Yazidi literature is literature produced by the Kurds-Yazidi people. Although Yazidi literature has traditionally been primarily oral, many Yazidi texts have been transcribed since the 1970s. Kurmanji is the main language used.
44-739: In Yazidism , the Silat Bridge is a bridge in Lalish , Iraq that leads to the most holy Yazidi shrine . It symbolizes the connection and crossing over from the profane earthly world and the sacred, esoteric world. As with the Chinvat Bridge in Zoroastrianism , the Silat Bridge in will also play a role at the end of times in Yazidism (Kreyenbroek 2005: 39). Every year, thousands of Yazidi pilgrims arrive at
88-598: A fallen angel . The Yazidis of Kurdistan have been called many things, most notoriously 'devil-worshippers', a term used both by unsympathetic neighbours and fascinated Westerners. This sensational epithet is not only deeply offensive to the Yazidis themselves, but quite simply wrong. Non-Yazidis have associated Melek Taûs with Shaitan (Islamic/Arab name) or Satan, but Yazidis find that offensive and do not actually mention that name. Yezidis believe in Seven Angels, considered
132-519: A divine Triad. The original, hidden God of the Yazidis is considered to be remote and inactive in relation to his creation, except to contain and bind it together within his essence. His first emanation is Melek Taûs ( Tawûsî Melek ), the Peacock Angel, who functions as the ruler of the world. The second hypostasis of the divine Triad is the Sheikh 'Adī . The third is Sultan Ezid . These are
176-728: A following among the adherents of the movement. The name Yazidi seems to have been applied to the group because of his Umayyad origins. In Yazidi religious lore, there is no trace of any link between Sultan Ezid and the second Umayyad caliph. Some scholars have derived the name Yazidi from yazata , the name for a divine being in Avestan . Yazidis believe in one God, to whom they refer as Xwedê , Xwedawend , Êzdan , and Pedsha ('King'), and, less commonly, Ellah and Heq . According to some Yazidi hymns (known as Qewls ), God has 1,001 names, or 3,003 names according to other Qewls. In Yazidism, fire, water, air, and
220-558: A gathering. The prayers are classified according to their own content. There are: Many Yazidis consider pork to be prohibited. However, many Yazidis living in Germany began to view this taboo as a foreign belief from Judaism or Islam and not part of Yazidism, and therefore abandoned this rule. Furthermore, in a BBC interview in April 2010, Baba Sheikh , the spiritual leader of all Yazidis, stated that ordinary Yazidis may eat what they want, but
264-540: A shrine holds annual tiwafs in the name of the holy being to which the shrine is dedicated. Prayers occupy a special status in Yazidi literature. They contain important symbols and religious knowledge connected with the Holy Men, God, and daily situations. The prayers are mostly private and as a rule they are not performed in public. Yazidis pray towards the sun, usually privately, or the prayers are recited by one person during
308-463: Is Sheikh 'Adī ibn Musafir . Sheikh 'Adī ibn Musafir settled in the valley of Laliş (some 58 kilometres (36 mi) northeast of Mosul ) in the Yazidi mountains in the early 12th century and founded the 'Adawiyya Sufi order . He died in 1162, and his tomb at Laliş is a focal point of Yazidi pilgrimage and the principal Yazidi holy site . Yazidism has many influences: Sufi influence and imagery (especially taken from Mansur al-Hallaj) can be seen in
352-540: Is a exonym . The Yazidi people and religion are named after Sultan Ezid . Most modern historians hold that the name Ezid derives from the name of Yazid I ( c. 646–689 ), the second Caliph of Umayyad Caliphate . A pro-Umayyad movement particularly sympathetic towards Yazid I existed in the Kurdish mountains before the 12th century, when Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir (1072–1078), a Sufi of Umayyad descent and venerated by Yazidis to this day, settled there and attracted
396-524: Is almighty and absolute, and the Xudans are a part of His power, moreover, in relation to nature, Yazidis believe in Xudans for most of natural elements and phenomena and they are regarded as divine powers that have control over these phenomena. In Yazidi mythology, the Xudans appeared after the creation of the world for the four elements of nature and their manifestations. One of the important figures of Yazidism
440-537: Is called mor kirin (literally: 'to seal'). Traditionally, Yazidi children are baptised at birth with water from the Kaniya Sipî ('White Spring') at Lalish. It involves pouring holy water from the spring on the child's head three times. The Yazidis are strictly endogamous ; members of the three Yazidi castes , the murids , sheikhs, and pirs , marry only within their group. There are several religious duties that are performed by several dignitaries, such as
