They say that our hearts are our books, and our šeiḫs tell us everything from the second Adam to now and the future. When they see the sun rise, they kiss the place where the first rays fall; they do the same at sunset, where its last rays fall.
Likewise, they embrace the place where the moon projects its rays first and where it projects them last. They think, moreover, that by multiplying gifts to šeiḫ and idols, they ward off troubles and afflictions.
There is a big difference between the ḳôchaks, they contradict each other. Some say: “Melek Ṭâ’ûs appears to me and reveals to me many revelations.” Others say: "We appear to people in different ways." Some believe that Christ is Šeiḫ Šams himself. They say they have had prophets of all times; the ḳôchaks are the prophets.
One of the kochaks said in one of his prophecies: “I was in Jonah's boat, where a spell was cast in my presence. He fell on Jonah; and he was thrown into the sea, where he remained for forty days and nights. Another said, "I was sitting with the great God, who said, 'I hope the time will come when I will send Christ into the world.' I told him, 'Yes.' Then he sent it.
After making a sign to the sun, Christ descended to earth. » He appeared to go to our sect only, and made for us seven circles, which are in Šeiḫ 'Adî. Now he has appeared to us because we observe the necessary order, which other sects do not observe. Their origin and race are unknown; ours is known. We are emirs and sons of emirs; we are šeiḫs and sons of šeiḫs; we are ḳôchaks and sons of ḳôchaks, etc.
But Christians and Muslims make priests and mullas of those who had none of their parents in these functions before, and will never have one thereafter. We are better than them. We are allowed to drink wine; our young men may also desire it when they engage in religious dances and games in the company of women. Some ḳôchaks and šeiḫs, however, are not permitted to drink it.
When someone is about to die, he is visited by a ḳôchaks, who places a little dust from Šeiḫ 'Adî in his mouth. Before being buried, his face is anointed with it. In addition, sheep dung is placed on his grave. Finally, food is offered in the name of the dead. The ḳôchaks pray for the dead on the graves, a service for which they are paid.
They tell the relatives of the dead what they see in dreams and visions, and the condition of their dead, whether they have been transferred to the human race or the animal race. Some people hide silver or gold coins that they plan to withdraw in case they are born for the second time in this world. Some believe that the spirits of many righteous people travel through the air.
These spirits make revelations to the ḳôchaks, who know the world of mysteries and secrets. Life and death are in their hands.
Therefore, the fate of the people depends on the gratitude and honor they show to the ḳôchaks. According to the Yazidis, hell does not exist. It was created in the time of the first Adam, they say, when our father, Ibrîḳ al-Aṣfar, was born.
Because of his generosity and noble deeds, Ibrîḳ had many friends. Now when he saw hell he became very sad. He had a small baḳbûḳ aṣfar, into which, while weeping, his tears fell. In seven years it was filled. He then cast him into hell, and all his fires were extinguished so that humanity would not be tortured. This incident relates to one of the noble deeds of our first father, Ibrîḳ al-Aṣfar.
They have many more men of integrity and noble actions. One such is Mohammed Rašân, whose resting place is behind the mount of Šeiḫ Mattie. He (Rašân) is extremely strong, so the most sacred oaths are taken by him. If anyone falls ill, he takes refuge by making wishes to ḫasin, i.e. pillars of idols. There is now a place of religious pilgrimage called Sitt Nafîsah. This place is a mulberry tree in the village of Ba'ašîḳa.
Another such place is called 'Abdi Rašân and is located in the villa of Ḳarabek. A third place of pilgrimage is in the village Baḥzanie, which is called Šeiḫ Bakû. Nearby is a spring, and next to it is a mulberry tree. Whoever is afflicted with fever, go to this tree, hang on its branches a piece of cloth from his clothing, and throw bread into the spring for the fish. He does all this to be healed.
They maintain the belief that anyone who detaches or shakes one of the shreds of cloth will catch the disease with which the man was afflicted when he hung it up. There are many such trees in Ba'ašîḳa village and other places. There is also a water spring, called in the common language 'Ain aṣ-Ṣafra (Yellow Spring). The Yazidis call it Kanî-Zarr.
In this bath those who are afflicted with the disease of abû-ṣafar (jaundice.) But those who are troubled by dropsy go for treatment at the house of the Pir who lives in the village of Man Reš.
