Yezidiska is a legitimate Yezidi cultural organization located in Sweden. Mr. Amo Şamsi is the Cultural Chair of Yezidiska and a fierce advocate for maintaining the cultural identity of the Yezidi. Mr. Hasan has begun to send me his writings on the true origins of the Yezidi and their religion. Countering the claim of misinformants that they are Hindus. In his introductory article Mr. Hassan relates the Yezidi to other Persian religions such as Mithraism and Zoroastrianism and does not contend that the Yezidi religion is some derivative of Hinduism.
Introduction To The Persian Origins Of The Yezidi Religion
By Amo Şamsi, Cultural Chair Of Yezidiska
By Amo Şamsi, Cultural Chair Of Yezidiska
Islamic Words Hide Mithraic and Zoroastrain Origins
Being a Sufist, Sheik Adi described the Yezidi religion using Islamic terms
The Yezidi religion is one of the most controversial ancient religions of the world. The fact that a Sufist named Sheikh Adi Musafir has Ibin (about 1162 AD) carried out a radical change in the Yezidi religion hangs like a dark curtain in front of the Yezidi past. There is a general consensus that this religion existed before Sheikh Adi, but with a different name and certainly with different customs and traditions. Being that Sheikh Adi Musafir came from an Islamic-Sufist background, he described the Yezidi religion using Islamic terms, however these Islamic terms occult the Yezidi religion’s greater connection with the Persian religions of Mithraism and Zoroastrian. A detailed analysis of the existing literature of the ancient religions of the Middle East gives no evidence of a direct link between names and terms used before Sheikh Adi with the time after him in the Yezidi religion, apart from a few festivals and similar words, for example the Angel named “Yazatas” in Zoroastrianism (also: Zarathustratum) and the word “Yezidi” are very similar. The word means those who worship the angels. My intention here is to illustrate some common customs, festivals and traditions that exist both in Mithraism, Zoroastrianism and the Yezidism and an introduction to the concept that the Yezidi religion is more closely associated with these religions than with Islam [or Hinduism].
Mithraism was among the groups of the old religions existing in Persia circa 2000 years BC. The Mithraic mystery was lasting and established in Persia due to its military elements. The old religions of Persia were very warlike and male (patriarchal) religions. Up until the time of Christianity, there was hardly a radical change in the old religions. There were new religions, such as Zoroastrianism, which came from Mithraism, but this was a reformation of Mithraism by the religious reformer Zarathustra (550 v. Chr), it was not a revolutionary suspension. Each new religion came with new elements to meet the needs of their new followers and their presence. There was always strike and counter strike, for example, Mithraism’s male (patriarchal) religion was followed by Zoroastrianism’s female (matriarchal) religion.
Christianity was effective against Mithraism in Rome and the Jews in Palestine, and finally came Islam as a patriarchal religion against Christianity and Zoroastrianism. The Yezidis played very little in this interplay because they never came to power. A comparison with Zoroastrianism shows that the Yezidis were very much influenced by their religion. No wonder his was the official religion of the state for more than 300 years. Zarathustra’s influence is similar to that of Islam on the Yezidis, especially during and after Sheikh Adi’s arrival among Yezidis. While Mithraism is perhaps even closer to the Yezidi in religious terms, the Yezidi also had cultural and traditional transfusions with both Jews and Christians. Again, some of these links are hard to see due to some of the Islamic like terms used by the Yezidi to describe their religion after the reformations of Sheik Adi.
Yezidi Prayer Rituals And Zoroastrianism
Yezidis pray 5 times a day and face the sun, similar to Zoroastrian traditions.
The payer rites of the Yezidis are very similar to the prayer rites of Zoroastrianism. This is most evident in the morning prayer facing the sun. The Yezidi practice of praying five times a day also originates from Zoroastrianism and not from Islam as has been claimed. For the Yezidis two of the five prayers, the most important prayers said at sunrise and at sunset, are both dedicated to the original Mithra (sun god) and not Zarathustra.
The Yezidi And The Seven Feasts In Zoroastrianism
Zarathustra installed seven feasts for his disciples, all of which have Yezidi counterparts
The seven strict bonds Zarathustra had set for his followers were seven feasts that were dedicated to Ahura Mazda. These seven feasts are more likely to be regarded as pastoral and rural than as military (as in Mithraism) or economic (as in Islam). All of these seven feasts exist in the Yezidi religion today, but due to necessary seasonal time changes the feasts shifted their dates (movable feasts). The following seven feasts of the Yezidi are:
1. Maidhyoi-Zaremaya: mid spring with Zarathustra. With the Yezidis it is held on a Wednesday in April, simultaneously with the festival Fravashis which was celebrated by the Sassaniten and Babylonians. The Yezidis call it (ceremony of dead) or “Cejne Ser sale”.
2. Maidhyoi-shema: mid-summer with Zarathustra. With the Yezidis it is also held in the middle of summer, around the end of July. This is celebrated in Lalish (the Yezidi shrine, about 60 km north of Nineveh in northern Iraq).
3. Paitshahya: Feast of Harvest with Zarathustra. With the Yezidis it is held at the end of August. It is celebrated all over the country. With the Yezidis, Mahmad Rashan is a saint and a protector of crops especially the rain, his feast is celebrated in the spring.
