Yazidism

Yazidism is a monotheistic ethnic religion followed by the Yazidi people.

The tomb of Sheikh Adi in Lalish, the holiest site in Yazidism

The roj, an emblem of a sundisk with 21 rays, is the symbol of the Yazidi people and religion

Quotes

Kreyenbroek, Philip (2005). God and Sheikh Adi are perfect: sacred poems and religious narratives from the Yezidi tradition. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN 978-3-447-05300-6. OCLC 63127403.  (Quotes of all hymns below are from Kreyenbroek (2005) unless noted other otherwise.)

Kreyenbroek, Philip (1995). Yezidism: its background, observances, and textual tradition. Lewiston, New York: E. Mellen Press. ISBN 0-7734-9004-3. OCLC 31377794. 

This section provides quotes from sacred hymns in Yazidism (see Yazidi literature on Wikipedia for a comprehensive list).

Creation

• Oh Lord, in the world there was darkness

There were neither mice nor snakes

You freshly brought it to life

Flowers almost burst from it.

Oh Lord, you are the generous master

You opened the way and the road in the darkness

You are the master of all things

You created paradise, many-coloured.

• Qewlê Afirîna Dinyayê — The Hymn of the Creation of the World, 1-2

• Our Lord had a thing in mind

He established the Pearl of the Cup from it

From it he created the holy men He said:

This is still not enough.

The Pearl burst open in its awe of God

It could not bear it (any longer),

it was carried upwards

It became adorned with such colours

Red and white became visible in it.

• Qewlê Afirîna Dinyayê — The Hymn of the Creation of the World, 7-8

• He threw rennet into the ocean

The ocean coagulated because of it

Smoke appeared from it

He built heaven and earth, fourteen spheres

Our God brought the Pearl out.

• Qewlê Afirîna Dinyayê — The Hymn of the Creation of the World, 10

• Water flowed from the Pearl

It became an ocean without end, without beginning

Without road and without gate Our God circled over the water.

• Qewlê Afirîna Dinyayê — The Hymn of the Creation of the World, 12

• He brought Lalish down from above

Lalish became pleasant everywhere

On earth, plants began to grow

With them he adorned the existing things.

• Qewlê Afirîna Dinyayê — The Hymn of the Creation of the World, 22

• Lalish came (down) from heaven

The earth became green, plants came

How many beings grazed on it!

• Qewlê Afirîna Dinyayê — The Hymn of the Creation of the World, 28

• My King is concealed inside it

By himself, he was contented with himself

No world had yet appeared

By himself, he knew himself.

He worshipped himself

Love was always one, and conscious

He became light, worshipping himself

• Qewlê Bê Elîf — The Hymn of B and A, 2-3

Before scripture, before writing

Before the Pen, before Truth

Men had come to know this love.

• Qewlê Bê Elîf — The Hymn of B and A, 8

• The King was lonely in the Pearl

There was no earth, no sky

No mountains, no foundation

One name for faith was ‘God’.

The King was inside the Pearl

Solemnly he gave himself 3,003 names

He added ‘Belief’ as one of those names.

God created belief

He gave it 99 colours

By means of that faith he removed himself

from inside the Pearl.

• Dûʿa Bawiriyê — The Prayer of Belief, 1-3

Pilgrimage

• Drive directly to the Doorway (at Lalish)

Take the Lord’s path without fail

Serve and perform religious duties!

Oh Sheikh Adi, give (religious) wages and freedom

from sin to the Yezidis of East and West

Those who are present and listen, from the treasury of power.

We are deficient, God and Sheikh Adi are perfect.

• Qewlê Îmanê — The Hymn of the Faith, 45

• Let us make pilgrimage to those robes of honour

The mystery of Lalish came from above

So many created things were adorned with it

Men received from it a responsibility, freedom from sin and robes of honour.

We will make pilgrimage to (the wearers of) those robes

The angels stand at the gate of heaven

The holy men of God have taken their places at the assembly and the gathering:

The mystery of the Tradition, which is belief in righteousness and in the foundations

The whole mystery of God is faith.

• Dûʿa Tifaqê — The Prayer of Agreement, 14-15

Sheikhs and angels

• The Leader of the Saints appeared

He was Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir,

Before him, the holy men were saying ‘God is greatest’.

We are deficient, God is perfect.

• Qewlê Bê Elîf — The Hymn of B and A, 14

• Sheikh Adi is the lord of kindness

He appeared among Arabs and non-Arabs.

He appeared in Beyt el-Far

He migrated, he came to Hakkari

At Lalish holy men gathered around him.

He migrated to the Cavern, he came to Lalish

A rumour had reached their ears

They became happy, their hearts were pleased about it.

• Qewlê Şêxadî û Mêra — The Hymn of Sheikh Adi and the Holy Men, 1-3

• My Sheikh Shems is (made) of light

He sits on the golden Throne

Many keys are in his hands

He opens doors to many treasuries

The House of Tradition has hopes of him

Yoe are a remedy for all wounds.

From here on the text becomes a Qewl:

All snakes, all mice

All that is wet, all that is dry

That too shall have a share and a part

in (the sphere of) Sheikh Shems.

