Doha - The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria on December 8, after opposition forces entered Damascus, has sparked renewed global interest in the Alawite community that held power in Syria for over five decades.
The dramatic collapse came after opposition forces, in a lightning offensive, captured major cities including Aleppo and Hama before reaching the capital, ending a regime that had ruled since 1970.
This historic development has also led to confusion among some observers who mistakenly associate Syria’s Alawites with Morocco’s ruling Alaouite dynasty, despite their fundamentally different historical, religious, and political origins.
The confusion stems partly from the similar naming convention, but the distinctions run deep into their respective histories spanning over a millennium.
While both groups use similar names derived from their connection to Ali ibn Abi Talib, they represent entirely distinct communities with different historical trajectories, beliefs, and roles in their respective societies.
Their paths diverged as early as the 9th century, when the Syrian Alawite sect first emerged under Muhammad ibn Nusayr, while Morocco’s Alaouites trace their lineage through a different branch of the Prophet’s family.
The Syrian Alawites emerged as a minority sect that rose to power through military influence, while Morocco’s Alaouites are a Sunni Muslim dynasty that has ruled since the 17th century, tracing their documented lineage to the Prophet Muhammad’s family through Hassan ibn Ali and the line of Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya.
The rise and fall of Syria’s Alawite power
The Syrian Alawite community, comprising approximately 12% of Syria’s population before the civil war (roughly 2.8 million out of 23 million in 2011), transformed from a marginalized minority to the country’s ruling class through their growing presence in the military during the mid-20th century.
By 2024, demographic shifts had dramatically altered these numbers, with estimates suggesting Alawites constituted between 40-50% of the remaining population within regime-controlled areas.
This remarkable shift culminated in Hafez al-Assad’s rise to power in 1970, establishing an Alawite-dominated regime that would control Syria for 54 years.
The ascent began in the 1960s, when Alawite officers, including Hafez al-Assad, played key roles in the Ba’athist military coup of 1963.
Before their rise to power, Syrian Alawites faced significant discrimination and isolation. Their community originated in the 9th century under Muhammad ibn Nusayr (died 883 CE), who claimed to be the “gateway” to the eleventh Shi’ite Imam, Hassan al-Askari.
Historical records indicate they were largely confined to Syria’s coastal mountains, developing distinct religious practices that combined elements of various beliefs, including the concept of divine incarnation and the transmigration of souls.
Their faith remained secretive, with religious knowledge restricted even among their own community members. The sect was formally organized by Al-Khasibi in the 10th century, who fled to Aleppo under the protection of the Hamdanid dynasty.
The Assad family, belonging to the Kalbiyya tribe of the Alawite community, skillfully consolidated power by placing fellow Alawites in key military and security positions.
This strategy created a robust power structure that helped maintain their rule for over five decades, despite representing a minority in a predominantly Sunni country.
Under their rule, Alawites came to dominate the officer corps, with estimates suggesting they constituted up to 80% of career military officers by the 1990s.
Morocco’s Alaouite dynasty: A different historical path
In stark contrast, Morocco’s Alaouite dynasty represents a fundamentally different historical narrative. Their legitimacy stems from their status as direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad through Hassan ibn Ali, following a well-documented genealogical line through the centuries.
Established in 1631, when Moulay Ali Sharif was proclaimed Sultan in Tafilalt, the dynasty traces its descent from Hassan al-Dakhil, who recorded his lineage to the Prophet Muhammad through Hassan ibn Ali. The dynasty’s founder arrived from Yanbu in the Hejaz region, settling in the Tafilalt oasis near Sijilmassa.
Unlike Syria’s Alawites, Morocco’s Alaouites are Sunni Muslims who follow the Maliki school of Islamic jurisprudence, which has been prevalent in North Africa since the 9th century. Their religious legitimacy has never been questioned within the Islamic world, unlike their Syrian namesakes.
The Alaouite dynasty rose to power during Morocco’s 17th-century political fragmentation, with Moulay al-Sharif establishing control in the Tafilalt region. His son Rashid (1664-1672) began the process of reunifying the country after a long period of division following the decline of the Saadi dynasty.
