Yazidi Êzidîtî
Yazidis on the mountain of Sinjar, Iraqi/Syrian border, 1920s.
Total population
ca. 200,000–300,000[1] Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Sinjar is a small town in northwestern Iraq near the Syrian border, with an estimate population in the 2006 census of about 39,875 residents [1]. The wall and other evidence at a huge mound in northeastern Syria known as Tell Hamoukar indicate a complex government dating back at least...
Regions with significant populations
Iraq ca. 100,000–200,000  Armenia 40,000  Germany 40,000  Russia 31,273 [2]  Syria 15,000
Religions
Yazdânism (Yazidism)
Scriptures
Kitêba Cilwe (Book of Illumination)
Languages
Kurmanji, Arabic

The Yazidi (also Yezidi, Kurdish: Êzidîtî or Êzidî, Arabic: يزيدي or ايزيدي) are adherents of the smallest of the three branches of Yazdânism, a Middle Eastern religion with ancient Indo-European roots. Yazidis are primarily ethnic Kurds, and most live in the Mosul region of northern Iraq. There are traditional communities in Transcaucasia, Turkey, and Syria, but these have declined since the 1990s, their members emigrating to Europe, especially to Germany.^[3] The term Dasni or Dasny is used by the Yazidis as a self-designation. Image File history File links Flag_of_Iraq. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Armenia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Syria. ... Yazdânism or Cult of Angels (also Yazdâni or Yazdanism) is a modern term for the monotheistic, though universalist, religion that was practiced by most Kurds up to the Islamization during the sixteenth century. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Arabic redirects here. ... The Kurdish language (Kurdish: Kurdî or کوردی) is the language spoken by Kurds. ... Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ... Yazdânism or Cult of Angels (also Yazdâni or Yazdanism) is a modern term for the monotheistic, though universalist, religion that was practiced by most Kurds up to the Islamization during the sixteenth century. ... For the language group, see Indo-European languages. ... Kurds are one of the Iranian peoples and speak Kurdish, a north-Western Iranian language related to Persian. ... Mosul (Arabic: , Kurdish: موصل Mûsil, Syriac: NînÄ›wâ, Turkish: Musul) is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate. ... Transcaucasia is the name given to a region south of the Caucasus Mountains that covers Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Exonym and endonym. ...

Demographics

Yazidi men in 2007

Yazidis make up an important Iraqi minority community. Estimates of the size of the Iraqi communities vary significantly, between 70,000 and 500,000. The Georgian community has declined significantly (decreasing from 30,000 to 5,000 during the 1990s), while communities in Armenia have been more stable (some 40,000 according to 2001 census). In Russia, the Yazidi population totals 31,273 (2002 census). In Syria, there are two main groupings, in the Jazira and the Kurd Daege, accounting for about 15,000 people. In Turkey, there are now just a very small remnant in some villages south-east of Diyarbakir, remnants of a community of some 80,000 in 1970 (declined to 23,000 in 1985 and to 377 people in 2007^{[citation needed]}). Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 531 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,024 × 680 pixels, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 531 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,024 × 680 pixels, file size: 1. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Minority politics in Iraq. ... Diyarbakir (Syriac: ܐܡܝܕ; Greek: Amida; Turkish spelling: Diyarbakır) is a city in Turkey, situated on the banks of the River Tigris. ...

The Yazidi number around 200,000 to 300,000 individuals in total, but estimates vary on their population size, partially due to the Yazidi tradition of secrecy when asked about one's religious beliefs. Lower estimates are around 100,000, and high estimates around 700,000. Expatriate Yazidi are concentrated in Germany, numbering between 20,000 and 40,000, mainly in Niedersachsen and Nordrhein-Westfalen, most of them from Turkey. A much smaller diaspora community is found in the Netherlands. Very small groups are also found in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the US, Canada and Australia, probably totalling to below 5,000 people. With an area of 47,618 km² and nearly eight million inhabitants, Lower Saxony (German Niedersachsen) lies in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the countrys sixteen Bundesländer (federal states). ... With eighteen million inhabitants inhabiting 34,080 km² in western-northwestern Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia (German Nordrhein-Westfalen) is largest in population though only fourth in area among Germanys sixteen federal states. ... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ...

