Some critical points.
Believe that they were created separately from the rest of mankind and are descended from Adam only - not from Adam and Eve like the rest of humanity. Calls themselves "Children of Adam" and
see themselves as a chosen people."
- Not uncommon, but always a bit problematic.
The
Emir (Mirza Beg) at Ba'dari north of Mosul is the secular head and
installs the chief Sheikh (Sheikh Nazir, Baba Sheikh) who resides in Beled-Sinjar and is the supreme religious head and
the infallible authority on their holy scriptures.
- So very top-down, but that goes for most religions.
Yazidis believe that the supreme God created the world, but delegated its maintenance to a hierarchy of seven angels of whom Malak Ta'us (the Peacock Angel) was the first in rank. Malak Ta'us sinned in not worshipping Adam, and was punished by being cast down from heaven. After
shedding tears for 7000 years, with which the fires of hell were quenched, he repented of his sin of pride, was pardoned and reinstated as chief of the angels.
- Bonus point for extinguishing the fires of hell.
In Yazidi belief,
Malak Ta'us is also the devil (
Shaitan), the ruler of this world, and they seek to appease him as they fear his power. They do not actually worship him, but seek to honour and placate him, believing that the Supreme Being has delegated to him dominion over the world. They will never pronounce his Arabic name "Shaitan" or use any word beginning with "Sh". He is seen as a capricious Lord who determines man's fate as he wills and in whom the principles of good and of evil are combined. It is believed that he appeared in different form in various periods of history, the final incarnation being in Sheikh 'Adi ben Musafir who died in 1162.
- So Satan rules the world. A bit pessimistic.
Malak Ta'us rules the universe with the help of six other angels, and he guards the gates of Paradise. The seven angels are worshipped by the Yazidi in the form of seven bronze peacock figures called Sanjaq, the largest of which weighs 320 kg. Six of them are taken yearly on a round of the main Yazidi centres.
As hell was destroyed by Malak Ta'us, it does not exist anymore. There is
no concept of the forgiveness of sins. A person's deeds receive due punishment or reward in his next reincarnation. Transmigration of souls is a process of gradual purification of the spirit through the successive rebirths until the final day of judgement.
- A religion without forgiveness is not my cup of tea. Destroying Hell is quite a feat.
"Like all Shi'a groups, the Yazidis believe firmly in Taqiya, the
dissimulation of their faith in the face of persecution for the sake of the survival of the community."
- Given their history thats only fair.
Sheikh 'Adi, the Yazidi founder figure and saint, was a 12th century Sufi mystic whom the Yazidi believe was the final manifestation of Malak Ta'us. His tomb is their religious centre and focal point of their annual pilgrimage.
Once a year, early in October, all Yazidis are encouraged to assemble at Sheikh 'Adi. The festivities are supervised by the Emir and the Baba Sheikh. The pilgrims bathe ritually in the river and form a procession in which the
various clergy castes carry the Sanjaqs, play the flutes and drums, sing and dance. Hundreds of sesame oil lamps are lighted at the saint's grave and special offerings are brought. White bulls are sacrificed and common meals partaken of. A black serpent, symbol of Malak Ta'us, is carved on the doorway to the shrine and is kissed by the pilgrims. Booths are set up and there is much rejoicing with singing and dancing.
The clergy engage in secret rituals to which the laity (murids) have no access.
- All for dancing clergymen, not so much secret rituals.
The new year festival (ida sersale, first Wednesday in April) is a time of much rejoicing. Sheep, goats or hens are sacrificed, and
houses decorated with flowers. Bonfires are lit at night. Yazidis celebrate other festivals, including two days at the end of the Muslim Ramadan and
a Jesus feast (ida Isa) around Easter time.- Sounds nice and celebrating Easter is a plus.
Yazidis revere their dead, offering gifts, especially the firstfruits, at their graves. Many Yazidi villages have a tomb of a holy man nearby which is used as a local pilgrimage centre. Pilgrims seek blessing, protection and healing at these tombs.
Yazidi taboos include not eating lettuce, as they believe that evil is found in it. Tradition has it that "the devil once hid in a lettuce patch". This belief, ridiculed by their neighbours, probably goes back to the Manichaeans who believed that Divine Light was contained in plants more than in any other substance. Yazidis must not wear clothes of a specific dark blue colour, or a shirt open down the front.
Underwear must be white. Very religious Yazidis do not eat chicken or gazelle meat.
- Not cool. I like lettuce and chicken.
Birth to Yazidi parents is the only way into the community. From birth each Yazidi is automatically linked to his or her specific Sheikh or Pir. This relationship cannot be changed. Children are baptised in the first week after birth, whilst circumcision is optional. Between the 7th to the 11th month, boys are initiated into full membership of the community through a special ceremony in which the Sheikh cuts off three locks of the boy's hair which are hidden by the mother.
- Cutting of hair locks is but better than circumcision.
Yazidi society is divided into two classes, the laity and the clergy.
Marriage is strictly restricted to one's own class, often to one's own clan and is
preferably to a cousin.
- Bad
The
laity (murid) who constitute the majority of Yazidis were not supposed to learn to read or write. They are not initiated into the mysteries of their religion, their duty being to keep the religious rites and taboos and
obey their spiritual leaders.
Every Yazidi is a disciple to a definite Sheikh or Pir, whose hand he kisses every day.
- Too authoritarian for me. Daily hand kissing is a bit much.
The clergy or priests (ruhan, kahana) enjoy great respect and
must not cut their hair or beard. They are divided into six classes. The third of them being the
Fakirs or Karabash who wear black shirts next to their skins and black turbans round their felt caps. They are
organised like a Sufi order and have their own ascetic rules.
Fakirs dressed in black are cool.
Every Yazidi is designated a
"Brother or Sister of the Other World" on reaching puberty. This is a spiritual relationship which persists until death and carries certain ceremonial responsibilities (similar to Godparents in Christianity).
- Very cool name.
Yazidis are organised in tribes, with a chief (Agha) as head. Every tribe is divided into clan groups.
Marriage is monogamous and restricted to a person's caste and clan.They have historically viewed their Syrian Orthodox and Nestorian Christian neighbours as friends and fellow sufferers at the hands of the dominant Sunni majority."
- Pro-Christian is good, marriage restrictions is a big detractor.
Poll