484-623: Is celebrated from 6 October to 13 October, in honor of the Sheikh Adi. It is an important time for cohesion. If possible, Yazidis make at least one pilgrimage to Lalish during their lifetime, and those living in the region try to attend at least once a year for the Feast of the Assembly in autumn. Tiwafs are yearly feasts of shrines and their holy beings which constitute an important part of Yazidi religious and communal life. Every village that contains
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#1732855382318528-436: Is harmonised and coexists with the younger idea of a collective eschatology . The Yazidi cosmogony is recorded in several sacred texts and traditions. It can therefore only be inferred and understood through an overall view of the sacred texts and traditions. The cosmogony can be divided into three stages: The term Enzel is one of the frequently mentioned terms in the religious vocabulary and it comes up numerous times in
572-416: Is known as Tawûsê Melek , and the others are better known by the names of their earthly incarnations/representations: Fexreddin , Sheikh Shems , Nasirdin , Sejadin , Sheikh Obekr , and Shex Hesen (Şêxsin). The Yazidi pantheon contains a total of 365 holy figures venerated by Yazidis, designated by various special terms including Xudan , Xas , Mêr and Babçak. According to Yazidi beliefs, God
616-474: Is the leader of the Angels and who has authority over the world. The religion of the Yazidis is a highly syncretistic one: Sufi influence and imagery can be seen in their religious vocabulary, especially in the terminology of their esoteric literature, but much of the mythology is non-Islamic, and their cosmogonies apparently have many points in common with those of ancient Iranian religions. The name of Yazidi
660-471: Is traditionally transmitted orally. Some of the largest text collections of Yazidi literature have been compiled by Philip G. Kreyenbroek (2005) and Khanna Omarkhali (2017). Other compilations of various Yazidi texts are those of Christine Allison (2001) and Teimuraz Avdoev, a Georgian Yazidi. This section contains a comprehensive list of Yazidi oral religious texts as compiled by Omarkhali (2017). Yazidi oral religious poetry can be categorized into
704-675: Is used for this is sur or sirr (literally: 'mystery'), which denotes a divine essence from which the angels were created. This pure divine essence called Sur or Sirr has its own personality and will and is also called Sura Xudê ('the Sur of God'). This term refers to the essence of the Divine itself, that is, God. The Angels share this essence from their creator who is God. In religious literature, these Angels are sometimes referred to as Cibrayîl , Ezrayîl , Mîkayîl , Şifqayîl, Derdayîl , Ezafîl , and Ezazîl . The leader of these Angels
748-530: The sinjaq , sacred images of a peacock symbolizing Tawûsê Melek. These are venerated, fees are collected from the pious, sermons are preached and holy water and berat (small stones from Lalish) distributed. The greatest festival of the year is the Cêjna Cemaiya (' Feast of the Assembly '), which includes an annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Sheikh 'Adī' ( Şêx Adî ) in Lalish, northern Iraq . The festival
792-545: The Qewal , constitute a distinct class within the Yazidi society. They are a veritable source of ancient Yazidi lore and are traditionally recruited from the non-religious members of other Kurdish tribes , principally the Dumilî and Hekarî. The qewls are full of cryptic allusions and usually need to be accompanied by čirōks ('stories') that explain their context. Mishurs are a type of sacred manuscripts that were written down in
836-592: The Ancient Mesopotamian and Indo-Iranian traditions; therefore, Yazidi cosmogony is closer to those of Ancient Iranian religions , Yarsanism , and Zoroastrianism . The religious literature of Yazidis is composed mostly of poetry which is orally transmitted in mainly Kurmanji and includes numerous genres, such as Qewl (religious hymn), Beyt (poem), Du‛a (prayer), Dirozge (another kind of prayer), Şehdetiya Dîn (the Declaration of
880-472: The Gregorian calendar . One of the most important Yazidi festivals is Îda Êzî (" Feast of Êzî "), which is celebrated in commemoration of the divine figure Sultan Ezid . Which every year takes place on the first Friday on or after 14 December. Before this festival, the Yazidis fast for three days, where nothing is eaten from sunrise to sunset. The Îda Êzî festival is celebrated in honor of God and
924-592: The Indo-Iranian tradition. Its followers, called Yazidis , are a Kurdish -speaking community. Yazidism includes elements of ancient Iranian religions, as well as elements of Judaism , Church of the East , and Islam . Yazidism is based on belief in one God who created the world and entrusted it into the care of seven Holy Beings, known as Angels . Preeminent among these Angels is Tawûsî Melek ( lit. ' Peacock Angel ' , also spelled as Melek Taûs ), who
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#1732855382318968-472: The emanations of God, who, In Yazidi creation stories , were created by God from his own light ( nûr ) before the creation of this world. God assigned all of the world's affairs to these seven Angels and Tawûsê Melek was appointed as the leader. The angels are also referred to as Heft Sirr ("the Seven Mysteries"). In this context, they have, so to speak, a part of God in themselves. Another word that