When they gather at Šeiḫ 'Adî's house, no one is allowed to cook anything. Everyone must eat at Šeiḫ 'Adî's table. As for the ḳôchaks, each of them sits alone, as one sits in prayer. It is to them that the laity go, seeking help. They give them money by making their request, and swear to the stone on which the ḳôchak sits, sheep and oxen, each according to his means.
Now, at New Year's Eve, places are given contractually. When they get together at New Year's Eve, they dance and play with instruments for joy. Before eating the kabdûš, that is to say the dedicated ox, they bathe in the water of Zamzam, a spring coming from under the temple of Šeiḫ 'Adî. Then they eat hastily, tearing the meat from the pot like fanatics, so that their hands are frequently burned.
This practice is consistent with their rules. After eating, they climb the mountain firing their rifles, then return to Šeiḫ 'Adî. Each of them takes a little dust and keeps it for the time of marriage and death. They wear intertwined belts which they call back ties (girdles).
They baptize these and the sanjaḳs with the water of Zamzam. The one called Jawiš wears a stole that is woven from goat hair. It is nine bays long and around it are sansûls (garlands).
When the meeting draws to a close, they collect the money from the ḳôchaks and entrepreneurs, and bring it to the emir. After everyone has taken according to their rank, the rest goes to the emir.
They have another gathering which takes place on the festival of Al-Hijâjj. During this pilgrimage, they go up to the mountain called Jabal al-'Arafât. After remaining there for an hour, they hurried towards Šeiḫ 'Adî. He who arrives there before his companions is much praised. Therefore, everyone tries to excel. He who succeeds receives abundant blessings.
They have yet another assembly. This is what we call “the route of the ḳôchaks”, when everyone, putting a rope around their neck, climbs the mountain. After collecting wood, they bring it to Šeiḫ 'Adî, carrying it on their backs. The wood is used for heating purposes and for the emir's cooking.
During these assemblies, sanjaḳ are distributed. First, they are washed with water acidulated with sumac in order to be cleaned of their rust. Water is distributed in drinks for blessing purposes. In exchange money is taken. Secondly, the kôchaks walk with the sanjaḳ to collect money.
In their preaching, the šeiḫs tell the people that all the kings come from their descendants, like Nisroch, who is Nasr-ad-Dîn, and Kamuš who is Fahr-ad-Dîn, and Artâmîs, who is Šams-ad-Dîn , and many others, like Shabur and Yoram; and many of the royal names of ancient kings, as well as their own (Yazidis) kings, came from their seed.
The sign of the Yezidi is that he wears a round-breasted shirt. It differs from that of other people, whose chest shirts are open all the way down.
There is one occasion when no Yezidi will swear falsely, that is, when one draws a circle on the ground, and is told that this circle belongs to Ṭâ'ûs-Melek, Šeiḫ 'Adî, and Yezîd, and baryshabaḳei.
He places him in the middle of the circle, then tells him that Melek Ṭâ'ûs and all those who have been mentioned above will not intercede for him after his death, and that the shirt of the Jew Nasim will be on his neck, and that the hand of Nasim be on his neck and his eyes, and may Nasim be his brother for the other world, and may he be for him a šeiḫ and a pir if he does not speak the truth.
So if he swears to tell the truth, he can't hide anything. For an oath made under such conditions is considered greater than that made in the name of God, and even than that made in the name of one of their prophets.
They fast three days a year from morning to evening. The fast falls in December, according to the Eastern calendar. They have no prayer except what is mentioned above, such as that referring to the sun and the moon, and asking for help from the šeiḫ and the holy places when they say: "O Šeiḫ 'Adî, O šeiḫ Šams. " etc.
They are all forbidden from teaching their children anything, except for two verses which they teach their children out of necessity and because it is traditional.
A story is told about them by reliable people. Once, when Šeiḫ Naṣir was preaching in a village on Mount Sinjar, there was a Christian mason in the audience who, seeing the house full of people, thought they were going to pray. He then pretended to take a nap, in order to have fun with what he would hear.
