Citation: S/HE: An International Journal of Goddess Studies, V4 N1-2 (2025)
Abstract The persistent invocation of Bismisha (“in the name of the Shâ[h]”)[1] at the beginning and end of Alevi rituals and its prominence in Alevi religious songs highlights the centrality of Shâ as a deity, strongly suggesting that Alevism is a distinct pre-Islamic Indo-Iranic, more specifically, Indo-Zagrosyan faith. This article examines linguistic and religious elements, including the term Xwada, symbolizing self-creation, and traces the historical evolution of Shâ, focusing primarily on Kurdish Alevi/Rêya Haqi tradition. It explores and argues that the erasure of Shâ, along with Xweda/Xizir, from daily religious practices is deeply connected to feminine elements rooted in the Mother Goddess tradition, which have been masculinized and transformed over time. The article thus argues that the gradual replacement of Shâ with Islamic figures such as Ali and Muhammad, is a result of state-driven policies aimed at assimilating Alevism, and, survival strategies employed by Alevis, through adaptation some Islamic elements, that now inadvertently accelerated the erosion/assimilation of this ancient and unique spiritual tradition.
Keywords: the Sha, Alevism, Rêya Heqi, Kurdish Alevism, Armaiti, Mother Goddess, decolonization.
[1] Although the term is widely rendered as Shah in Persian and Turkish contexts, as a Kurdish scholar informed by the Kurdish Alevi tradition and language, I prefer to use Sha. This choice is not merely linguistic; it represents a deliberate effort to decolonize [Kurdish] Alevi terminology and to reclaim the term in its indigenous context. In Kurdish, Sha carries multiple layers of meaning, reflecting its historically divine connotations. By contrast, Shah was widely used as a secular title by Persian, a usage that undermined the sacred significance of Sha. I adopt this form to preserve its original connotations and to safeguard potential connections for future research.
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