1012-622: The 13th century and handed down to each lineage ( ocax ) of the Pirs; each of the manuscripts contain descriptions of the founder of the Pir lineage that they were distributed to, along with a list of Kurdish tribes and other priestly lineages that were affiliated with the founder. The mishurs are safekept among the families of Pirs in particular places that are designated for their safekeeping; these places are referred to as stêr in Kurmanji . According to
1056-458: The Book of Revelation and Black Book. Scholars generally agree that the manuscripts of both books published in 1911 and 1913 were forgeries written by non-Yazidis in response to Western travellers' and scholars' interest in the Yazidi religion; however, the material in them is consistent with authentic Yazidi traditions. True texts of those names may have existed, but remain obscure. The real core texts of
1100-548: The Faith), Terqîn (prayer for after a sacrifice), Pişt perde (literally 'under the veil', another genre), Qesîde ( Qasida ), Sema ‛ (literally 'listening'), Lavij, Xerîbo, Xizêmok, Payîzok, and Robarîn . The poetic literature is composed in an advanced and archaic language where more complex terms are used, which may be difficult to understand for those who are not trained in religious knowledge. Therefore, they are accompanied by some prosaic genres of
1144-612: The Mir Hejj (Prince of the Pilgrimage), Sheikh el-Wazir (who oversees the sanctuary of Sheikh Shems at Lalish), Pire Esbiya (treasurer of the sanctuary of Sheikh Shems at Lalish), Mijewir (local shrine custodian), Baba Chawush (guardian of the sanctuary of Sheikh Adi), and others. Yazidi literature Unlike the other major religions of the Near East , Yazidism does not have a standardized canon of religious texts, since religious knowledge
1188-753: The Yazidi literature that often interpret the contents of the poems and provide explanations of their contexts in the spoken language comprehensible among the common population. The prosaic genres include Çîrok and Çîvanok (legends and myths), and Dastan and Menal Pîr s (interpretations of religious hymns). Yazidis also possess some written texts, such as the sacred manuscripts called mişûr s and individual collections of religious texts called cilvê and Keşkûl , although they are rarer and often safekept among Yazidis. Yazidis are also said to have two holy books, Book of Revelation and Black Book whose authenticities are debated among scholars. The Yazidi holy books are claimed to be
1232-488: The Yazidi tradition, there are a total of 40 mishurs which were distributed to the 40 lineages of Pirs. The Yazidi New Year ( Sersal ) is called Çarşema sor ("Red Wednesday") or Çarşema Serê Nîsanê ("Wednesday at the beginning of April"). It falls in spring, on the first Wednesday of the April and Nîsan months in the Julian and Seleucid calendars , i.e. the first Wednesday on or after 14 April according to
1276-501: The bridge for the Feast of the Assembly as they cross the bridge to the sacred site of Sheikh Adi 's tomb. This religion -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Yazidism Ancient Medieval Modern Yazidism , also known as Sharfadin , is a monotheistic ethnic religion that originated in Kurdistan and has roots in pre-Zoroastrian Iranian religion , directly derived from
1320-564: The earth are sacred elements that are not to be polluted. During prayer Yazidis face towards the Sun, for which they were often called "sun worshippers". The Yazidi myth of creation begins with the description of the emptiness and the absence of order in the Universe . Prior to the World's creation , God created a dur (white pearl) in spiritual form from his own pure Light and alone dwelt in it. First there
1364-521: The following categories. Qesîdes of the Pîrs: Qesîdes of the Sheikhs: Mishabet texts are sermons: Çîrok and Çîvanok texts are stories or narratives: Dastan texts are tales: This section lists Yazidi oral religious texts that have been translated into English. Some representative samples of Yazidi oral religious poetry transcribed and compiled by Khanna Omarkhali (2017) include
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1408-411: The pearl The Yazidi qewls mention the universe as having originated from a white pearl that existed in pre-eternity. At the beginning of the time prior to the creation, God emerged from the cosmic pearl, which rested on the horns of a bull that stood on the back of a fish. After God and the pearl separated, the universe burst out of the pearl and became visible as waves rippled across from pearl to form
1452-484: The primeval Cosmic Ocean . As the pearl burst open, the beginning of the material universe was set in motion. Mihbet (meaning 'love') came into being and was laid as the original foundation, colours began to form, and red, yellow and white began to shine from the burst pearl. The Yazidi religion has its own perception of the colours, which is seen in the mythology and shown through clothing taboos, in religious ceremonies, customs and rituals. Colours are perceived as