He knew the Kurdish language. When the Christian seemed asleep, but was truly awake and listening, Šeiḫ Naṣir began to preach, saying: “Once the great God appeared to me in vision. He was angry with Jesus because of an argument with him. So he caught him and imprisoned him in a pit without water. In front of the mouth of the pit he placed a large stone. Jesus remained in the pit for a long time, calling to the prophets and saints for help and asking for their help.
All those from whom Jesus asked for help would beg the great God to release him. But God did not grant their requests. So Jesus remained in a painful state, not knowing what to do. » After this the preacher remained silent for a quarter of an hour, and so a great silence reigned in the house.
Then he continued saying: “O poor Jesus, why are you so forgotten, so neglected? Do you not know that all the prophets and all the saints do not have the favor of the great God towards Melek Ṭâ'ûs? Why did you forget him and not call him? » Saying this, the preacher again remained silent as before. Subsequently, he continued again: “Jesus remained in the pit until the day he remembered Melek Ṭâ'ûs.
He then asked for her help, praying, 'O Melek Ṭâ'ûs, I have been in this den for some time. I am imprisoned; I sought help from all the saints, and none of them could deliver me. Now save me from this den. When Melek Ṭâ'ûs heard this, he came down from heaven to earth faster than the blink of an eye, removed the stone from the top of the pit and said to Jesus: “Come up, behold, I have brought you out. » Then both ascended to heaven.
When the great God saw Jesus, he said to him, “O Jesus, who brought you out of the pit? Who brought you here without my permission? Jesus answered and said: 'Melech Ṭâ'ûs brought me out of the pit and up here.' Then God said: “If it had been someone else, I would have punished him, but Melek Ṭâ'ûs is very beloved by me; stay here for my honor. So Jesus remained in heaven. »
The preacher added: “Note that those who are outside do not like Melek Ṭâ'ûs. Know that in the resurrection he will not love them either, nor will he intercede for them. But as for us, he will put us all in a plate, carry us on his head, and take us to heaven, while we are in the plate on his head. » When the congregation heard this, they stood up, kissed his garments and his feet and received his blessing.
Now, the views of the Yazidis regarding the birth of Christ and the explanation of the name of the Apostle Peter, are found in one of their stories, which runs like this: “Verily, Mary, the Virgin mother of Jesus, begat Jesus in a different way than she begat him on the right side, 31 between his clothes and his body.
At that time, the Jews had a custom that if a woman gave birth, all her relatives and neighbors brought her gifts. The women were calling, carrying in their right hand a plate of fruit that was to be found in this season, and in their left hand they carried a stone. This custom was very old.
Therefore, when Mary the Virgin gave birth to Jesus, Jonah's wife, who is the mother of Peter, came to her; and, according to custom, carried a plate of fruit in his right hand and a stone in his left. As she went in and gave the dish to Mary, behold, the stone that was in her left hand gave birth to a male. She called his name Simon Cifa, that is, son of the stone. Christians don't know these things like we do. »
They have a story explaining the word heretic. It is this: When the great God created the heavens, he placed all the keys of the treasures and mansions in the hands of Melek Ṭâ'ûs, and ordered him not to open a certain dwelling. But he, unknown to God, opened the house and found a piece of paper with writing on it.
“Thou shalt worship none but thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. » He kept the paper with him and didn't let anyone else know about it. Then God created a ring of iron and suspended it in the air between heaven and earth. Then he created Adam first. Melek Ṭâ'ûs refused to worship Adam when God ordered him to do so. He showed the written paper he took from the mansion and said, “See what is written here. »
Then the great God said: “It is possible that you have opened the dwelling place which I had forbidden you to open. He replied: “Yes. » Then God said to him: “You are a heretic, because you have disobeyed me and transgressed my commandment. »
From here we know that God speaks in the Kurdish language, that is, the meaning of this saying: “Enter the iron ring that I, your God, have made for anyone who acts contrary to my commandment and disobeys me.”
When we criticize a story like this by saying that God expelled Melech Ṭâ'ûs from heaven and sent him to hell because of his pride before God the most high, we do not admit that this is the case. They answer: “Is it possible that one of us in his anger drives his child out of his house and leaves him to wait until the next day before bringing him back? Of course not. Similar is the relation of the great God to Melek Ṭâ' us.
