The "forties square" took its name from the people who participated in traditional meetings in Hz. Fatima’s house. These meetings were related with the religious education of Bektashis.

Regarding the Bektaşi Order:
This is an Islamic Sufi order (‘tariqat’) named after the 13th century Alevi saint Hacı Bektaş Veli, but founded by Balım Sultan in the early 16th century. In addition to the spiritual teachings of Hacı Bektaş Veli, the Bektaşi Order was later significantly influenced during its formative period by Shia beliefs circulating in Anatolia (14th – 15th century). Balım Sultan systematized and structured the mystical practices and rituals of the Order, fusing a number of Shia and Sufi concepts, which resulted in a wide appeal and influence among both the Ottoman intellectual elite as well as the peasantry. The order had in particular close ties with the Janissary corps, the elite infantry troops of the Ottoman Army.

The Bektaşi Order shares much in common with other Islamic mystical movements, such as the need for an experienced spiritual guide — called a ‘baba’ (= father) in Bektaşi parlance — as well as the doctrine of ‘the four gates that must be traversed’: the ‘Sharia‘ (religious law), ‘Tariqah‘ (the spiritual path), ‘Marifa‘ (true knowledge) and ‘Haqiqah‘ (truth).
Bektaşism places much emphasis on the concept of the ‘Unity of Being’ (which has often been labeled as pantheism). It is also heavily permeated with Shiite concepts, such as the marked veneration of Ali, The Twelve Imams, and the ritual commemoration of Aşurah marking the Battle of Karbala.

The order is mainly found throughout Anatolia and the Southern Balkans. Because of the shared spiritual base (the teachings of Hacı Bektaş Veli) and some common rituals, the Bektaşi Order nowadays is very close to the Anatolian ‘Alevi’ (which is not an Order, but a people’s movement based on religion).

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Source: (amongst others) Wikipedia.