Şemseddin Sivasi's life, opinions and criticism of raphisity in the context of its approach of bid'at

Sivas, one of the ancient cities of Anatolia, was the capital of the Seljuk State and was a cultural city that had been turned into a center of science with its madrasahs. Although this cultural accumulation was damaged due to the Mongol invasion, it remained a prosperous city where scholars and commoners migrated, preserving its importance even during the Ottoman Empire period, because of its location on the trade and migration path. Turkmen tribes who migrated from Khorasan to Sivas brought their world of ideas with them to this geography. In this way, different cultures in Anatolia have led to the emergence of heterodox Islamic movements in the society, the majority of which are members of Islam. By the (XV) 15th century, Anatolia, which was in the middle of the Ottoman-Safavid struggle, became an even more difficult geography where change and transformation were experienced. Some sections of the society came under the control of the Safavids and different currents that emerged under the influence of Shiism gathered supporters and sided with the rulers of the Ottoman Empire, which had the Ahl al-Sunnah understanding, and even turned to rebellion movements in places where the authority was weak. Since its establishment, the Ottoman Empire attached a great importance to scholars and people of mysticism and religion, and gave the sects an opportunity to spread their views and thoughts. Thus, Halvetîyye, which gave its fruits in Anatolia, whose roots extend to Khorasan, became one of the most widespread sects in this geography, and attracted attention and interest from both the administrators and the commoners. Şemseddin Sivâsî, the founder of the Şemsîyye branch of the Halveti Sect, made Sivas his homeland and ensured that his sect took root here. However, the sect sheikhs who went to Istanbul after his death ensured that the sect was referred to here as Sivâsîyye. Because of his good command of Arabic and Persian languages, Şemseddin Sivasi wrote more than thirty works in prose and verse style as a strong mystic/sufi. In his works, positive discourses about belief in Allah, the Sunnah of the Prophet, the first four caliphs and the Companions come to the fore. He also included in his works the ideas of other important names belonging to the belief of Ahl as-Sunnah, especially Abu Hanifah. Sivasi, who prefers a plain language in his works, warned the society against groups that he considered among the people of bid'ah, such as Rafiza, who influenced the society, especially Shi'ism, and criticized the non-Islamic bid'ats of his followers with a harsh language.