This is a list of holy figures () in Yazidism.
There are a total of 365 Yazidi holy figures venerated by Yazidis. Many Yazidi tribes and lineages are named after Yazidi holy figures and there are many temples and shrines built in their honor. Holy figures in Yazidism are designated by various special terms including Babçak, Xudan (lord, master, owner, holder, proprietor, protector, deity), Xas (selected, notable, special, elite) and Mêr which translates to (holy) man. According to Yazidi belief God is almighty and absolute, and the Xudans are a part of His power, moreover, in relation to nature, Yazidis believe in Xudans for most of natural elements and phenomena and they are regarded as divine powers that have control over these phenomena. In Yazidi mythology, the Xudans appeared after the creation of the world for the four elements of nature and their manifestations.
Sheikhs
Below is a list of Yazidi holy figures belonging or associated with Sheikh caste:
Adanî
Qatanî
- Ã
Âêxûbekir, patriarch of the Qatanî Sheikhs, member of the Heptad
- Ã
Âêx ÿEbdilqadir
- Ã
Âêx ÃÂsmaîlê ÿEnzelî
- Ã
Âêx Kara
- Ã
Âêx Maviyê Zar
- Ã
Âêx Mehmedê Batinî
- Ã
Âêx Sorê Sora
- Ã
Âêx Xelîfeta
Ã
Âemsanî
- ÃÂzdînê Mîr, patriarch and ancestor of the Ã
Âemsanî Sheikhs
- Ã
Âêx Ã
Âems (Ã
ÂêÃ
Âims), member of the Heptad, Xudan of fire, light and sun
- Amadîn (âÂÂEmad ad-Dën), son of Sheikh Shems; possesses curative powers over stomach aches
- Ã
Âêx Bavikê Ã
Âemsa (Sheikh Babik), son of Sheikh Shems
- Ã
Âêx Alê Ã
Âemsa, son of Sheikh Shems
- Ã
Âêx Avîndê Ã
Âemsa, son of Sheikh Shems
- Ã
Âêx Babadînê Ã
Âemsa, son of Sheikh Shems
- Ã
Âêx Evdalê Ã
Âemsa, son of Sheikh Shems
- Ã
Âêx Hesenê Ã
Âemsa, son of Sheikh Shems, Xatûna Fexra's husband
- Ã
Âêxê ReÃ
 (Cinteyar)
- Ã
Âêx Tokilê Ã
Âemsa, son of Sheikh Shems
- Ã
Âêx Xidirê Ã
Âemsa, son of Sheikh Shems
- Sitiya ÃÂs/ÃÂs, daughter of Sheikh Shems
- Sitiya Nisret, daughter of Sheikh Shems
- Sitiya Bilxan (Belqan), daughter of Sheikh Shems
- Fexredîn, member of the Heptad, Xudan of the Moon
- Ã
Âêx Mend, eldest son of Fexredîn who was ruler of Kilis emirate; Lord of Serpents
- Xatûna Fexra, female saint, daughter of Fexredîn, wife of Ã
Âêx Hesenê Ã
Âemsa; patron of birth and pregnancy, and guardian of women and children
- Ã
Âêx Bedir, son of Fakhraddin
- Aqûb, adopted son of Fakhraddin
- Nasirdîn, member of the Heptad, Angel of Death and Renewal, separates the soul from the body during a person's death, portrayed as an executioner and holder of a knife
- Sicadîn, member of the Heptad, psychopomp and messenger of death, associated with the mouse as a totemic animal and hence also considered the protector of mice.
Other Sheikh figures
Pîrs
Below is a list of Yazidi holy figures belonging or associated with the Pir caste:
- Tawûsî Melek, Lord of this World and Leader of the seven Divine Beings. Only one angel is considered to be a Pîr by Yazidis; he is Tawûsî Melek and he is considered to be the "bavê Pîran" (Father of Pîrs) and the greatest Pîr, which is why he is considered to be a Pîr of all the Pîrs from Pîr Hesen Meman lineage, who in turn are considered Pîrs of the forty homes of Pîrs. Tawûsî Melek's name is seldom mentioned openly and he is instead called Pîr Melekê Elladî (<nowiki/>'The Pîr Angel of the Best Religion'), Pîrê Batinî ('Concealed Pîr') and Pîrê Perdê (Pîr of the Veil) in religious texts.
- Pîr Hesen Meman, was one of the close associates of Sheikh Adi, Pir of the forty Pirs and the head of Pirs. According to the Yazidi tradition, he was the ruler of Harir near Erbil.