Origins

Yazidi men in Mardin, late 19th century

The origins of Yazidism are ultimately shrouded in Middle Eastern prehistory. Although the Yazidis speak Kurdish, their religion shows strong influence from archaic Levantine religion, Islam and Christianity. Their principal holy site is in Lalish, northeast of Mosul. The Yazidis' own name for themselves is Êzidî or Êzîdî or, in some areas, Dasinî (the latter, strictly speaking, is a tribal name). Some scholars have derived the name Yazidi from Old Iranic yazata (divine being), while others say it is a derivation from Umayyad Caliph Yazid I (Yazid bin Muawiyah), revered by the Yazidis as an incarnation of the divine figure Sultan Ezi (this is no longer widely accepted). Yazidis, themselves, believe that their name is derived from the word Yezdan or Êzid meaning God; however in ancient vernaculars of Kurdistan such as Urartian the term izid-u means "command" or "admonish". The Yazidis' cultural practices are observably Kurdish, and almost all speak Kurmanjî (Northern Kurdish), with the exception of the villages of Bashiqa and Bahazane in Northern Iraq, where Arabic is spoken. Kurmanjî is the language of almost all the orally transmitted religious traditions of the Yazidis. Thus, religious origins are somewhat complex. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Mardin (Kurdish: , Syriac: ܡܶܪܕܺܝܢ MerdÄ«n, Arabic: ماردين) is a city in southeastern Turkey. ... The Kurdish language (Kurdish: Kurdî or کوردی) is the language spoken by Kurds. ... The Levant is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in Southwest Asia south of the Taurus Mountains, bounded by the Mediterranean Sea in the west, and in the east, the north Arabian Desert and Mesopotamia. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... Conical roofs chracteristic of Yazidi sites mark the tomb of Sheik Adi in Lalish Lalish (Kurdish: LaliÅŸ, also called: Lalisha nûranî) is a small mountain valley situated in Iraqi Kurdistan, about 60 km north-east of the city of Mosul. ... MosÅ«l (36°22′ N 43°07′ E Arabic: al-Mawsil), Kurdish: Mûsil, or Nineveh (Syriac: ܢܝܢܘܐ) is a city in northern Iraq/Central Assyria. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Zoroastrian angelology. ... The Courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, one of the grandest architectural legacies of the Umayyads. ... For main article see: Caliphate The Caliph (pronounced khaleef in Arabic) is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Sharia. ... Yazid Ibn Muawiyah Ibn Abu Sufyan (July 23, 645 - 683) (Arabic: يزيد بن معاوية بن أبي سفيان) was the second Caliph of the Umayyad dynasty. ... For other uses, see Kurdistan (disambiguation). ... Urartian (also called Vannic, in older literature also (Turanian, is Iranian) Chaldean) is the conventional name for the language spoken by the inhabitants of the ancient kingdom of Urartu in the region of Lake Van in modern-day Turkey in the highlands of Armenia. ... The Kurdish language (Kurdish: Kurdî or کوردی) is the language spoken by Kurds. ... Kurmanji (Kurdish: Kurmancî) is the dominant dialect of the Kurdish language spoken in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, the former Soviet republics and by Kurds living in Central Asia. ... Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ... Kurmanji (Kurdish: Kurmancî) is the dominant dialect of the Kurdish language spoken in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, the former Soviet republics and by Kurds living in Central Asia. ...

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. Their cosmogonies apparently have many points in common with those of ancient Persian religions. Early writers attempted to describe Yazidi origins, broadly speaking, in terms of Islam, or Persian, or sometimes even pagan religions; however, publications since the 1990s have shown such an approach to be overly simplistic^[4]. Syncretism is the attempt to reconcile disparate, even opposing, beliefs and to meld practices of various schools of thought. ... Sufism (Arabic تصوف taṣawwuf) is a system of esoteric philosophy commonly associated with Islam. ... Many important ancient and modern religions and religious movements originated from Iran (Persia), such as: Zoroastrism (the first monotheistic religion of the world). ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Pagan and heathen redirect here. ...

The origin of the Yazidi religion is now usually seen by scholars as a complex process of syncretism, whereby the belief system and practices of a local faith had a profound influence on the religiosity of adherents of the Adawiyya Sufi order living in the Kurdish mountains, and caused it to deviate from Islamic norms relatively soon after the death of its founder, Sheikh Adî ibn Mustafa who is said to be of Umayyad descent. He settled in the valley of Laliş (some thirty-six miles north-east of Mosul) in the early 12th century CE. Sheikh Adî himself, a figure of undoubted orthodoxy, enjoyed widespread influence. He died in 1162, and his tomb at Lalish is a focal point of Yazidi pilgrimage. During the fourteenth century, important Kurdish tribes whose sphere of influence stretched well into what is now Turkey (including, for a period, the rulers of the principality of Jazira) are cited in historical sources as Yazidi. Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir al Umawi (Arabic: عدي بن مسافر الاموي) reformed the Yezidi faith of the Kurdish people in 1162. ... The Courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, one of the grandest architectural legacies of the Umayyads. ...

Yazidi and Indo-European gods

The word Taus (in Melek Taus) is derived from the Indo-European root Diyus and is a cognate of Indian Diyuvuh and Greek Zeus. Ancient Indo-Iranians used to worship the souls of their fathers and grandfathers and glorified the souls of their dead. They also believed in a supreme God Diyvuh Pitar (The Father God) and several Devas who represented natural powers. After the arrival of Zoroaster, he kept Ahoramazda (Supreme God) and abolished the other gods such as Devas. Over time, Zoroastrians began to associate Devas with Satan and prohibited painting, statues, sacrifice of animals, alcohol and fasting. Zoroaster called those who did not follow his teachings as demon worshipers. Despite the zoroasterians' efforts, large parts of the population kept their old beliefs in worshiping natural phenomena. According to scholar Taufiq Wahby and others the word Dasni or Dasny, the ethnic self-designation of Yazidis, is a form of the old word Deva Ysne used by Zoroaster to identify those who did not follow his religion^[5]. Look up cognate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... Zoroaster (Greek Ζωροάστρης, Zōroastrēs) or Zarathustra (Avestan: Zaraθuštra), also referred to as Zartosht (Persian: ; Kurdish: ), was an ancient Iranian prophet and religious poet. ... Ahura Mazda () is the Avestan language name for a divinity exalted by Zoroaster as the one uncreated Creator, hence God. ... This article is about the concept of Satan. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... “Fiend” redirects here. ... Taufiq Wahby(1891-1984), was a prominent Kurdish writer, linguist and politician. ...