His brother Ismail (1672-1727) consolidated the dynasty’s rule across Morocco in one of the longest reigns in Moroccan history, creating a centralized state that has endured to the present day under King Mohammed VI. Sultan Ismail’s 55-year reign was marked by the creation of a powerful Black Guard army and the establishment of strong central authority.
The Assad family’s rule and its collapse
Under Bashar al-Assad, who inherited power from his father in 2000 at age 34 (after a constitutional amendment lowered the minimum age requirement from 40), the Syrian regime maintained its grip through a combination of military force, sectarian loyalty, and international alliances.
Initially promising reform, Assad’s presidency instead saw the brutal suppression of the 2011 uprising, leading to a devastating civil war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. By 2020, UN estimates suggested the conflict had resulted in over 400,000 deaths, with millions more displaced internally and externally.
The regime’s fall in December 2024 came after significant military setbacks, including the weakening of key ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. Opposition forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, launched a surprise offensive that rapidly captured major cities, ultimately reaching Damascus and ending the Assad family’s 54-year rule.
The collapse came after the death of most of Hezbollah’s leadership, including Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, in the conflict with Israel following Hamas’s October 2023 attack.
Contemporary implications
The fall of the Assad regime marks the end of one of the Middle East’s most enduring minority-led governments. The collapse came after years of international isolation and economic sanctions that devastated Syria’s economy.
By 2024, demographic shifts resulting from the civil war had dramatically altered Syria’s population distribution. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics and various international reports, Syria’s population stood at approximately 26 million, with 16 million inside the country and 9 million abroad, plus about one million missing or unaccounted for.
The Alawite community’s influence had expanded significantly, despite their traditional minority status.
Meanwhile, Morocco’s Alaouite dynasty continues its centuries-old rule, having successfully transitioned from a sultanate to a constitutional monarchy after independence in 1956.
Under King Mohammed VI, who ascended the throne in 1999, the dynasty has maintained its religious and political authority while adapting to modern governance requirements.
The monarchy has undergone significant reforms, particularly following the 2011 constitutional changes that reduced some of the king’s powers while maintaining his central role as Commander of the Faithful.
The dramatic collapse came after opposition forces, in a lightning offensive, captured major cities including Aleppo and Hama before reaching the capital, ending a regime that had ruled since 1970.
This historic development has also led to confusion among some observers who mistakenly associate Syria’s Alawites with Morocco’s ruling Alaouite dynasty, despite their fundamentally different historical, religious, and political origins.
The confusion stems partly from the similar naming convention, but the distinctions run deep into their respective histories spanning over a millennium.
While both groups use similar names derived from their connection to Ali ibn Abi Talib, they represent entirely distinct communities with different historical trajectories, beliefs, and roles in their respective societies.
Their paths diverged as early as the 9th century, when the Syrian Alawite sect first emerged under Muhammad ibn Nusayr, while Morocco’s Alaouites trace their lineage through a different branch of the Prophet’s family.
The Syrian Alawites emerged as a minority sect that rose to power through military influence, while Morocco’s Alaouites are a Sunni Muslim dynasty that has ruled since the 17th century, tracing their documented lineage to the Prophet Muhammad’s family through Hassan ibn Ali and the line of Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya.
The rise and fall of Syria’s Alawite power
The Syrian Alawite community, comprising approximately 12% of Syria’s population before the civil war (roughly 2.8 million out of 23 million in 2011), transformed from a marginalized minority to the country’s ruling class through their growing presence in the military during the mid-20th century.
By 2024, demographic shifts had dramatically altered these numbers, with estimates suggesting Alawites constituted between 40-50% of the remaining population within regime-controlled areas.
This remarkable shift culminated in Hafez al-Assad’s rise to power in 1970, establishing an Alawite-dominated regime that would control Syria for 54 years.
The ascent began in the 1960s, when Alawite officers, including Hafez al-Assad, played key roles in the Ba’athist military coup of 1963.
Before their rise to power, Syrian Alawites faced significant discrimination and isolation. Their community originated in the 9th century under Muhammad ibn Nusayr (died 883 CE), who claimed to be the “gateway” to the eleventh Shi’ite Imam, Hassan al-Askari.
