The Alawites: The Question of Identity and Belonging By Engineer Rabee’ Moein Suleiman

The Alawites: The Question of Identity and Belonging

In recent times, there has been a noticeable increase in pages and studies that boldly promote the claim that the origins of the Alawites are Phoenician, Canaanite, or Ugaritic, and that they remain connected to these origins through certain words or social behaviours.

These multiple narratives—diverse in presentation yet strikingly unified in their sources—emerge in a curious synchronisation across several platforms. Their underlying aim appears to be the use of this alleged distinction as evidence to detach the Alawites from their religious identity, or to elevate a geographical and historical lineage to the level of identity itself, in an attempt to evade the religious and Arab roots in which we take pride and honour.

However, this flood of conjecture must be confronted with reason that upholds truth:

1. This alleged geo-historical affiliation is not exclusive to the Alawites, but applies to all peoples of the region due to coexistence, proximity, and intermarriage. Insisting that it is a uniquely Alawite characteristic is an accusation that contradicts both truth and logic.

2. The historical and civilisational dimension of this notion is cumulative in nature, and only becomes meaningful if this intellectual heritage is utilised to build a progressive and ascending framework of thought, measured by the level of development societies can achieve. It is not a comparative merit that enriches its claimant if they stop at it with pride and arrogance, while neglecting the broader intellectual continuum and religious development that encompassed the entire region.
3. Islamic religious belonging, and the Alawite understanding of it, is the ultimate source of pride and the highest aspiration for all Alawites. We recognise no honour beneath it nor alongside it that could rival its status. It is the identity that, when doubted, removes a person from the sphere of humanity, drags them from the level of growth into stagnation, and casts them from certainty into the swamp of doubt where many stumble and drown.
4. Arab identity is a historical and civilisational context to which we belong by virtue of the movement of history and the reality of geography. We take pride in its luminous chapters that filled the world with knowledge and enlightenment. It is not a disgrace from which we flee, nor a label we exploit for consumption or gain.
5. Political events are transient by nature, and no matter how harsh some of their outcomes may be, they cannot override religious and historical constants, nor strip us of our identity and belonging. Rather, they reaffirm our conviction that we are upon the path of truth and authenticity.
6. Confronting reality or seeking solutions to its crises and tragedies cannot be achieved by escaping into fantasies or proposing theories that lack credibility and acceptability. Such displays harm the Alawite character and destabilise its foundations. True engagement lies in reinforcing a clear and explicit sense of belonging, purifying it from the distortions that have clouded its essence and diverted its course, and defending it by presenting its true identity and substantiating its legitimacy.

We need nothing more than confidence and faith in who we are, understanding it in a manner befitting its stature and dignity, and reshaping and presenting it through a balanced approach that preserves foundational principles while extracting what supports openness and progress.

We are a community that understands the meaning of trials and the value of patience, accustomed to surrendering with accountability and prevailing through reward—because our first and final choice remains the soundness of faith and the steadfastness of certainty.

Rabee’ Moein Suleiman - 3 February 2026