Yazidis believe in one God, whom they refer to as Xwedê, Xwedawend, Êzdan, and Pedsha ('King'), and, less commonly, Ellah and Heq.[2][10][17][7][20] According to some Yazidi hymns (known as Qewls), God has 1,001 names, or 3,003 names according to other Qewls.[21][22] In Yazidism, fire, water, air, and 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.[23] First there 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").[7][18][24] The end of Creation is closely connected with the creation of mankind and the transition from mythological to historical time.[10][19][17]
The Yazidis believe in a divine Triad.[7][18][24] 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.[7] His first
emanation is
Melek Taûs (Tawûsî Melek), the Peacock Angel, who functions as the ruler of the world.[7][18][24] The second
hypostasis of the divine Triad is the
Sheikh 'Adī. The third is
Sultan Ezid. These are 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.[7] Yazidis are called Miletê Tawûsî Melek ("the nation of Tawûsî Melek").[25]
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.[31] 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.[31]
Yezidis believe in Seven Angels, considered 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 is used for this is sur or sirr (literally: 'mystery'), which denotes a divine essence that the angels were created from.[32] This pure divine essence called Sur or Sirr has its own personality and will and is also called Sura Xudê ('the Sur of God').[33] This term refers to the essence of the Divine itself, that is, God. The Angels share this essence from their creator who is God.[32] In religious literature, these Angels are sometimes referred to as
Cibrayîl,
Ezrayîl,
Mîkayîl, Şifqayîl,
Derdayîl,
Ezafîl, and
Ezazîl.[34] The leader of these Angels 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).[35][36][37]
The
Yazidi pantheon contains a total of 365 holy figures venerated by Yazidis,[38] designated by various special terms including Xudan, Xas, Mêr and Babçak. According to Yazidi beliefs, God 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.[39]
One of the important figures of Yazidism 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.[40] Yazidism has many influences:
Sufi influence and imagery (especially taken from Mansur al-Hallaj)[41] can be seen in 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.[42][43][44][45][2]
Rebirth and concept of time
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 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:[10]
An esoteric time sphere (Kurdish: enzel), This term denotes a state of being before the creation of the world. According to Yazidi cosmogony, there is God and a pearl in this stage.
Bedîl or dewr (a cyclic course of time): it means literally 'change, changing' or 'turning, revolution' and in the Yazidi context denotes a new period of time in the history of the world. Therefore, it may also mean 'renewing' or 'renewed' and designates the start of a renewed period of time.
A linear course, which runs from the start of the creation by God to the collective
eschatological end point.
Three tofan ('storm, flood') i.e.
catastrophes. It is believed that there are three big events during history named tofan that play a purificatory role, changing the quality of life in a positive manner. Each catastrophe, which ultimately brings renewal to the world, takes place through a
basic element: the first through water (tofanê avê), the second through fire (tofanê agirî) and the last is connected with wind (air) (tofanê ba). It is believed that the first tofan has already occurred in the past and that the next tofan will occur through fire. According to this perception, the three sacred elements, namely water, fire and air, purify the fourth one, the earth. These events however are not be considered as eschatological events. They occur during the life of people. Although the purificatory events cause many deaths, ultimately life continues.[46]
In Yazidism, the older original concept of
metempsychosis and the cyclic perception of the course of time is harmonised and coexists with the younger idea of a collective
eschatology.[10]
Cosmogony and beginning of life
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:
Enzel – the state before the pearl burst (dur).
Developments immediately after the burst – cosmogony II
The creation of the earth and man – anthropogony[47][48]
The term Enzel is one of the frequently mentioned terms in the religious vocabulary and it comes up numerous times in 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)[49]
And Dûa Razanê:
Ezdayî me, ji direke enzelî me
(English: I am a follower of God, I come from an "enzelî" pearl)[49]
Thus, the term Enzel can also be referred to as a "pure, spiritual, immaterial and infinite world", "the Beyond" or "the sphere beyond 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 the pearl[49]
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 the primeval
Cosmic Ocean.[21] 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 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.[50][2][48]
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 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.[citation needed] Therefore, they are accompanied by some
prosaic genres of 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 Pîrs (interpretations of religious hymns).[53][1] Yazidis also possess some written texts, such as the sacred manuscripts called mişûrs and individual collections of religious texts called cilvê and Keşkûl, although they are rarer and often safekept among Yazidis.[54] Yazidis are also said to have two holy books,
Book of Revelation and
Black Book whose authenticities are debated among scholars.[1]
Holy books
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
The Yazidi
holy books are claimed to be 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.[1] True texts of those names may have existed, but remain obscure. The real core texts of 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.[1] The sacred texts had already been translated into English by the early 20th century.[55]
Qewl and Beyt
A very important genre of oral literature of the Yazidi community consists of religious
hymns, called Qewls, which literally means 'word, speech' (from Arabic qawl). The performers of these hymns, called 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.[56][18][10] The qewls are full of cryptic allusions and usually need to be accompanied by čirōks ('stories') that explain their context.[1]
Mishur
Mishurs are a type of sacred
manuscripts that were written down in 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.[57] According to the Yazidi tradition, there are a total of 40 mishurs which were distributed to the 40 lineages of Pirs.[10]
The Yazidi New Year (Sersal) is called Çarşema sor ("Red Wednesday")[23] or Çarşema Serê Nîsanê ("Wednesday at the beginning of April").[58] It falls in spring, on the first Wednesday[59] of the April and Nîsan months in the
Julian and
Seleucid calendars, i.e. the first Wednesday on or after 14 April according to the
Gregorian calendar.[60][61]
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 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.[62]
Another important festival is the Tawûsgeran, where Qewals and other religious dignitaries visit Yazidi villages, bringing 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.[63][64]
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 is celebrated from 6 October to 13 October,[65] in honor of the Sheikh Adi. It is an important time for cohesion.[66]
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.[67]
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 a shrine holds annual tiwafs in the name of the holy being to which the shrine is dedicated.[68][69]
Religious practices
Prayers
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,[70] usually privately, or the prayers are recited by one person during a gathering. The prayers are classified according to their own content. There are:
Prayers connected with the nature, i.e. the Moon, stars, Sun, etc.[53]
Purity and taboos
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.[72] 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 the religious clergy refrain from certain vegetables (including cabbage) because "they cause gases".[73]
Some Yazidis in
Armenia and
Georgia who converted to
Christianity, still identify as Yazidis even after converting,[74] but are not accepted by the other Yazidis as Yazidis.[75]
Customs
Children are
baptised at birth and
circumcision is not required, but is practised by some due to regional customs.[76] The Yazidi baptism 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.[77][78]
There are several religious duties that are performed by several dignitaries, such as 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.[21]
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