# Yazidism

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

## 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