- Hesen Elka
- Pîr Xetîb Pisî
- Pîr Afat, Xudan of floods, storms and natural disasters, invoked to protect human life and agricultural production from natural disasters, storms, floods or cold during winter
- Mehmed Reshan (Mem Reshan), "the lion" and Lord of the Rains.
- Pîr Derbês
- Pîrê Cerwan, Xudan of Scorpions. Subdivisions:
- Pîr ÃÂsêbiya ("Pîr ÃÂsa ibn Abî"), one of the followers of Sheikh Adi and his Xezîndar (treasurer).
- Pîr Hecî Mihemed
- Pîr Omerxala, patriarch of the Mirebbî.
- Pîr Qeá¸Âîb el-Ban, a companion of Sheikh Adi
- Pîr Khanî. Traditionally had close ties with the Xaltî tribe in the Diyarbakir area of southern Turkey, with clan members now living in Ain Sifni in northern Iraq.
- Pir Ali (?)
- Pîr Sinî Daranî/Bahrî (Lord of the sea and son of a sea maiden)
- Pîr Hecî âÂÂElî, Haciyal, Hacalî
- Pîr Bûb
- Bûbê Qelender. Likely identified with Pîr Bub.
- Pîr Fadil
- Pîr Sedîq
- Pîr Mend (?)
- Pîr Buwal (?)
- Gavanê Zerzan (protector of cattle)
- Mem Ã
Âivan ("the Shepherd"), protector of sheep, he is represented in the bas-reliefs here with his crook and sheep.
- Pîrê Libnan, Xudan of weddings and family life, during the feast of Xidir Liyas and Xidir Nebî, Yezidis perform rites to ask Xidir Nebî as well as Pîrê Libnan about their wedding and happiness, according to oral tradition, Libnan constructed many places of pilgrimage, acquiring him the epithet of "the Pîr of building-blocks"
- Pîrê Ewra, Xudan of the Clouds, Yazidis venerate the clouds as the source of rain and snow in winter. Some Yazidis fast for one day in his honour.
- Pîr Dawud, a loyal servant of Sheikh Adi
- Pîr Ã
Âeref, a descendant of Dawûd
- Pîrê Terjiman, Sheikh Adi's Arabic to Kurdish translator (since Sheikh Adi was born in Lebanon)
- Pîr Mehmedê Reben, has a shrine at Lalish, the current holder of the Baba Chawish position comes from his lineage
- Pîr Alû Bekr, possesses curative powers over mouth diseases. Has a shrine at Lalish.
Other holy figures
Below are other holy figures, many of whom are considered to be Xudans of specific objects and functions.
- DerwêÃ
Âê Erdê ("Dervish of the Earth"), Xudan of the Earth, invoked during sowing season and at burials, protector of property (In the past, when Yazidis left something valuable on the ground for a few hours, he was invoked to protect it)
- Baba Gûshgûsh, possesses curative powers over ear diseases
- Sitt Nefîse ("Lady Precious") possesses curative powers over fever and insomnia. Personification of a sacred fig or olive tree near Bashiqa.
- Feqire 'Eli
- Kanî Zerr/Kaniya Zerka, possesses curative powers over jaundice, personification of a spring. His name literally means "yellow spring."
- Melekê Mîran (Mêran), possesses curative powers over rheumatism
- Evdê ReÃ
Â/'Ebd Resh ('Ebdî Resho), Xudan of springs. Some Yazidis fast on one day in his honor. He has shrines and holy springs in his honour at the villages of Kerabeg, Kendale and Dêrebûn.
- Bû Qetar Baba, representative of Sheikh Adi in the Mardin area, where a major shrine is dedicated to him
- Hekîm Fêris/Hekkî Fîres/Hakim Luqman, a descendant of Luqman. Patron saint of wounds, since his descendants cure wounds with herbs and medicines.
- Lakmadîn Baba, Sheikh Adi's secretary and guardian of his secrets.
- SeâÂÂd and MesâÂÂûd (or SeâÂÂîd and MesâÂÂûd, MesâÂÂûd and MuseyâÂÂid). Mes'ûdâÂÂs shrine is near Bahzani, while the shrines of MesâÂÂûd and MuseyâÂÂid are in Bashiqa.
- Dayka Jakan, Has a shrine near Bahzani.
- Xidir Liyas/Nebî, Xudan of water, streams and seas, in some Qewl passages, described as a Zindî (Immortal) and his place is the sea or seashore, therefore, he is described as having an eternal life, during the feast of Xidir Nebî and Xidir Liyas in February, Yazidis who are in love perform rites to ask Xidir Nebî as well as Pîrê Libnan about their wedding and happiness
Holy figures of Abrahamic and Sufi background
In Yazidism, figures of Abrahamic or Sufi origin include:
See also
Further reading
References