Historical records indicate they were largely confined to Syria’s coastal mountains, developing distinct religious practices that combined elements of various beliefs, including the concept of divine incarnation and the transmigration of souls.
Their faith remained secretive, with religious knowledge restricted even among their own community members. The sect was formally organized by Al-Khasibi in the 10th century, who fled to Aleppo under the protection of the Hamdanid dynasty.
The Assad family, belonging to the Kalbiyya tribe of the Alawite community, skillfully consolidated power by placing fellow Alawites in key military and security positions.
This strategy created a robust power structure that helped maintain their rule for over five decades, despite representing a minority in a predominantly Sunni country.
Under their rule, Alawites came to dominate the officer corps, with estimates suggesting they constituted up to 80% of career military officers by the 1990s.
Morocco’s Alaouite dynasty: A different historical path
In stark contrast, Morocco’s Alaouite dynasty represents a fundamentally different historical narrative. Their legitimacy stems from their status as direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad through Hassan ibn Ali, following a well-documented genealogical line through the centuries.
Established in 1631, when Moulay Ali Sharif was proclaimed Sultan in Tafilalt, the dynasty traces its descent from Hassan al-Dakhil, who recorded his lineage to the Prophet Muhammad through Hassan ibn Ali. The dynasty’s founder arrived from Yanbu in the Hejaz region, settling in the Tafilalt oasis near Sijilmassa.
Unlike Syria’s Alawites, Morocco’s Alaouites are Sunni Muslims who follow the Maliki school of Islamic jurisprudence, which has been prevalent in North Africa since the 9th century. Their religious legitimacy has never been questioned within the Islamic world, unlike their Syrian namesakes.
The Alaouite dynasty rose to power during Morocco’s 17th-century political fragmentation, with Moulay al-Sharif establishing control in the Tafilalt region. His son Rashid (1664-1672) began the process of reunifying the country after a long period of division following the decline of the Saadi dynasty.
His brother Ismail (1672-1727) consolidated the dynasty’s rule across Morocco in one of the longest reigns in Moroccan history, creating a centralized state that has endured to the present day under King Mohammed VI. Sultan Ismail’s 55-year reign was marked by the creation of a powerful Black Guard army and the establishment of strong central authority.
The Assad family’s rule and its collapse
Under Bashar al-Assad, who inherited power from his father in 2000 at age 34 (after a constitutional amendment lowered the minimum age requirement from 40), the Syrian regime maintained its grip through a combination of military force, sectarian loyalty, and international alliances.
Initially promising reform, Assad’s presidency instead saw the brutal suppression of the 2011 uprising, leading to a devastating civil war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. By 2020, UN estimates suggested the conflict had resulted in over 400,000 deaths, with millions more displaced internally and externally.
The regime’s fall in December 2024 came after significant military setbacks, including the weakening of key ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. Opposition forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, launched a surprise offensive that rapidly captured major cities, ultimately reaching Damascus and ending the Assad family’s 54-year rule.
The collapse came after the death of most of Hezbollah’s leadership, including Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, in the conflict with Israel following Hamas’s October 2023 attack.
Contemporary implications
The fall of the Assad regime marks the end of one of the Middle East’s most enduring minority-led governments. The collapse came after years of international isolation and economic sanctions that devastated Syria’s economy.
By 2024, demographic shifts resulting from the civil war had dramatically altered Syria’s population distribution. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics and various international reports, Syria’s population stood at approximately 26 million, with 16 million inside the country and 9 million abroad, plus about one million missing or unaccounted for.
The Alawite community’s influence had expanded significantly, despite their traditional minority status.
Meanwhile, Morocco’s Alaouite dynasty continues its centuries-old rule, having successfully transitioned from a sultanate to a constitutional monarchy after independence in 1956.
Under King Mohammed VI, who ascended the throne in 1999, the dynasty has maintained its religious and political authority while adapting to modern governance requirements.
The monarchy has undergone significant reforms, particularly following the 2011 constitutional changes that reduced some of the king’s powers while maintaining his central role as Commander of the Faithful.
