Conforming Haji Bektash: A Saint and His Followers between Orthopraxy and Heteropraxy

Abstract

Since his death in the 13th century, the Anatolian Sufi saint Haji Bektash Veli has been the subject of a debate as to whether he conformed to the sharia, different parties having at different times portrayed him as either an antinomian charismatic mystic or a sharia-abiding Sufi scholar. This paper traces the course of the debate from the 14th century until today, situating the various interpretations in their historical contexts. As will be seen, interpretations of Haji Bektash's character are often influenced by that of his followers, the Bektashis, who have come to be known as antinomian. Because this non-conformity poses a problem for sharia-minded commentators, the debate is usually framed in terms that can be summarized as a dichotomy between orthopraxy and heteropraxy. Responding to this, Bektashis have instead reframed the dichotomy as one between what we can call esopraxy and exopraxy. The debate is still active today, showing that the concern for this 13th-century saint's praxis is still relevant in modern Turkey.