Religious beliefs

Melek Taus, the peacock angel

In the Yazidi worldview, God created the world, which is now in the care of a Heptad of seven Holy Beings, often known as Angels or heft sirr (the Seven Mysteries). Preeminent among these is Melek Taus (Tawûsê Melek in Kurdish), the Peacock Angel. According to the Encyclopedia of the Orient, "The reason for the Yazidis reputation of being devil worshipers, is connected to the other name of Melek Taus, Shaytan, the same name the Koran has for Satan"^[6]. However, according to the Kurdish linguist Jamal Nebez, the word Taus is most probably derived from the Greek and is related to the words Zeus and Theos, alluding to the meaning of God. Accordingly, Malek Taus is God's Angel, and this is how Yazidis themselves see Melek Taus or Taus-e-Malak^[7]. http://altreligion. ... http://altreligion. ... Melek Taus (The Peacock Angel, Arabic ملاك طاووس) is the Yazidis name for the central figure of their faith. ... Peacock re-directs here; for alternate uses see Peacock (disambiguation). ... Holiness means the state of being holy, that is, set apart for the worship or service of a god or gods. ... The Annunciation - the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus (El Greco, 1575) An angel is an ethereal being found in many religions, whose duties are to assist and serve God. ... Melek Taus (The Peacock Angel, Arabic ملاك طاووس) is the Yazidis name for the central figure of their faith. ... The Kurdish language (Kurdish: Kurdî or کوردی) is the language spoken by Kurds. ... Shaitan (شيطان) is the Arabic word for Adversary, except in different contexts, the word is translated subversely as Separator. It could possibly be a derivation of from שָׂטָן (Hebrew) Satan. ... The Qur’ān [1] (Arabic: , literally the recitation; also sometimes transliterated as Quran, Koran, or Al-Quran) is the central religious text of Islam. ... Jamal Nebez,(or Cemal Nebez in Kurdish)(1933- ) is a renowned Kurdish linguist. ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... Theos may refer to: Theos Is a medical electronics company with revolutionary technology focusing on remote patient monitoring . ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

Yazidis believe that Melek Taus is not a source of evil or wickedness. They consider him to be the leader of the archangels, not a fallen angel, and therefore comparable to the Christians' Saint Michael, who is likewise considered the leader of the "seven who stand before the Lord" and of all other good angels. Also, they hold that the source of evil is in the heart and spirit of humans themselves, not in Melek Taus. The active forces in their religion are Melek Taus and Sheik Adî. The Kitêba Cilwe (Book of Illumination) which claims to be the words of Melek Taus, and which presumably represents Yazidi belief, states that he allocates responsibilities, blessings and misfortunes as he sees fit and that it is not for the race of Adam to question him. Sheikh Adî believed that the spirit of Melek Taus is the same as his own, perhaps as a reincarnation. He is believed to have said : "I was present when Adam was living in Paradise, and also when Nemrud threw Abraham in fire. I was present when God said to me: "You are the ruler and Lord on the Earth). God, the compassionate, gave me seven earths and throne of the heaven." An archangel is a supernatural being of Zoroastrian Persian, Judaic, Christian, and Islamic theology, counted among the angels. ... Guido Renis archangel Michael (in the Capuchin church of Santa Maria della Concezione, Rome) tramples Satan. ... For other uses, see Adam (disambiguation). ... In the Bible and in legend, Nimrod (Standard Hebrew נִמְרוֹד Nimrod, Tiberian Hebrew נִמְרֹד Nimrōḏ), son of Cush, grandson of Ham, great-grandson of Noah, was a Mesopotamian monarch and a mighty hunter before Yahweh. He is mentioned in the Table of Nations (Genesis 10), in the First Book of Chronicles, and... For other uses, see Abraham (name) and Abram (disambiguation). ...

Yazidi accounts of creation differ from that of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. They believe that God first created Melek Taus from his own illumination (Ronahî in Kurdish) and the other six archangels were created later. God ordered Melek Taus not to bow to other beings. Then God created the other archangels and ordered them to bring him dust (Ax) from the Earth (Erd) and build the body of Adam. Then God gave life to Adam from his own breath and instructed all archangels to bow to Adam. The archangels obeyed except for Melek Taus. In answer to God, Malek Taus replied, "How can I submit to another being! I am from your illumination while Adam is made of dust." Then God praised him and made him the leader of all angels and his deputy on the Earth. (This likely furthers what some see as a connection to the Islamic Shaytan, as according to legend he too refused to bow to Adam at God's command, though in this case it is seen as being a sign of Shaytan's sinful pride.) Hence the Yazidis believe that Melek Taus is the representative of God on the face of the Earth, and comes down to the Earth on the first Wednesday of Nisan (March/April). Yazidis hold that God created Malek Taus on this day, and celebrate it as New Year's day. Yazidis argue that the order to bow to Adam was only a test for Melek Taus, since if God commands anything then it must happen. (Bibe, dibe). In other words, God could have made him submit to Adam, but gave Taus the choice as a test. They believe that their respect and praise for Melek Taus is a way to acknowledge his majestic and sublime nature. This idea is called "Knowledge of the Sublime" (Zanista Ciwaniyê). Sheikh Adî has observed the story of Melek Taus and believed in him^[8]. THIS IS A FACT Creation is a doctrinal position in many religions and philosophical belief systems which maintains that a single God, or a group of or deities is responsible for creating the universe. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Nisan (Hebrew: נִיסָן, Standard Nisan Tiberian Nîsān ; from Akkadian , from Sumerian nisag First fruits) is the first month of the civil year and the seventh month (eighth, in leap year) of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. ...

