The Narrative of Rıza Şehri (The City of Rıza)

In this video, Ali Doğan, a pir affiliated with the Seyyid Seyfeddin (Pîrî Sevdîn) Ocak, explains Rıza Şehri, one of the most fundamental conceptual frameworks of Alevi thought. This narrative is not merely a story; it also reveals how Rıza Şehri is envisioned as a belief system, a moral order, and a social utopia. Founded on principles such as justice, equality, rızalık, and living together, this spiritual city is interpreted within Alevi communities as the bearer of both a worldly and an otherworldly ideal. Through the expression of the Rıza Şehri myth in oral culture, the video makes visible the richness of Alevi cosmology and ethical imagination.

This recording was carried out in April 2025 in Dersim, at the Munzur Radio Studio, with the contributions of Pir News Agency (PİRHA), for the Alevi Encyclopedia.