Not knowing prayers, any posts, any sacrifices, they do not have and no holidays. However, on the 10th day after the new moon of August they gather near the tomb of Sheikh Adi. This collection, who flock to many Yezidis from remote areas, It lasts all day and all the next night. For five or six days before and after the meeting of the small caravans at risk in the plains of Mosul and Kurdistan attacked these pilgrims, traveling always a few people together, and rare year goes by without, so that this pilgrimage has not given cause for any unfortunate incident. They say, that many women ezidok, with the exception of, however, unmarried girls, come from the surrounding villages to the meeting and that this night, after a heavy meal and drinking bout, extinguish all lights and no longer have to speak of the dawn, - now, when all the odds. You can imagine, what's going on in that silence and under cover of darkness.
Yezidis have no ban on any kind of food, except lettuce and pumpkins. They never bake at home of wheat bread, but only barley; I do not know, what the cause.
The vows they use the same expressions, which in the course of the Turks, Christians and Jews, but the strongest oath between them an oath banner Yezidis, t. is. their faith.
These sectarians nourish very great respect for the Christian monasteries, in the neighborhood. When they visit the monastery, He has not yet entered the fence, remove their shoes and, walking barefoot, kiss the door and walls; they think that curry favor St., which is named after the monastery. If it happens during illness to dream some monastery, immediately on recovery they go there with gifts - frankincense, wax, honey or something else. They remain there for about a quarter of an hour before leaving and again kiss the wall. They are without any hesitation or kiss the hand of the patriarch to the bishop - abbot of the monastery. As for the Turkish mosque, they avoid entering into them.
The Yezidis recognize the head of their faith sheikh of the tribe, entrusted with guarding the tomb of the reducing agent of their sect - Sheikh Adi. This tomb is located in Prince Amadiyskogo. The leader of this tribe must always be chosen from the descendants of the Yezidi sheikh; He stated in his rank of prince Amadiyskim, on presentation of the Yazidi, backed by a gift in a few pouches. Respect, that these sects have for their spiritual leader, so great, that they worship a great joy to get one of his old shirts currently on the shroud: they believe, it provides them with the best place in the world to. Some pay up to forty piastres for such relic, and if they can not get a whole shirt, the content part of its. Sometimes sheikh himself sends a gift one of his shirts. Yezidis secretly trafficked the supreme leader share any of the spoils, to compensate it for the costs, caused hospitality, it has had members of their sect.
The head of the Yazidi always keeps to himself another person, which they call the bumps and without which the Council, he is doing nothing. Bumps is considered the leader of the oracle, because it takes advantage of directly receiving revelations from the devil. therefore, if Yezidi ranges, Does it take any important matter, it is sent to the bumps and asks his advice, which the, however, impossible to get without some bribes. Before answering the question, koček, to give more weight to his account, falls down, stretched at full length, and, sheltered, falling asleep or pretending to be asleep, then says, that was revealed to him in a dream over any decision; sometimes for the response message it takes a delay in two or three nights. The following example shows, how great confidence in his revelations. Forty years ago, Yezidi women as well, as well as the Arab, wore, to save soap, blue shirts, indigo dyeing. One morning, totally unexpectedly, bumps came to the head of the sect and told him, that last night he had a revelation: blue is the color of evil omen and not pleasing to the devil.
That was enough, to immediately send for all the families of the order by hand to expel everywhere blue, to part with any of the color of clothing and replace it with white. This order was executed with such precision, what, if now Yezidi, offer a Turk or a Christian, She received a blue blanket, he would prefer to sleep in their clothes, than to use such blanket, be it even in the coldest time of the year.
Yezidis prohibited trim mustache, they must provide their natural growth: so among them are some, who barely visible mouth.
This sect also has its satraps, known in the Aleppo area, under the name fakiran; their popularly called Karabash, because they wear on their heads a black hat with strings of the same color. cloaks their, or aba, too black, but under dress - white. Satraps very little; wherever they appear, they kiss the hands and greet them as messengers of grace and harbingers of good luck. When they are called to the sick, they put their hands on his neck and shoulders and get a good reward for their labors. If they are invited to, to ensure that the dead man bliss in the hereafter, They dress up in front of the body put him on his feet and gently touch his neck and shoulders; then they hit his palm of his right hand, at the same time addressing him with the following words in Kurdish: beheşt, t. is. go to heaven. They paid dearly for this ceremony, and a modest fee, they are not satisfied.