All tortoises, all snakes

All that is hidden, all that is open

Its refuge too is with Sheikh Shems.

• Duʿa û Qewlê Şêşims — The Prayer and Hymn to Sheikh Shems, 20-22

• Sheikh Shems is the King.

Sheikh Obekir is the Lord.

Nasirdin is the Sheikh of Sejadin.

• Duʿa û Qewlê Şêşims — The Prayer and Hymn to Sheikh Shems, 36

• (Our) longing is for the King in the Pearl

His light has 3,003 forms

Any one of God’s names is the object of (our) wishes.

My King created the wish

He created the angel Ezrail from light

He adorned the vault of heaven with it.

• Dûʿa Mirazê — The Prayer of Wishes, 1-2

• The angel Ezrail stood at the Gate of Wishes

Night and day he was wishing

Until he attained (his) wish: the Presence.

• Dûʿa Mirazê — The Prayer of Wishes, 4

• Amen, amen, amen

(By) the greatness of Shemsedin

Fekhredin, Sejadin and Nasirdin

Sheikh Shems is the strength of the religion

Qadi il-Ban is ancient

Sultan Sheikh Adi has the first and last crown

Truth, Praise be to God, oh Lord of both worlds

Sheikh Adi, peace be upon you!

• Diroze, 1

• Amen, amen,

The blessing of the faith.

God is the best of Creators.

Through the miraculous power of Shems el-Dîn,

Fekhr el-Dîn, Sejadîn,

Naşir el-Dîn and Babadîn,

Sheykh Shems is the strength of the faith,

Sultan Sheykh Adi is the crown, from first to last.

Truth, Praise be to God.

Oh Lord of the Worlds,

Give good things, avert evil.

We long for a (moment of the) Presence.

• Du‘aya Sibeykê — The Morning Prayer, 1 (source: Kreyenbroek 1995)

Community

• We are deficient, God is perfect

The village we are in is protected by God

The house we are in is maintained by God

Mercy upon the mothers and fathers of those who are present and those who listen, and upon my masters.

• Diroze, 15

Jesus

• Jesus and Simeon

Went to a desert

They came across a skull.

The head that belonged to the skull

When Jesus spoke to it

Began speaking at once.

Jesus talked to it and greeted it

The head answered his greeting

Saying: Prophet Jesus

You are most welcome!

• Qewlê Cumcumî Siltan — The Hymn of the Sultan’s Skull, 1-3

God

• My King has 1,001 names

In his eyes the world is a matter of an hour, an instant

Sultan Ezi knows how many masses of water there are in the ocean

How many stones are scattered over dry river-beds

Sultan Ezi made Eve a bride, Adam a groom.

• Qewlê Hezar û Yek Nav — The Hymn of the Thousand and One Names, 1

• One day I was pondering night and day,

I seek protection with God.

What a great ocean he is!

He is also an endless light.

Four streams have sprung from it.

What a gigantic ocean he is!

Its foundation consists of four cornerstones,

The four foundations are a cornerstone for the holy men,

The assembly of Sheykh Adi, which must observe the prescribed way of dressing.

What an endless ocean he is!

He is the everlasting King of the good men.

I am the supporter of my Sheykh,

I give much praise to my Sheykh.

What a deep ocean he is!

He is the compassionate King of the good men.

I was far away, I came near.

• Qewlê Behra — The Hymn of the Oceans, 1-5 (source: Kreyenbroek 1995)

• You are the eternal one,

you dwelt in the source of light,

You are the eternal one,

you are the living one, the glorious.

You are one, praise is due to you.

• Qewlê Ṭawûsî Melek — The Hymn Of Melek Tawus, 5 (source: Kreyenbroek 1995)

• Oh my Lord, you are higher than the sky,

You have no attributes,

you are everywhere,

You do not give birth,

you are alive without having been born.

• Qewlê Ṭawûsî Melek — The Hymn Of Melek Tawus, 8 (source: Kreyenbroek 1995)

Faith

• My declaration of Faith is: (there is) One God.

Melek Sheykh Hesen is Truth, (he is) the Friend of God.

(God) bless Mount Meqlûb and the Sanctuary.

Salutations to the holy men, to Lalish and to Meqlûb.

Our point of orientation on this earth are the Twin Spires.

The Yezidi nation turns towards Sheykh Adi,

In the worship of prostration.

Sultan Sheykh Adi is my King,

Sheikh Obekr is my Lord, Sultan Êzîd is my King.

• Şehda Dînî — The Declaration of Faith, 1-3 (source: Kreyenbroek 1995)

• God willing, we are Yezidis,

Followers of the name of Sultan Êzîd.

Praise be to God, we are content with our religion and ṭarīqa.

• Şehda Dînî — The Declaration of Faith, 10 (source: Kreyenbroek 1995)

• That intercession is like this:

On one side of the Sirat Bridge is paradise,

on one there is darkness,

and on the third there is hell

There is help from the Friends and Brothers of the Hereafter

for their brothers, the sinners.

• Qewlê Seremergê — The Hymn of the Moment of Death, 69