Summary
Intro:
Winter tries to deconstruct the common historical presentation of the Alawis as a sectarian breakaway from mainstream Shi'ism.
Alawis have always been fully integrated in Ottoman society.
Educated Alawis did not reveal their revelational/gnostic theology to the public. This was mostly misunderstood by contemporary other Muslims. It was used to their disadvantage in power struggles among the established Muslim religious leaders.
One of the survival means of many Alawis was dissimilation, a public adaptation to mainstream religion, but at the same time a secret practice of their own faith.
Alawis got more and more isolated during the dislocation/collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
Alawis cooperated with the Ottoman authorities and later with Kemalist Turkey against the French.
The Alawi practice of Shi'ism did not spread because of persecution, but because of ambitious mission activities.
Chaper 1:
(to be continued)