One of the key creationism beliefs of Yazidism is that all Yazidis are descendants of Adam rather than Eve.^[9] Yazidis believe that good and evil both exist in the mind and spirit of human beings. It depends on the humans, themselves, as to which they choose. In this process, their devotion to Melek Taus is essential, since it was he who was given the same choice between good and evil by God, and chose the good.

Yazidis, who have much in common with the followers of Ahl-e Haqq (in western Iran), state that the world created by God was at first a pearl. It remained in this very small and enclosed state for some time (often a magic number such as forty or forty thousand years) before being remade in its current state. During this period the Heptad were called into existence, God made a covenant with them and entrusted the world to them. Besides Melek Taus, members of the Heptad (the Seven), who were called into existence by God at the beginning of all things, include Sheikh Adî, his companion Shaikh Hasan, and a group known as the four Mysteries, Shamsadin, Fakhradin, Sajadin and Naserdin. The Yazidi holy books are the Kitêba Cilwe (Book of Revelation) and the Mishefa Reş (Black Book). Also referred to as Yarsan or Yaresan and also Ali-Ilahis or Aliullahis by outsiders, is one of many Sufi orders in Iran, combining various syncretistic and Islamic ideas with a veneration of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the son-in-law of Muhammad. ... 40 (forty) is the natural number following 39 and preceding 41. ... Many religions and spiritual movements hold certain written texts (or series of spoken legends not traditionally written down) to be sacred. ... The Yazidi Book of Revelation (Kitêba Cilwe in Kurdish) and the Yazidi Black Book (Mishefa ReÅŸ in Kurdish) are the two principal holy books of the Yazidi. ... This religion article needs to be wikified. ...

Two key and interrelated features of Yazidism are: a) a preoccupation with religious purity and b) a belief in metempsychosis. The first of these is expressed in the system of caste, the food laws, the traditional preferences for living in Yazidi communities, and the variety of taboos governing many aspects of life. The second is crucial; Yazidis traditionally believe that the Seven Holy Beings are periodically reincarnated in human form, called a koasasa. Metempsychosis is a philosophical term in the Greek language referring to the belief of transmigration of the soul, especially its reincarnation after death. ... Caste systems are traditional, hereditary systems of social classification, that evolved due to the enormous diversity in India (where all three primary races met, not by forced slavery but by immigration). ...

A belief in the reincarnation of lesser Yazidi souls also exists. Like the Ahl-e Haqq, the Yazidis use the metaphor of a change of garment to describe the process, which they call kiras guhorîn in Kurdish (changing the garment). Alongside this, Yazidi mythology also includes descriptions of heaven and hell, with hell extinguished, and other traditions incorporating these ideas into a belief system that includes reincarnation.^[9] This article is about the theological concept. ... Also referred to as Yarsan or Yaresan and also Ali-Ilahis or Aliullahis by outsiders, is one of many Sufi orders in Iran, combining various syncretistic and Islamic ideas with a veneration of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the son-in-law of Muhammad. ... This article is about metaphor in literature and rhetoric. ... For other uses, see Heaven (disambiguation). ... This article is about the theological or philosophical afterlife. ...

Organization

Yazidi society is hierarchical. The secular leader is a hereditary emir or prince, whereas a chief sheikh heads the religious hierarchy. The Yazidi are strictly endogamous. In addition, members of the three Yazidi castes, the murids, sheikhs and pirs, marry only within their group. Entrance to the emirs palace in Bukhara. ... For other uses, see Sheikh (disambiguation). ... Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a social group. ... Caste systems are traditional, hereditary systems of social classification, that evolved due to the enormous diversity in India (where all three primary races met, not by forced slavery but by immigration). ... Murid (Arabic: مريد ) is a Sufi term meaning committed one. It refers to a person who is committed to a teacher in the spiritual path of Sufism. ... A Pir (Persian: پیر) is a Sufi teacher. ...

Religious practices

Prayers

Yazidi ritual, 2007

Yazidis have five daily prayers: Nivêja berîspêdê (Dawn Prayer), Nivêja rojhilatinê (Sunrise Prayer), Nivêja nîvro (Noon Prayer), Nivêja êvarî (Afternoon Prayer), Nivêja rojavabûnê (Sunset Prayer) ^[10]. The worshipers should turn their face toward the sun, and for the noon prayer, they should face toward Laliş. Such prayer should be accompanied by certain gestures, including kissing the rounded neck (gerîvan) of the sacred shirt (kiras). The daily prayer services must not be performed in the presence of outsiders, and are always performed in the direction of the sun. Wednesday is the holy day but Saturday is the day of rest.^{[citation needed][11]} There is also a three-day fast in December.^[9] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Conical roofs chracteristic of Yazidi sites mark the tomb of Sheik Adi in Lalish Lalish (Kurdish: LaliÅŸ, also called: Lalisha nûranî) is a small mountain valley situated in Iraqi Kurdistan, about 60 km north-east of the city of Mosul. ...

