September 10, 2013

A cami and cemevi together

A groundbreaking ceremony for the first cultural complex in Turkey that will have both a cami (mosque) and a cemevi (Alevi place of worship) was held in Ankara on Sunday with the participation of Labor Minister Faruk Çelik, Alevi CEM Foundation President İzzettin Doğan, Republican People's Party (CHP) Ankara deputy Sinan Aygün and a number of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies as well as other Alevi and Sunni community leaders and members of the public.

Cami and cemevi

Mümtazer Türköne

In fact, both cami and cemevi have the same meaning. Both are of Arabic origin. Cami (mosque) means place of union and cemevi (an Alevi place of worship) means house of union.

Because the differences between Sunnism and Alevism are in the nuances, it is difficult to follow the current debates that surround them.

Joint mosque-cemevi project will contribute to peace in Turkey

Protests against a joint mosque-cemevi (Alevi house of worship) complex project are meaningless because the project will help alleviate tensions between Alevis and Sunnis in Turkey, Alevi community leaders said on Monday.