In truth, he loves her extremely. You don't understand the books you read. The Gospel says: 'No one has ascended to heaven except he who descended from heaven.' No one came down from heaven except Melek Ṭâ'ûs and Christ. From this we know that the great God was reconciled with Melek Ṭâ'ûs, who ascended to heaven, just as God descended from heaven and ascended again. »
Here is the story of a kôchak: It is said that at one time there was no rain in the village of Ba'ašîḳa. In this village there was a Yezidi called Kôchak Berû. There were also saints and visionaries living there.
They (people) gathered to ask Berû to take care of the rain. He told them, “Wait until tomorrow so I can take care of it.” They came to him the next day and said, “What have you done about the matter of rain? We are extremely alarmed because she is being held. He replied: “I ascended to heaven last night and entered the couch where the great God, Šeiḫ 'Adî, and some other šeiḫ and righteous men were seated.
The priest Isaac sat next to God. The great God said to me: “What do you want, O Kôchak Berû; why did you come here? I said to him: 'My lord, this year rain has been denied us until now, and all your servants are poor and needy. We beg you to send us rain according to your custom. He remained silent and did not answer me.
I repeated the speech twice and thrice, pleading with him. Then I turned to the šeiḫ who were sitting there, asking for their help and intercession. The great God answered me: “Go away until we think about it.” I came down and I don't know what happened after I came down from the sky. You can go to the priest Isaac and ask him what was said after I came down. »
They went to the priest and told him the story, and asked him what was said after the descent of Kôchak Berû. This priest Isaac was a great prankster. He answered them: “After the kôchak came down, I begged God for rain for you. It was agreed that after six or seven days he would send it. » They waited accordingly, and by a strange coincidence, at the end of the period it rained like a deluge for a while.
Seeing this, the people believed what they were told and honored the priest Isaac, considering him one of the saints and thinking that he must have some Yazidi blood in him. For over twenty years this story was told as one of their saints' tales.
Once, Šeiḫ 'Adî bn Musâfir and his murids were entertained by God in the sky. When they arrived, they did not find any straw for their animals. This is why Šeiḫ 'Adî ordered his murids to carry the straw from his threshing floor to the earth.
While it was being transported, some fell on the way and remained as a sign in the sky to this day. It is known as the straw man route.
They think that prayer is in the heart; that’s why they don’t teach it to their children. And in their book there is also no rule regarding prayer, nor is prayer considered a religious obligation.
Some claim that at one time Šeiḫ 'Adî, in the company of šeiḫ 'Abd-al-Ḳâdir, made a pilgrimage to Mecca, where he remained for four years. After his absence Melek Ṭâ'ûs appeared to them (the two šeiḫs) in his symbol. He dictated to them some rules and taught them many things. Then it was hidden from them.
Four years later, Šeiḫ 'Adî returned from Mecca; but they refused it and did not accept it. They claimed he had died or ascended to heaven. He remained with them, but was without his former respect.
When the time of his death arrived, Melek Ṭâ'ûs appeared to them and declared: “This is Šeiḫ 'Adî himself, honor him. » Then they honored him and buried him with the veneration due to him, and made his tomb a place of pilgrimage. In their estimation, it is a more excellent place than Mecca.
Everyone is required to visit it at least once a year; and, in addition to this, they give a sum of money through the šeiḫ to obtain satisfaction (so that Šeiḫ 'Adî will be satisfied with them). He who is not is disobedient.
Furthermore, it is said that the reason why the pilgrimage to his tomb is considered excellent by us and by God is that at the resurrection Šeiḫ 'Adî will carry in a tray all the Yazidis on his head and take them to paradise, without requiring them to report or respond. Therefore, they consider the pilgrimage to his tomb a greater religious duty than the pilgrimage to Mecca.
There are domes, huts, around the tomb of Šeiḫ 'Adî. They are there for the purpose of receiving the blessings of the tomb. And they are all attributed to the great Šeiḫs, like the hut of 'Abd-al-Ḳâdir-al-Jîlânî; the hut of Šeiḫ Ḳadîb-al-Bân; the hut of Šeiḫ Šams-ad-Dîn; the hut of Šeiḫ Manṣûr-al-Ḥallâj, and the hut of Šeiḫ Ḫasan-al-Baṣrî. There are also a few other huts. Each hut has a calico banner. It is a sign of conquest and victory.