Festivals

The Yazidi New Year falls in Spring (somewhat later than Equinox). There is some lamentation by women in the cemeteries, to the accompaniment of the music of the Qewals, but the festival is generally characterized by joyous events: the music of dehol (drum) and zorna (shawm), communal dancing and meals, the decorating of eggs. Similarly the village Tawaf, a festival held in the spring in honor of the patron of the local shrine, has secular music, dance and meals in addition to the performance of sacred music. Another important festival is the Tawusgeran (circulation of the peacock) where Qewals and other religious dignitaries visit Yazidi villages, bringing the senjaq, sacred images representing the peacock and associated with Malek Ta’us. These are venerated, taxes are collected from the pious, sermons are preached, and holy water distributed. The greatest festival of the year for ordinary Yazidis is the Cejna Cemaiya (Feast of the Assembly) at Lalish, a seven-day occasion. A focus of widespread pilgrimage, this is an important time for social contact and affirmation of identity. The religious center of the event is the belief in an annual gathering of the Heptad in the holy place at this time. Rituals practiced include the sacrifice of a bull at the shrine of Shaikh Shams and the practice of sema. For other uses, see Equinox (disambiguation). ... The shawm was a Renaissance musical instrument of the woodwind family, made in Europe from the late 13th century until the 17th century. ... Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) of the automobile aftermarket was formed in 1963 by Roy Richter, Ed Iskenderian, Willie Garner, Bob Hedman, John Bartlett, Phil Weiand, Jr. ...

Pilgrimage

Tomb of sheik Adi in Lalish

The most important ritual is the annual six-day pilgrimage to the tomb of Sheikh Adi in Lalish, north of Mosul, Iraq. ^[12] A sacred microcosm of the world, as it were, it contains not only many shrines dedicated to the koasasa, but a number of other landmarks corresponding to other sites or symbols of significance in other faiths, including Pirra selat (Serat Bridge) and a mountain called Mt. Arafat. The two sacred springs are called Zamzam and Kaniya sipî (The White Spring). 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 autumn Feast of the Assembly which is celebrated from 23rd of Elul (September) to 1st of Tishrei (October). During the celebration, Yazidi bathe in the river, wash figures of Malek Ta’us and light hundreds of lamps in the tombs of Sheikh Adî and other saints. They also sacrifice an ox, which is one reason they have been connected to Mithraism, in addition to the presence of the dog and serpent in their iconography. The sacrifice of the ox is meant to declare the arrival of Fall and to ask for precipitation during winter in order to bring back life to the Earth in the next Spring. Moreover, in astrology, the ox is the symbol of Tishrei. Image File history File linksMetadata Lalish. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Lalish. ... A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value, which is prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. ... This article is about the religious or spiritual journey. ... Conical roofs chracteristic of Yazidi sites mark the tomb of Sheik Adi in Lalish Lalish (Kurdish: LaliÅŸ, also called: Lalisha nûranî) is a small mountain valley situated in Iraqi Kurdistan, about 60 km north-east of the city of Mosul. ... Mosul (Arabic: , Kurdish: موصل Mûsil, Syriac: NînÄ›wâ, Turkish: Musul) is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate. ... Elul (Hebrew: אֱלוּל, Standard Elul Tiberian  ; from Akkadian ) is the twelfth month of the Jewish civil year and the sixth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. ... Tishrei (or Tishri) (IPA: ) (Hebrew: תִּשְׁרֵי‎ (תִּשְׁרִי‎) Standard () Tiberian () ; from Akkadian Beginning, from To begin) is the first month of the civil year and the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year in the Hebrew calendar. ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ... Hand-coloured version of the anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). ... Tishrei (or Tishri) (IPA: ) (Hebrew: תִּשְׁרֵי‎ (תִּשְׁרִי‎) Standard () Tiberian () ; from Akkadian Beginning, from To begin) is the first month of the civil year and the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year in the Hebrew calendar. ...

Purity and taboos

The Yazidis' concern with religious purity, and their reluctance to mix elements perceived to be incompatible, is shown not only in their caste system, but also in various taboos affecting everyday life. Some of these, such as those on exogamy or on insulting or offending men of religion, are widely respected. Others are often ignored when men of religion are not present. Others still are less widely known and may be localized. The purity of the four elements, Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, is protected by a number of taboos–against spitting on earth, water, or fire, for instance. Spitting on the ground, or pouring hot water on the ground, is discouraged by some Yazidi, because they believe that spirits or souls that may be present would be harmed or offended by such actions, if they happen to be hit by the discarded liquid. These may also reflect ancient Iranian preoccupations, as apparently do the taboos concerning bodily refuse, hair, and menstrual blood. Too much contact with non-Yazidis is also considered polluting. In the past, Yazidis avoided military service which would have led them to live among Muslims, and were forbidden to share such items as cups or razors with outsiders. A resemblance to the external ear may lie behind the taboo against eating lettuce, whose name koas resembles Kurdish pronunciations of koasasa. Additionally, lettuce grown near Mosul is thought by some Yazidi to be fertilized with human waste, which may contribute to the idea that it is unsuitable for consumption. Exogamy has two related definitions, both biological and cultural. ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ...

