The Relationship Between Haci Bektas Veli and Ahi Evrn

Abstract

Haci Bektaş Velî is a big suf-thinker who has a very important place in our history of culture and civilization. He had an important role in the process of Islamization and Turkization of Anatolia. He has lef permanent traces and his infuences have been felt on over wide community sections for many centuries. In addition to this, he is accepted as a spiritual guide from Alawi/Bektashi communities. Ahi Evran, exactly like Haci Bektash Velî, is a big folk thinker and spiritual guide who had lived in the same period in Anatolia and acted on the important social activities. He had got an important role in establishment and development of Ahism and its organization in varied regions in Anatolia. Haci Bektash Velî and Ahi Evran had come from Horasan to Anatolia in almost the same period of time and conditions, and they have struggled to cultivate the social and cultural life of Anatolia. In other words, each has had serious additions in social and cultural life of Anatolia. The purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between Haci Bektas Velî and Ahi Evran who lived in the same years in Anatolia. In this context, the historical and cultural conditions that each lived have been analyzed and examined with their close connection, in varied dimensions.