Eating deer meat is forbidden to them, they say, because the eyes of the deer resemble the eyes of Šeiḫ 'Adî. Truly, its virtues are well known and its laudable qualities are traditions passed down from generation to generation. He was the first to accept the Yazidi religion. He gave them the rules of the religious sect and founded the office of the šeiḫ.
In addition to this, he was renowned for his devotion and religious exercise. From Mount Lališ, he used to hear the preaching of 'Abd-al-Ḳâdir-al-Jîlânî in Baghdad. He used to draw a circle on the ground and say to the monks: “Whoever wants to hear the preaching of Al-Jîlânî, let him enter this circle. » The following custom, which we have, began with him: If we want to swear to someone, a šeiḫ draws a circle, and the one who is to take the oath enters it.
At one point, while passing by a garden, Šeiḫ 'Adî asked about lettuce; and, as no one answered, he said: “Huss” (shush). For this reason, lettuce is prohibited and not consumed.
Regarding fasting, it is said of the month of Ramaḍân that he was mute and deaf. That is why, when God ordered the Muslims to fast, he also ordered the Yazidis, telling them in the Kurdish language “sese”, which means “three”. The Mohammedans did not understand this; they took it for “se”, “thirty”. For this reason, they (Yazidis) fast for three days.
Additionally, they believe that there is eating, drinking and other earthly pleasures in the afterlife. Some argue that the rule of heaven is in the hands of God, but the rule of the earth is in the hands of Šeiḫ 'Adî. Being extremely loved by God, he granted him according to the desire of 'Adî.
They believe in the transmigration of souls. This is demonstrated by the fact that when the soul of Manṣûr-at-Ḥallâj separated from his body when the Caliph of Baghdad killed him and threw his head into the water, his soul floated on the water. By a wonderful chance and a strange fact, the sister of the said Manṣûr went to fill her jar. His brother's soul entered it.
Without knowing what had happened, she came home with her. Tired, she felt thirsty and drank from the jar. At that moment her brother's soul entered her, but she did not realize it until she was pregnant. She gave birth to a son who resembled Šeiḫ Manṣûr himself. He became his brother according to birth and his son according to imputation.
The reason they don't use drinking vessels that have a narrow mouth or a mesh lid is that when water is drunk from them, they make a noise. When Šeiḫ Manṣûr's head was thrown into the water, it gurgled. In his honor we do not use small jars with narrow necks.
They claim that they expect a prophet who will come from Persian that he annuls the law of Mohammed and abrogates Islam. They believe that there are seven gods, and that each god administers the universe for ten thousand years; and that one of these gods is Lasiferos, the chief of the fallen angels, who also bears the name of Melek Ṭâ'ûs.
They made him an image carved in the shape of a rooster and worshiped him. They play the tambourine and dance in front of him to make him rejoice with them. They (ḳawwâls) travel to the villages of the Yazidis to collect money, at which time they bring it to the homes to bless and honor them. Some say that Šeiḫ 'Adî is a divinity; others that he is like a vizier for God. It is to him that all things are referred. This is the age of Melek Ṭâ'ûs.
The ruling and administrative power is in his hands until the thousandth year. When time comes to an end, he will hand over power to the next god to rule and administer until the end of another thousand years, and so on until the seventh god.
And yet there is agreement and love between these gods, and none is jealous of the one who can govern and administer the world for a period of ten thousand years. They have a book called Al Jilwah which they attribute to Šeiḫ 'Adî, and they do not allow anyone who is not one of them to read it.
It is mentioned in some of their books that the First Cause is the Supreme God who, before creating this world, amused himself on the seas; and in his hand was a large white pearl, with which he played. So he resolved to throw it into the sea, and then this world was created.
Moreover, they think that they are not of the same seed from which the rest of mankind came, but that they are begotten of the son of Adam, who was born to Adam from his spittle. For this reason, they imagine themselves more noble and more pleasing to the gods than others.
They say they have taken fasting and sacrifice from Islam; baptism of Christians; ban on Jewish foods; their mode of worship of idolaters; concealment of the doctrine of the Rafiḍis (Shiites); human sacrifice and transmigration from the pre-Islamic paganism of the Arabs and Sabians. They say that when a man's spirit leaves his body, it enters into another man if he is righteous; but if he is unjust, as an animal.
