights would shine from the buttons, causing his followers to prostrate before him. Ironically, the French advisor behind this false divinity would also prostrate and address him as, “My God!” Salman al Murshid appointed a “messenger” (in the sense of prophethood) named Salman al Maydah, who worked as a camel driver for a farmer in Homs, while the “divine” Salman al Murshid was a cattle herder. Thus, the “God” was a herder and the “messenger” a camel driver.^[18]

The French—as mentioned—co-opted him, granting the ‘Alawiyyah a special autonomous system. His power grew, and he titled himself President of the ‘Alawi Jabal al Gharbi People, appointing judges, enacting laws, and imposing taxes on villages under his control. He issued decrees, including one stating:

Due to transgressions by the nationalist government and the Syrian people against members of my community, I have formed an army of fidayin (martyrs) and commanders to repel this aggression.

Thus mirroring the Special Defense Forces established by the ‘Alawi regime in Syria today. He outfitted his fidayin in special military uniforms and represented the ‘Alawiyyah in the Syrian parliament. When the French withdrew, they left him weapons, emboldening him to rebel. The Syrian government then dispatched forces that crushed his followers, arrested him, and hanged him in Damascus in 1946.^[19]

When asked before his execution, “Are you a god? And is the Agha Khan also a god? How can the earth hold two gods?” He replied, “The Creator infuses His spirit into whom He wills. He may infuse it into a hundred of His creatures, making them lords like me.”^[20] Ironically, his followers—called al Banadiyyah (adherents of the Nusayri sect’s Mawakhisah branch)—remained loyal. After his hanging, they deified his son, Mujib ibn Salman al Murshid. Though Mujib was also killed, they still worship him, invoking his name when slaughtering a bird or animal,^[21] saying, “In the name of Mujib the Great, from my hand to the neck of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.”

The author of Islam bi la Mazahib^[22] notes that attention is now directed toward the deification of one of Mujib’s brothers, who still wields influence among the ignorant Nusayriyyah. The Nusayriyyah surround those who attain the rank of Sheikh with an aura of sanctity and reverence. They believe these Shuyukh possess knowledge of the unseen and the future, consulting them on all matters, trivial or significant. Once a Sheikh issues a ruling, it becomes absolute and indisputable, whether it is right or wrong.

To conclude this chapter, we present the text of the Nusayri Oath, which reveals some of their beliefs.

Its text was cited by Ibn Fadlullah al ‘Umari in his book al Ta’rif bi al Mustalah al Sharif and later quoted by al Qalqashandi.^[23] Here is the oath:

إنني وحق العلي الأعلى وما اعتقده في المظهر الأسنى وحق النور وما نشأ منه والسحاب وساكنه وإلا برأت من مولاي علي العلي العظيم وولائي له ومظاهر الحق و كشفت حجاب سلمان بغير إذن وبرأت من دعوة الحجة نصير وخضت مع الخائضين في أعنة ابن ملجم وكفرت بالخطاب وأذعت السر المصون وأنكرت دعوى أهل التحقيق وإلا قلعت أصل شجرة العنب من الأرض بيدي حتى أجتث أصولها وأمنع سبيلها وكنت مع قابيل على هابيل ومع النمرود على إبراهيم وهكذا مع كل فرعون قام على صاحبه إلى أن ألقى العلي العظيم وهو على ساخط وأبرأ من قول قنبر وأقول إنه بالنار ما تطهر

By the Right ‘Ali, of the Most High and what I believe in his most exalted manifestation; by the right of the light and what emanated from it; by the clouds and their inhabitant—if I have betrayed my master ‘Ali, the supreme and magnificent, or my allegiance to him; if I have unveiled the veil of Salman without permission; if I have renounced the call of the Hujjah (i.e., Nusayr) or joined those who slander Ibn Muljam; if I have disbelieved in the divine discourse, divulged the guarded secret, denied the claims of the ahl al tahqiq (people of truth); or if I have uprooted the grapevine from the earth with my own hand, tearing out its roots and blocking its path; if I have sided with Qabil against Habil, with Nimrud against Ibrahim, or with every Pharaoh who rose against his counterpart—until I meet the supreme and magnificent while he is wrathful—then I renounce the words of Qanbar and declare, “He is not purified by fire.”

In a thorough analysis of the oath, we find:

‘Ali ibn Abi Talib is given the title “al ‘Ali al ‘Azim” (the supreme and magnificent), both names belonging to Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala.
Salman al Farisi is the “holder of the veil” (sahib al hijab), meaning that he is the gate to knowledge, wisdom, and the secrets of the hidden (batin) and the innermost mysteries.
Al khitab (the divine discourse) refers to religion, divine call (da’wah), and proclamation (balagh).
The principles of Nusayri beliefs are a guarded secret that must not be divulged.
The grapevine is sacred to them and may not be uprooted, as its fruit is used to make wine—which they revere, as previously noted.

NEXT⇒ Modes of Worship of the Nusayriyyah

^[1] The Nusayriyyah deal severely with anyone who tries to reveal their secrets, even if he is a Nusayri. It is said that Sulaiman al Akhna, the son of a Nusayri sheikh in the Adana province, converted to Christianity under the influence of some American missionaries, and came to Latakia. He wrote his book Al Bakurah al Sulaimaniyyah, in which he revealed many secrets of the Nusayri faith. The American missionaries printed the book in Beirut in 1863. After he had stayed in Latakia for a long time, his relatives began to correspond with him, urging him to return to them, using all means of flattery and courtesy, until he felt secure and returned to his homeland. There, they killed him inhumanely by burning him alive. The strange thing about this book is that after it was printed and many copies of it were distributed in Latakia and elsewhere, it gradually began to disappear until not a single extant copy could be found. [See Wajdi: Da’irat al Ma’arif, 10/250] I believe that the journalist Salim al Lawzi—the author of al Hawadith—was killed only because he wrote an article in which he revealed the influence of the ‘Alawiyyah in Tripoli, Lebanon and their militant organization led by the Nusayri, ‘Ali Eid.

^[2] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 126.

^[3] Ibid., pg. 78.

^[4] Unknown Author: Khams Rasa’il wa Ajwibatuha, pg. 64-65.

^[5] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 168.

^[6] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 21-22.

^[7] The meaning of this term is “the five who have no likeness/counterpart”.

^[8] Al Shuk’ah: Islam bi la Mazahib, pg. 307-308.

^[9] Al Damluji: Al Uluhiyyah fi Mu’taqidat al Islamiyyah, 5/111.

^[10] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 121.

^[11] Ibid., pg. 221-222.

^[12] Surah al Ahzab: 33.

^[13] Surah Yasin: 12.

^[14] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 17; al Tawil: Tarikh ‘Alawiyyin, pg. 183-184.

^[15] Surat Al ‘Imran: 46.

^[16] Surah Maryam: 29.

^[17] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 113-114.

^[18] Al Shuk’ah: Islam bi la Mazahib, pg. 309.

^[19] Al Zirkili: Al A’lam, 3/170.

^[20] Ibid.

^[21] The Nusayriyyah forbid the eating of any female animal that menstruates, as well as camel, rabbits, and antelope.

^[22] Al Shuk’ah: Islam bi la Mazahib, pg. 309-310.

^[23] Al Qalqashandi: Subh al A’sha, 13/250–251.

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