The Cemevis are the equivalent to the mosques for the Alevis in Turkey. They consider it as their religious building and they don't have mosques. Turkey built mosques for them but they refuse to attend mosques. The Alevis say since Hazrat Ali Ibn Abu-Talib A.S. was martyred in a mosque they will not have any mosques !
Alevi associations react against halt of mosque-cemevi project
Cemevi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yes, Alevis of Turkey are like what you describe. I talked to few of them in Turkey, they say, Because Imam Ali (A.S) is martyred while praying then the praying is something to avoid as it is the killer of God-like personality of Imam Ali. They never say, that we must respect Namaz more as Ali was martyred trying to hold Namaz.
Look, in brief:
- Major Shia sect is Twelvers and you can read about them in wiki. Twelver shia has very limited difference with Sunni Islam in practice. In beliefs. We have almost %80 same beliefs. We have difference in pilars of Islam. We have difference with the Esmat of Ahl al beit and Prophets. Esmat does not mean they CAN NOT commit sins but means they are so much blessed by God that they just don't commit sins. There is almost no historical facts against this belief.
You can find many historical facts that some of Khulafa were famous for some specific sins. You can find many facts when Prophet Muhammad either did not like their actions or somehow punished them by harsh words but you can find almost non against Ahl al beit.
- Shia Islam main branch, Twelvers have most of their teachings gathered and cleaned by Imam Sadiq (A.S). Twelver shias are not against other sects like Zeidis although there is a new movement among Zeidis who started to correct their beliefs based on Ahl al Beit twelver edition.
- Shia Twelvers were always under presecution by Khulafa so they mostly dispersed in different geographical locations and this made some of them to de-route. Shia twelver is the only sect in Islam that promotes UNITY of All Sects of ISlam.
- As rmi5 said, Mystical inclination is very strong in shia sects. The biggest Muslim Orafa are of Shia Twelver sect. During history some Shia sect due to their isolation got affected by local Mystic cultures such as Indian and Jewish or the one common in current Turkey.
- In Shia Twelver, being an AREF (Orafa) is a priviliage but this mystical beliefs never should be against the Sharia. This means, we have Faqih Mujtahid (muftis) who are Mystical too.
- Shia is so close to some Sunni sects that you can not distinguish them by their practices.
- Most of those who claim to be Shia are not actually shia in practice, but since they believe in major Shia beliefs like Imamah (even if they only agree with some of Imams), or in Imam Ali, all or some of ahl al beit, then they are considered Shia. this does not mean Twelvers accept everything in their sect.
- Alevis in Turkey and Syria are mostly mystical in a way that give importance to the soul and acceptance of Allah and Prophet and Aal al beit in their hearts. They practise their prayers in a way Mystical Sufis were doing. Raqs Sama or other styles are all close to the main sufism practises.
- Major view in Twelver Islam is that first, any person who acknowledges Allah, his Prophet, Quran and said Shahada is a Muslim and we have no right to Takfir them. They will have to respond to Allah if they did anything wrong. Second, even though, Shia sees Sunnis as ignoring some of the most important aspects of Islam but never ever Takfir them as non-Muslims.
- Shia through Prophet, Imam Ali and Ahl al beit promote aspects that other sects don't or losely do. Shia promotes Science, production, respect for other beliefs, Shia promotes woman as humans, Shia promotes independence and fighting ZOLM where ever it happens, Shia referring to Imam Hussein Karbala teaches to 1- be Azadeh (means even if you are not a believer at least play fair and be a true good person) 2- Never ever submit to Istikbar and Zolm. Shia says, logic is something God-given to be used, so when you see some of old teachings are no longer in Islams' benefit then you can change them for better. Shia is the only sect in all WORLD and not just Islam that uses logic strongly. A good example is the cloning science, stem cells, sex change (curing bisexuals into their closer gender). Iran is now that biggest Gender-change center in whole world. Shia never had problems with rented-wombs, abortion when necessary, organ transplant and other modern stuff that other religions have problem against it.
Another good example is to change the important rule of Women and Non-Muslims if killed in accidents or intentionally have HALF of ransom. Shia Twelvers fixed this just recently. Now, Women and Non-Muslims if killed have the same ransom. even there are talks to increase the inheritance of women to a full slice as soon as womens' role is changed to main supporters of families equal to men. This is not agreed yet but there are talks that it can be changed as soon as women are considered in equal position as men in providing food for the family.
This is how a religion must be. There are principals that can not be changed as it will destroy the religion main aspects. But it is not against Allah to protect the well being of Muslims or to be fair but also exactly what Allah has ordered us to be.
Other than what I mentioned and a few other minor differences there is nothing dividing Sunni-Shia.