4. Ayathriama: Feast of the herd with Zarathustra. The Yazidis celebrate it in late spring. The Yezidis have two saints of the flock: Memyshivan, saint protector of sheep and Gawanêzersan as a holy protector of cows. The festivals are named after the holy protectors.
5. Maidhyaira: middle of winter with Zarathustra. The Yazidis celebrate it in early October and it lasts for seven days. On Wednesday (the Yezidis call this Wednesday Kabach) an ox or bull is sacrificed. The Yezidis call the entire festival “Cema Sheikh Adi”.
6. Hamaspath-Maedaya: Fixed as the end of spring with Zarathustra. The Yezidis celebrate it at the end of December . The same festival is also celebrated by Christians in and is called “Bialde”.
Mithraism’s Animal Symbolism And The Yezidi
The snake, the scorpion and bull sacrifice are featured prominently in the Yezidi religion as they do in Mithraism.
In the old religions, especially in Mithraism, animals played an important role. They have a great importance in the Yezidi religion as it is believed that animals work in conjunction with the sun and moon. The most famous Mithraic icons are abundantly painted with animals, some of these designs are identical which those on Sheikh Adi’s present day shrine. The animal symbols in the Yezidi religion are celebrated after the interpretation Mithra:
1. The bull: Mithra slaying the bull as sacrifice. The Yezidis bring every autumn a bull as a sacrifice to the temple. The Yezidis sacrifice the animal for humanity and the creation of a harmonious world and, as originally, for a happy New Year. The bull was formerly considered a symbolic sign of autumn, by whose slaughter a rainy, fertile green year would follow.
The Mithra snake is featured prominently at Yezidi temple door posts
2. The Serpent: In Mithraism, the snake plays a symbolic role in the cosmos and zodiac. The snake is one way to go about the sun and the moon. The sun and the moon mark a goal in their journeys. Therefore, the zodiac is a symbol of time. The snake in Mithraism was considered by many scientists as a symbol of movement and development. The serpent represents Mithraism in its connection with the zodiac symbol of time and season. In the Yezidi religion the snake is a sacred animal (especially the black snake) and also represents a saint. But Sheikh Adi gave a special interpretation to the snake myth: A tribe of the Sheikh Caste (Sheikh Mend) is responsible for harnessing the snake’s power. The Sheikh Mend are the natural healer of the Yezidis. If a Yezidi has been bitten by a snake, he could only be healed through the prayer of a member of the Caste of Sheikh Mend using saliva. The icon of the snake is found at the sacred Lalish temple, keeping time eternal at the door of Sheikh Adi.
3. The Scorpion: In the Mithraism zodiac, scorpio symbolizes the sun. The Scorpion (Scorpius) begins on 23 October in the sun cycle. The Yezidis have a purpose competent Pir priest Caste (Pire Gerwa). He has a similar role as Sheik-Mend as a natural healer. Pire Gerwa is a healer and protector against scorpions.
Compared with Zoroastrianism it can be stated that the Yezidis have taken the bull, the snake and the scorpion from the zodiac of Mithraism and not from Zoroastrianism. The snakes and scorpions as they apply in the Avesta of Zarathustra are harmful animals which were sent by Ahriman. Whoever kill these animals performs a good deed in Zoroastrianism, but not in the Yezidi religion.
Influence With Other Religions
Christian Easter eggs are identical with Yezidi tradition
Yezidis are strongly influenced by Zoroastrianism and Mithraism, although Mithraism my have had a greater effect on the Yezidi religion. Due to the fact that the Yezidis were always a minority, there was no mention of confrontation between Yezidis and other religions before the invasion of Islam. Through the study of traditional Yezidi religious texts it is clear that not only did the Iranian Mithras and Zarathustra teachings influence the Yezidi, but that there were also Jewish and Christian influences as well. To date, there are many Yezidi celebrations and customs which can be traced back to the Jews and Christians such as circumcision and the sacrifice feast of the Jews (story of Abraham and Isaac). Even the star of King David is found near Sheikh Adi’s temple, which probably stems from the time when the Jews were exiled in the region. Babylon and Persia were both some of the first historical exile nations of the Jews. The Christian Easter and even Mary and Jesus names are explicitly mentioned in the Yezidi religious texts. There, they play the role of venerable saints. Conversely, Christians took many customs and traditions from the Yezidi in regard to Jesus and the Easter celebration, such as dying eggs and the decorating of doorways with flowers.
Conclusion
If one were to take only the existing Yezidi texts as the basis of their religion, it would follow that this religion would seem very new, because many Islamic terms are mentioned, for example, the important personalities of Mohammad, Ali, Hassan, Abubakir, Omer, etc. They are called saints. But herewith is concomitant evidence that the Yezidis were very clearly influenced by Islam. But the vast majority of current festivals, customs, traditions and oral religious traditions were codified during the period after Islam. Their power in Kurdistan thrived after the arrival of the Sheikh Adi among the Yezidis, who being a Sufist described them using Islamic like terms. This is why many of these traditions now carry Islamic terminology, but their underpinning is much more Mithraic and Zoroastrian in nature.
Comments
Post a Comment