1496-406: The process, which plays an exceptional role in Yazidi religiosity and is called the "change of [one's] shirt" ( kirasgorîn ). There is also a belief that some of the events from the time of creation repeat themselves in cycles of history. In Yazidism, different concepts of time coexist: In Yazidism, the older original concept of metempsychosis and the cyclic perception of the course of time
1540-433: The profane world". The Enzel stage describes a spaceless and timeless state and therefore illustrates a supernatural state. In this stage, initially there is only a God, who creates a pearl out of his own light, in which his shining throne ( textê nûrî ) is located. Qewlê Bê Elif : Padşê min bi xo efirandî dura beyzaye – My King created the white pearl from himself Textê nûrî sedef – The shining throne in
1584-561: The religion that exist today are the hymns known as qawls ; they have also been orally transmitted during most of their history, but are now being collected with the assent of the community, effectively transforming Yazidism into a scriptural religion. The sacred texts had already been translated into English by the early 20th century. A very important genre of oral literature of the Yazidi community consists of religious hymns , called Qewl s, which literally means 'word, speech' (from Arabic qawl ). The performers of these hymns, called
1628-471: The religious clergy refrain from certain vegetables (including cabbage) because "they cause gases". Some Yazidis in Armenia and Georgia who converted to Christianity , still identify as Yazidis even after converting, but are not accepted by the other Yazidis as Yazidis. Children are baptised at birth and circumcision is not required, but is practised by some due to regional customs. The Yazidi baptism
1672-597: The religious hymns, known as Qewls . For instance, in Qewlê Tawisî Melek: " Ya Rebî ji Enzel de her tuyî qedîmî " (English: Oh, Creator of the Enzel , you are infinite) And Dûa Razanê: Ezdayî me, ji direke enzelî me (English: I am a follower of God, I come from an " enzelî " pearl) Thus, the term Enzel can also be referred to as a "pure, spiritual, immaterial and infinite world", "the Beyond" or "the sphere beyond
1716-464: The religious vocabulary, especially in the terminology of the Yazidis' esoteric literature, but most of the theology, rituals, traditions, and festivals remains non-Islamic. Its cosmogony for instance has many points in common with those of ancient Iranian religions . Yazidis believe in the rebirth of the soul. Like the Ahl-e Haqq , the Yazidis use the metaphor of a change of garment to describe
1760-535: The symbolizations of nature and the beginning of life, thus the emphasis of colours can be found in the creation myth. The colors white, red, green and yellow in particular are frequently emphasized. White is considered the color of purity and peace and is the main colour of the religious clothing of the Yazidis. Yazidi accounts of the creation differ significantly from those of the Abrahamic religions ( Judaism , Christianity , and Islam ), since they are derived from
1804-459: The three days of fasting before are also associated with the ever shorter days before the winter solstice , when the Sun is less and less visible. With the Îda Êzî festival, the fasting time is ended. The festival is often celebrated with music, food, drinks and dance. Another important festival is the Tawûsgeran , where Qewals and other religious dignitaries visit Yazidi villages, bringing
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1848-405: The three hypostases of the one God. The identity of these three is sometimes blurred, with Sheikh 'Adī considered to be a manifestation of Tawûsî Melek and vice versa; the same also applies to Sultan Ezid. Yazidis are called Miletê Tawûsî Melek ("the nation of Tawûsî Melek"). Muslims and Christians have erroneously associated and identified the Peacock Angel with their own conception of
1892-410: The unredeemed evil spirit Satan , a misconception which has incited centuries of violent religious persecution of the Yazidis as "devil-worshippers". Persecution of Yazidis has continued in their home communities within the borders of modern Iraq . Yazidis, however, believe Tawûsî Melek is not a source of evil or wickedness. They consider him to be the leader of the archangels , not
1936-511: Was an esoteric world, and after that an exoteric world was created. Before the creation of this world God created seven Divine Beings (often called "Angels" in Yazidi literature ) to whom he assigned all the world's affairs; the leader of the Seven Angels was appointed Tawûsî Melek ("Peacock Angel"). The end of Creation is closely connected with the creation of mankind and the transition from mythological to historical time. The Yazidis believe in
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