Anadolu'da Heterodoks Dağ Kuşağı: Babai, Kızılbaş ve Alevi Coğrafyasının Tarihsel Sürekliliği

This article examines the historical continuity between medieval heterodox Sufi networks and the later Alevi ocak system in Anatolia. It proposes that the mountainous corridor extending from Tokat and Sivas to Erzincan, Dersim, Bingöl, Elazığ, Malatya, Adıyaman, and Maraş functioned as a long-term cultural zone where heterodox Islamic movements concentrated. The study argues that the geographical overlap between the areas of activity of the Babai movement, later Kızılbaş communities, and the distribution of Alevi ocaks is not coincidental. Instead, this continuity suggests the existence of a historical “heterodox mountain corridor” centered around the Upper Euphrates basin. The article also examines the relationship between different Sufi traditions (Vefa’i, Yasawi, and Qalandari networks) and the emergence of Alevi ocak institutions. The Kürecik region in Malatya is analyzed as a local case study illustrating the pir–mürşid relationship between the Sinemilli and Ağuçan ocaks. This study proposes the concept of a “heterodox mountain corridor” as a spatial model for understanding the historical continuity of heterodox Islamic movements in Anatolia.