| Yezidism
(Alevism)
History/Founder:
Yezidis
are a Kurdish sect, named after their supposed founder Yezid, the Umayyad
Caliph. The Yezidi revere the Prophet Mohammed and the Sufi mystic Adi
Musafir, a descendent of the Umayyad Caliphs (Kalifs). Adi is credited
with writing many of the Yezidi Holy texts and is most likely to be
the originator of the faith. Islamic writings mention the religion as
early as the fourteenth century, but some scholars link them to Mithraism,
Zoroastrianism, and even ancient Iraqi Buzzard worshippers.
Yezidism is an enigma that has confounded scholars and incited debate
for some time. The influence of Islam on the religion is heavy and obscures
other aspects. Tantalizing clues point in every direction- rituals involving
fire and prayers recited in the direction of the sun are distinctly
Zoroastrian; taboos against eating lettuce and beans, baptisms, and
the belief that Christ is a prophet hint at Manicheism. Other unusual
aspects of Yezidi belief are the reverence of an immortal elemental
spirit named Khidir; temple decorations in Lalish are distinctly Mithraic.
Current
leader/governing body: Rulership
is hereditary, and comes through the seven "priestly" lineages,
hereditary Kurdish rulers.
Number
of Adherents: About sixty-thousand in Iraq and Syria, 200,000 total worldwide.
Clergy:
Yezidi clegy are patterned after the Islamic Hierarchy
of Sheiks and Mullas. Pirs (priests) and Kawals (traveling preachers),
kocheks, (ecstatics and soothsayers), and Murids (laymen who give financial
support).
Requirements
to join: Many
Yezidis are not reluctant to proselytize, and have converted many Christians,
Jews, and Muslims over the years. In recent times, Arabic governments
have made concerted efforts to ostracize the Yezidis (including making
them a seperate group from their fellow Kurds), and their numbers are
dwindling.
Church/temple: The
Khalwa, a simple, sparsely furnished
temple for prayers and getherings. Scripture: There is no specific Yezidi Holy text, but important information about
Yezidi practices is contained in the Mes'haf i Resh, or "black
book" attributed to Adi's son, and the Jelwa, or "book of
revelation," a brief homily attributed to Adi. Neither book is
considered sacred, however- Yezidi tradition is strictly oral, and consists
of prayers,
songs, and hymns in the Kurdish language.
Required
observances, dietary restrictions: Yezidi
religion places taboos on the eating of fish or the meat of gazelles;
the wearing of blue clothing is forbidden.
Basic
teachings and Beliefs of Yezidism: Yezidi
beliefs are a complicated mixture of Islamic and Zoroastrian beliefs,
with Gnostic, Jewish, and Shamanistic elements. Worship centers around
Angels (Yezidi is from the Arabic word for 'angel'), the most important
of which is named Melek Taus, or the "Peacock Angel," also known
as Lucifer. Lucifer plays a different role in Yezidism, where he is considered
the chief Archangel, and the creator of the material world. In Yezidi
belief, Lucifer is not a fallen angel, or the enemy of God. In Yezidi
cosmology, the universal Spirit (the Supreme deity) created a pearl, which
became broken after forty thousand years. Melek, or Lucifer, used the
remains of the pearl to create the material world. After this creation,
the Spirit created the remaining Angels. Yezidi theology claims that Lucifer
was forgiven for his transgressions, and those who revere him are the
spiritual elect of humanity. They are forbidden from referring to him
as Satan.
The
Yezidi believe that time is divided into six Epochs, and each Epoch
has an Avatar, or Archangel. During the first Epoch, the material world
and humankind were created. The Yezidi story of the creation of man
follows the Judeo-Christian Adam and Eve, except that Satan is portrayed
as a wise teacher rather than a temptor.
Holidays:
The most important Yezidi Feast day is that of Jam,
when the various Yezidi groups converge on Lalish, the burial place
of Adi. During the Jam, the Peacock icon, representing Malek Taus, is
presented to the worshippers during a seven day celebration. It coincides
with an ancient Zoroastrian feast day, one of many coincidences that
lead some scholars to make a connection between the two religions. Other
festivals celebrated are NoRuz, the Zoroastrian New Year, marking the
beginning of the astrological year, and other holidays derived from
Zoroastrianism and Mithraism.
Symbols: The prevailing symbol is the Peacock, in particular the bronze icons
central to Yezidi worship. The peacock is the symbol of Malek Taus.
For more information on this and other symbols, please see Religious
symbols.
Myths
and misconceptions: The Yezidi
have long been accused of "Devil worship" due to misunderstandings
of their religious doctrine. In the Yezidi religion, Lucifer is a beneficient
deity, long since reconciled with the Creator.
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