the cult of imam ali are pagans infact they use pagan witchcraft and and occult rituals and spells they also hate and curse the abrahamic god in thier secret rituals and celebrations.
However my theory is that they used the name shia and imam ali to hide thier faith during ancient times, the same way the yazidi tribes hide thier faith in iraq now.
The alawi call thier god imam ali the prince of bees which is a code word for mantra magic and vibration sounds of mantras too !