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The Yezidis: The History of a Community, Culture and Religion

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Birgül Açikyildiz (Author)
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Birgül Açikyildiz (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 4 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-1784532161
ISBN-10: 1784532169
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: I. B. Tauris (October 16, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1784532169
  • ISBN-13: 978-1784532161
  • Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.9 x 8.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #747,550 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4.0 out of 5 starsA very interesting & important book, but very poorly produced by Tauris.
By Rufus Fuscus on October 21, 2014
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
This is a serious, scholarly (albeit accessible), and at times even fascinating monograph about the Yezidis, and it is a pleasure to read. Unfortunately, the author has been very poorly served by the publisher, Tauris: the paperback edition has been printed in a small format (I never saw this before in a Tauris book), and the black & white photos are of dismal quality. Tauris is known for publishing books with abundant illustrations and even art books. However, the way in which this book has been produced is a disgrace. The author deserves high praise, but the Tauris people should be ashamed of themselves.
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4.0 out of 5 starsYezidism and Hinduism: Common origins from a proto Indo-Iranian religion
By Rama Rao VINE VOICE on March 1, 2015
Format: Paperback
This book focusses mainly on the culture and history of Yezidis. Since the Fall of 2014, the atrocities of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) committed in Iraq and Syria came into light, the world learned that thousands of innocent Yezidis were slaughtered. Their plight and sufferings are too gruesome to describe. Since then there has been a surge of interest in understanding the culture and traditions of Yezidi people. This book gives a comprehensive introduction to Yezidi society, and examines Yezidism not only as a religion but also as a social and historical phenomenon.

A brief summary of this book is as follows: Yezidism did not have liturgical or historical writing before 12th century, but the contemporary religious practices and hymns orally transmitted over generations hint at various layers of development. Modern Yezidis are mainly of Kurdish origin whose ancestors practiced a proto Indo-Iranian religion. Yezidis pray God through the banners of the Peacock Angel and consider celestial gods like sun, fire, water and earth as sacred. They generally pray in the direction of sun, and perform fire sacrifices. Fire is an important part of many ceremonial rituals, and Yezidis are strong believers in reincarnation. They also have a caste system and observe the rite of baptism. All these practices are traced to a proto Indo-Iranian practices that is clearly documented in the Rig Veda and ancient Sanskrit literature of Hinduism. For example, the hymns of Rig-Veda of Hinduism were orally transmitted for 3,000 years in Brahmanical system.

The Islamic practices were introduced to Yezidis much later in 12 century by Sufi Sheikh Adi. After his death in 1162, the Yezidi successors blended his doctrine with Islamic beliefs, which became the modern Yezidi doctrine as we know today.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars
By DRAGUTIN HLAD on December 14, 2014
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
Excellent!
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4.0 out of 5 starsYezidis the Misunderstood Peacock Worshippers
By S. Cranow on October 9, 2015
Format: Paperback
Before a year a couple of years ago many people had never heard of the Yezidi, now people know of them because they were victimized by the radical group, ISIS.  Now they have been driven from their homelands and their women and you g girls have been sold into white slavery . Most people do not know anything more about these people . Which makes this book great because it discusses their origins, history, religious observances, societal structure and material culture. In the introduction this Kurdish woman from Turkey discusses the challenges of traveling to the different areas where the Yezidis live.

Those with a slight familiarity with the Middle East know that many people have mistakenly called the Yezidis devil worshippers. The peacock has been conflated with the devil. It was the peacock that lead Iblis  into paradise so he could deceive Adam and Eve.
In Zoroastrian mythos the wicked god Angra Mainyu made a peacock to display that he could make something good. The peacock is also a metaphor for Satan, decked out in colorful attire yet his feet are totally ugly. The peacock has even more meaning . The peacock was also a symbol for Tammuz , the Greenman of Mesopotamia.

According to Yezidi mythos. God created created the world as as giant pearl and then place it on the back of a bird that he created called Anfar. Later he sent the Melek Taws and the heptad of angels to break the earth apart and make it come to life. According to one legend of the Yezidi Melek Taws was the head angel, like Lucifer and since he refused to bow to man God chose him to lead the planet Earth. According to another legend Melek Taws rebelled against the creation of man but then later repented and god accepted his repentance.Read more ›
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