APersonIndependent states
Haji Bektash Veli
13th-century Anatolian Sufi thinker; the Bektashi order bears his name, and he is the central figure of the Alevi-Bektashi tradition.
Haji Bektash Veli was one of the Turkmen dervishes who came to Anatolia from Khorasan. He settled in Sulucakarahöyük near Kırşehir — today the town of Hacıbektaş, named after him — and founded a lodge there.
His thought is collected in the Makalat. Sayings attributed to him, such as "Be master of your hands, your tongue and your loins" and "The greatest book to read is the human being", are widely known; his teaching stresses love of people, equality of women and men, and knowledge.
The Bektashi order later took shape in his name, and the Janissary corps was linked to it. Commemorations held every August in Hacıbektaş draw thousands of visitors.
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Updated: October 2, 2026