Yezidis believe, that the souls of the dead go to the resting place, where they enjoy bliss a greater or lesser extent,, according to the merits of each, and that sometimes they, As in dreams, family and friends, let know about their desires. This belief they share with the Turks. They are also convinced, that the Day of Judgment they enter into heaven with arms.
Yazidis are divided into several ethnic groups, or tribal, independent from each other. The secular power of the supreme leader of their sect covers only one of his tribe; However, when several tribes fight among themselves, it is his duty to assume mediation in their reconciliation; and rarely effort Eaten they are not crowned with success. Some of the tribes living in the realm of Prince Dzhulemerkskogo, other on earth prince Dzhezirehskogo, some in the mountains, subordinates Diyarbakir, others are in the area of Prince Amadiyskogo. The latter include most of the aristocracy of all tribes, known as Sheikhan; Sheikh of the tribe, which they call the world, t. is. prince, It is the supreme spiritual leader of the Yezidis and the guardian of the tomb of Sheikh Adi. The chiefs of the villages, occupied by this tribe, come all from the same family and could challenge each other's supremacy in the case of any disagreement. But the most powerful and the most formidable of all nations - is, who lives on Mount Sinjar between Mosul and the river Habur; It is divided between the two sheikhs, one of which is ruled by the eastern part of, and the other southern. Gora Sindžar, abundant fruits of all kinds, few available, and the tribe, inhabiting it, can put more than six thousand archers, not counting the cavalry, armed with spears. Year does not pass without, to any large caravan was not robbed this tribe. Yezidis this mountain has withstood several wars against the pashas of Baghdad and Mosul; in such cases, after much bloodshed on both sides, everything eventually is settled for cash. These Yezidis everywhere direct horror his cruelty; when they are engaged in armed robbery, they are not limited to robbery falling into their hands, They kill all the polls; if among them are the sheriffs, descendants of Muhammad, or Muslim scribes, they kill them particularly cruel manner and with particular pleasure, believing, it is a great merit.
Sultan Yezidi suffered in their possessions, because, According to Mohammedan scholars, should recognize all the faithful, who profess the basic tenets: There is no god but God and Mohammed - his prophet, even if he did not comply with any of the remaining provisions of Islamic law.
On the other hand, Kurdish princes suffer Yezidis for his personal benefit: they even try to attract to their possessions perhaps more tribes of this nation, because Yazidis differ proven bravery, they are good warriors, like walking, and horse, and very suitable for every bold enterprise and robbery on the night in the villages; That is why these rulers use them to great advantage both to pacify the rebellious Mohammedan tribes in their realm, and to deal with other princes, warring with them. In addition, the Mohammedans are firmly convinced, that every, who died at the hands of the sectarians, dying a martyr: so Prince Amadiysky keeps to himself the executioner of the Yezidis in the enforcement of the death penalty over the Turks. The Yezidis have the same opinion about the Turks, and in this respect there is reciprocity between them: if the Turk kills Yezidis, he commits an act, very pleasing to God, and if the Turk kills Yezidi, he makes the case, very worthy in the eyes of the great Sheikh, t. is. devil. After spending several years in the service of Prince, amadiysky executioner leaves his post, to give his successor as the opportunity to earn the favor of the devil; and wherever the executioner, folded with this responsibility, neither was, Yezidis always greet him with respect and kiss his hands, sanctified by the blood of the Turks. On the contrary, Persians and all the Mohammedans, belonging to the sect of Ali, Yezidis do not tolerate in their possessions; Moreover, they are forbidden to leave these cultists alive.
During the war with the Turks Yezidis permitted to enslave their wives and children, or to leave for their own need, or sell them; Yezidis, not having the same resolution against Turks, kill all the. If you wish to become a Turk Yezidi, him enough, instead of every profession of faith, curse of the devil, and then quietly learn the prayers in the Turkish tradition: For over eaidami perform circumcision on the eighth day after birth.
All Yazidis speak Kurdish; among them many know Turkish or Arabic, because it often happens to communicate with people, speak these languages, and also because, they find it more profitable and reliable to conduct their business without the help of interpreters.