Customs

Yazidi are dominantly monogamous but chiefs may have more than one wife. Children are baptized at birth and circumcision is common but not required. Dead are buried in conical tombs immediately after death and buried with hands crossed. Yazidi are exclusive; clans do not intermarry even with other Kurds and accept no converts. They claim that they are descended only from Adam. The strongest punishment is expulsion, which is also effectively excommunication because the soul of the exiled is forfeit. In monogamy (Greek: monos = single/only and gamos = marriage) a person has only one spouse at a time (as opposed to polygamy). ... This article is about the Christian religious act of Baptism. ... This article is about male circumcision. ... Interreligious marriage, traditionally (especially in the Catholic Church) called mixed marriage, is marriage (either religious or civil) between partners professing different religions. ... Religious conversion is the adoption of new religious beliefs that differ from the converts previous beliefs; in some cultures (e. ... For other uses, see Adam (disambiguation). ... Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. ...

Myths

The Chermera temple (meaning “40 Men” in the Yazidi dialect) on the highest peak on the Sinjar mountains in northern Iraq. The temple is so old that no one remembers how it came to have that name but it is believed to derive from the burial of 40 men on the mountaintop site

The tale of the Yazidis' origin found in the Black Book gives them a distinctive ancestry and expresses their feeling of difference from other races. Before the roles of the sexes were determined, Adam and Eve quarreled about which of them provided the creative element in the begetting of children. Each stored their seed in a jar which was then sealed. When Eve's was opened it was full of insects and other unpleasant creatures, but inside Adam's jar was a beautiful boychild. This lovely child, known as son of Jar grew up to marry a houri and became the ancestor of the Yazidis. Therefore, the Yazidi are regarded as descending from Adam alone, while other humans are descendants of both Adam and Eve. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Michelangelos Creation of Adam, from the Sistine Chapel. ... In Islam, the ḥūr or ḥūrīyah (Arabic: ) are described as (splendid)[1] companions of equal age (well-matched)[2], lovely eyed[3], of modest gaze[4], voluptuous,[5] pure beings or companions pure of paradise, denoting humans and jinns who enter paradise after being recreated anew in...

Treatment by Muslims

As a demiurge figure, Malek Taus is often identified by orthodox Muslims as a Shaitan, a Muslim term denoting a devil or demon who deceives true believers. In Islam, a common deception by shaytan is to assign partners to Allah. Thus, the Yazidi have been accused of devil worship. Because of this and due to their pre-Islamic beliefs, they have been oppressed by their Muslim neighbors. Treatment of Yazidis was exceptionally harsh during the rule of the Ottoman Empire during the 18th and the first half of 19th century and their numbers dwindled under Ottoman rule both in Syria and Iraq. Massacres at the hand of Ottoman Turks and Muslim Kurdish princes almost wiped out their community in the 19th century^[13][14]. Several punitive expeditions were organized against the Yazidis by the Turkish governors (Wāli) of Diyarbakir, Mosul and Baghdad. These operations were legitimized by fatwa from Islamic clerics (Ulama)^[15]. The objective of these persecutions was the forced conversion of Yazidis to the religion of their Turkish masters^[16]. The Demiurge, The Craftsman or Creator, in some belief systems, is the deity responsible for the creation of the physical universe. ... At its simplest, Shayṭān is the Arabic word for “Satan”. In Islam, Shayṭān (Arabic: شيطان) is an entity analogous to Satan in Christianity. ... This is an overview of the Devil. ... “Fiend” redirects here. ... Allah is the Arabic language word for God. ... Ottoman redirects here. ... Wāli is an administrative title that was used during the Muslim Empire to designate governers of administrative divisions. ... Diyarbakir (Syriac: ܐܡܝܕ; Greek: Amida; Turkish spelling: Diyarbakır) is a city in Turkey, situated on the banks of the River Tigris. ... Mosul (Arabic: , Kurdish: موصل Mûsil, Syriac: NînÄ›wâ, Turkish: Musul) is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate. ... Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... A fatwā (Arabic: ; plural fatāwā Arabic: ), is a considered opinion in Islam made by a mufti, a scholar capable of issuing judgments on Sharia (Islamic law). ... Ulema, a community of legal scholars of Islam and the Sharia. ...

Views of outsiders, fiction, news, stereotypes and controversies

Feleknas Uca, a Kurdish Member of the European Parliament for Germany's Party of Democratic Socialism, was the world's only Yazidi parliamentarian until the Iraqi legislature was elected in 2005. European Yazidis have contributed to the academic community, such as Khalil Rashow in Germany and Jalile Jalil in Austria. Feleknas Uca is a member of the European Parliament for the left German Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS). ... Established 1952, as the Common Assembly President Hans-Gert Pöttering (EPP) Since 16 January 2007 Vice-Presidents 14 Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (EPP) Alejo Vidal-Quadras (EPP) Gérard Onesta (Greens – EFA) Edward McMillan-Scott (ED) Mario Mauro (EPP) Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez (PES) Luigi Cocilovo (ALDE) Mechtild... The Left Party (In German: , officially with a period at the end), formerly Party of Democratic Socialism (Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus, PDS) is a left-wing socialist political party in Germany. ... Iraqi police officers hold up their index fingers marked with purple indelible ink, a security measure to prevent double voting. ... Khalil Rashow or Xalîl Çendî Raşo (1952- ) is a contemporary Yazidi-Kurdish academic, writer and researcher. ... Jalile Jalil or Celîlê Celîl, (1936- ), is a Kurdish historian, writer and Kurdologist. ...

