Yazidism
ancient monoteistic religion
Yazidism is a monotheistic ethnic religion followed by the Yazidi people.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Lalish%2C_the_holiest_site_in_Ezidkhan%2C_the_sacred_place_of_the_Ezidis_07.jpg/300px-Lalish%2C_the_holiest_site_in_Ezidkhan%2C_the_sacred_place_of_the_Ezidis_07.jpg)
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Quotes
edit- 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
edit- 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
- from inside the Pearl.
Pilgrimage
edit- 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
edit- 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
- Its refuge too is with Sheikh Shems.
- 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
edit- 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
edit- 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
edit- 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)
- you are alive without having been born.
Faith
edit- 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
- for their brothers, the sinners.