The Yazidi community was affected by several acts of violence in 2007. In April, a group of Yazidi men stoned to death 17 year old Du’a Khalil Aswad, allegedly for her involvement with a Muslim boy. On April 23, 2007 masked gunmen abducted and shot 23 Yazidis near Mosul; this was speculated to be a reprisal attack for Aswad's death. On August 14, 2007 Yazidis were targeted in a series of bombings that became the deadliest suicide attack since the Iraq War began. Stills from the video of the stoning of Du’a Khalil Aswad Dua Khalil Aswad (c. ... is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... On April 23, 2007, a bus that was carrying workers from the Mosul Textile Factory was hijacked. ... Mosul (Arabic: , Kurdish: موصل Mûsil, Syriac: NînÄ›wâ, Turkish: Musul) is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... The 2007 Qahataniya bombings occurred at around 8pm local time on August 14, 2007, when four co-ordinated suicide bomb attacks detonated in the Iraqi towns of Kahataniya (kurdish:Gir Uzeir) and Siba Sheikh Khidir, near Mosul. ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ...

As the Yazidi hold religious beliefs that are mostly unfamiliar to outsiders, many non-Yazidi people have written about them and ascribed facts to their beliefs that have dubious historical validity. For example, horror writer H. P. Lovecraft made a reference to "... the Yezidi clan of devil-worshippers" in his short story The Horror at Red Hook. This article is about the author. ... The Horror at Red Hook is a short story written by H. P. Lovecraft, part of the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror fiction. ...

In her memoir of her service with an intelligence unit of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division in Iraq during 2003 and 2004, Kayla Williams (2005) records being stationed in northern Iraq near the Syrian border in an area inhabited by "Yezidis". The Yezidis were Kurdish-speaking, but did not consider themselves Kurds, and expressed to Williams a fondness for America and Israel. She was able to learn only a little about the nature of their religion: she thought it very ancient, and concerned with angels. She describes a mountain-top Yezidi shrine as "a small rock building with objects dangling from the ceiling", and alcoves for the placement of offerings. She reports that local Muslims considered the Yezidis to be devil worshippers. Kayla Williams (born 1976) is a female American soldier who wrote the book, Love My Rifle More Than You about her experiences in the Army as an Arabic interpreter. ...

In an October 2006 article in The New Republic, Lawrence Kaplan echoes Williams's sentiments about the enthusiasm of the Yazidis for the American occupation of Iraq, in part because the Americans protect them from oppression by militant Muslims and the nearby Kurds. Kaplan notes that the peace and calm of Sinjar is virtually unique in Iraq: "Parents and children line the streets when U.S. patrols pass by, while Yazidi clerics pray for the welfare of U.S. forces."^[17]. For other uses, see New Republic. ... Sinjar is a small town in northwestern Iraq near the Syrian border, with an estimate population in the 2006 census of about 39,875 residents [1]. The wall and other evidence at a huge mound in northeastern Syria known as Tell Hamoukar indicate a complex government dating back at least...

A fictional Yazidi character of note is the super-powered police officer "King Peacock", of the Top 10 series (and related comics). He is portrayed as a kind, peaceful character with a broad knowledge of religion and mythology. He is depicted as conservative, ethical and highly principled in family life. An incredibly powerful martial artist, he is able to destroy matter, a power that he claims is derived from communicating with Malek Ta’us. Vol. ...

The Yazidis, perhaps because of their secrecy, also have a place in modern occultism. G. I. Gurdjieff wrote about his encounters with the Yazidis several times in his book Meetings with Remarkable Men, mentioning that they are considered to be "devil worshippers" by other ethnicities in the region. Georges Ivanovich Gurdjieff (Георгий Иванович Гюрджиев, Georgiy Ivanovich Gyurdzhiev (or Gurdjiev); (January 13, 1866? – October 29, 1949), was an Armenian-Greek mystic, a teacher of sacred dances, and a spiritual teacher. ... Meetings with Remarkable Men is the second volume of the All and Everything trilogy written by Greek-Armenian mystic G. I. Gurdjieff, as well as its G. I. Gurdjieffs personal autobiography. ...

The Theosophical Society, in its electronic version of the Encyclopedic Theosophical Glossary has this to say: The Theosophical Society was the organization formed to advance the spiritual doctrines and altruistic living known as Theosophy. ...

Yezidis (Arabic) [possibly from Persian yazdan god; or the 2nd Umayyad Caliph, Yazid (r. 680 - 683); or Persian city Yezd] A sect dwelling principally in Kurdistan, Armenia, and the Caucasus, who call themselves Dasni. Their religious beliefs take on the characteristics of their surrounding peoples, inasmuch as, openly or publicly, they regard Mohammed as a prophet, and Jesus Christ as an angel in human form. Points of resemblance are found with ancient Zoroastrian and Assyrian religion. The principal feature of their worship, however, is Satan under the name of Muluk-Taus. However, it is not the Christian Satan, nor the devil in any form; their Muluk-Taus is the hundred- or thousand-eyed cosmic wisdom, pictured as a bird. (the peacock)^[18]

The pseudonymous "Arkon Daraul", in the 1961 book Secret Societies Yesterday and Today, describes discovering a Yazidi-influenced secret society in the London suburbs called the "Order of the Peacock Angel". Idries Shah claimed that Malek Taus could be understood, from the Sufi viewpoint, as an allegory of the higher powers in humanity.^[19] In Wanted! God, Dead or Alive, an essay in The Book of Lucifer, the second volume in The Satanic Bible, Anton LaVey refers to the Yazidi as "a sect of Devil worshippers", and interprets their beliefs as follows: Arkon Daraul is the name of the author of A History of Secret Societies (1961), a popular occult/conspiracy work dealing with, among other topics, the Assassins, the Knights Templar, Rosicrucians, Chinese Triads and the Carbonari. ... For the Europe album, see Secret Society (Europe album). ... Order of the Peacock Angel is the name of a Yazidi-influenced secret society described in the 1961 book, Secret Societies Yesterday and Today (subsequently reissued as A History of Secret Societies). ... Idries Shah (16 June 1924–23 November 1996) (Persian: ادریس شاه), also known as Idris Shah, né Sayyid Idris al-Hashimi (Arabic: سيد إدريس الهاشمي), was an author in the Naqshbandi sufist tradition on works ranging from psychology and spirituality to travelogues and culture studies, and was descended from the revered family, the Sadaat of... Satanism Associated organizations The Church of Satan First Satanic Church Prominent figures Anton LaVey | Blanche Barton | Peter H. Gilmore | Peggy Nadramia | Karla LaVey Associated concepts Left-Hand Path | Pentagonal Revisionism | Suitheism | Might is Right | Lex talionis Books and publications The Satanic Bible | The Satanic Rituals | The Satanic Witch | The Devil... Anton Szandor LaVey, born Howard Stanton Levey[1][2] (11 April 1930 – 29 October 1997) was the founder and High Priest of the Church of Satan as well as a writer, occultist, musician, and actor. ...

They believe that God is all-powerful, but also all-forgiving, and so accordingly feel that it is the Devil whom they must please, as he is the one who rules their lives while here on earth.

Academic texts about Yazidis

See also

• Yazidis in Armenia
• Minority politics in Iraq
• 2007 Qahtaniya bombings

Malak Taus, the pre-eminent angel of the Yazidis The Yazidis in Armenia are the largest ethnic and religious minority in the country. ... Minority politics in Iraq are represented by its various ethnic groups. ... The 2007 Qahataniya bombings occurred at around 8pm local time on August 14, 2007, when four co-ordinated suicide bomb attacks detonated in the Iraqi towns of Kahataniya (kurdish:Gir Uzeir) and Siba Sheikh Khidir, near Mosul. ...

References

Encyclopædia Iranica is a project of Columbia Universitys Center for Iranian Studies to create a comprehensive and authoritiative English language encyclopedia about the history and culture of Iran and Persia. ... The Lincoln Journal-Star, formed by the merger of the morning newspaper the Lincoln Journal and the evening newspaper Lincoln Star in 1995, is Lincolns primary local newspaper. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Georg-August University of Göttingen (Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, often called the Georgia Augusta) is a German university, founded in 1734 by George II, King of Great Britain and Elector of Hanover, and opened in 1737. ... Jamal Nebez,(or Cemal Nebez in Kurdish)(1933- ) is a renowned Kurdish linguist. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

• Williams, Kayla, and Michael E. Staub. 2005. Love My Rifle More Than You. W.W. Norton, New York. ISBN 0-393-06098-5
• Kaplan, Lawrence. 2006. Sinjar Diarist. Devil's Advocates. The New Republic. Retrieved on April 14, 2007.

Kayla Williams on the cover of her book Love My Rifle More Than You Kayla Williams (born 1976) is a female American soldier who wrote the book, Love My Rifle More Than You about her experiences in the Army as an Arabic linguist/interpreter and SIGINT operations specialist. ...

External links

• Yazidis in Encyclopaedia Iranica
• Yezidiism, Alternative Religions profile at About.com
• An Inquiry into the Religious Tenets of the Yezeedees by George Percy Badger (1852)
• Devil Worship: The Sacred Books and Traditions of the Yezidiz by Isya Joseph (1919)
• Peacock Angel: Being Some Account of Votaries of a Secret Cult and Their Sanctuaries by E.S. Drower (1941)
• Yezidism: Its Background, Observances and Textual Tradition by Philip G. Kreyenbroek (1995, ISBN 0-7734-9004-3)
• Shaikh ‘Adi, Sufism and the Kurds, by Dr. Zourab Aloian
• Al-Hallaj in Kurdish Tradition, essay on al-Hallaj, presented by Dr. Zorab Aloian at the 35th International Congress of Asian and North African Studies, Budapest, July 1997
• Being Yezidi, on Yezidi identity politics in Armenia, by Onnik Krikorian, first published by Transitions Online (2004)
• Lost in Translation, interviews with Yazidi by Michael Yon in Yezdinar Village, Iraq (June 6, 2005)
• The Beginning of the Universe, photos and a description of Yezidi life in Lalish, Iraq by Michael J. Totten (February 22, 2006)
• Armenia: Yezidi Identity Battle by Onnik Krikorian in Yerevan, Institute for War & Peace Reporting (2 November 2006)
• Yezidi Web (via the Wayback Machine)
• Gunmen kill 23 members of Yazidi religious minority(April 23, 2007)
• [9],Yazidis have stopped performing religious ceremonies at Lalesh temple because of poor security conditions-New York Times(October 14, 2007)