Yazidi Funeral Rites and Beliefs About the Afterlife

This encyclopedia entry synthesises recent ethnographic fieldwork and theological studies to present a comprehensive overview of Yazidi funeral rites and afterlife beliefs.

Yazidi funeral rites (Kurmanji: defîn) comprise a set of burial practices and cosmological concepts that affirm the soul’s continuity and its eventual rebirth in a new body.

Pronunciation & orthography

The term is spelled defîn in Kurmanji Latin script, rendered as دفن in Arabic‑script manuscripts and as дѐфин in Cyrillic transcriptions used in some Transcaucasian communities. IPA: /deˈfiːn/. Common English misspellings include “defin” and “defeen”.

Main exposition

Ritual sequence

Yazidi funerals begin with the washing of the body, followed by a simple shroud and placement in a wooden coffin. The corpse is then transported to a cemetery, where a short prayer invoking Melek Taus and the Twelve Angels is recited (2). Burial is traditionally oriented east‑west, symbolising the soul’s journey toward the rising sun.

Cosmic return and rebirth

Central to Yazidi mortuary ideology is the belief in reincarnation, termed libas or kiras guherîn (“change of dress”) (2). The dead are thought to re‑enter earthly life in a new body, completing a cosmic cycle of death and renewal. This belief shapes the funeral’s emphasis on “return” rather than permanent separation.

Brotherhood in the afterlife

Transcaucasian Yazidis articulate a notion of “brotherhood in the afterlife”, whereby each individual is linked to a counterpart who will accompany them in the next incarnation (1). This relational schema reinforces communal solidarity beyond mortal existence.

“The soul that departs does not vanish; it merely changes its garment and joins its brother or sister in the next world.” (1)

Cemetery symbolism

Cemeteries function as visual repositories of collective memory. Tombstones often bear sun motifs, peacock feathers, and the eight‑pointed star of the Yazidi faith, alluding to the soul’s radiant journey (4). These symbols also serve to reaffirm identity in diaspora contexts.

In the oral tradition

Yazidi qewl (sacred hymns) contain verses that describe the soul’s voyage. One qewl states, “When the breath departs, the spirit dons a new robe and walks the earth again among the living.” This poetic imagery underlies the ritual language used by priests during defîn ceremonies.

“Bê serê xwe reş e, lê dîsa bi libasê nû tê.” – “The body may be dark, yet the spirit returns in a new dress.” (3)

Scholarly disagreement

Kreyenbroek argues that Yazidi afterlife concepts are primarily dualistic, emphasizing reward and punishment, whereas Açıkyıldız reads the same sources as expressing a cyclical, non‑judgmental rebirth model (1,3). The debate centres on whether the “brotherhood” notion implies a permanent hierarchy or a fluid kinship network.

Common misconceptions

Regional variation

In the Sinjar heartland, families often hold a three‑day mourning period with communal meals, while in Turkish Yazidi villages the emphasis is on rapid burial within 24 hours (2,4). Syrian Yazidis incorporate additional prayers invoking local saints, and diaspora communities in Europe adapt the rites to municipal regulations, sometimes using cremation alternatives where permitted.

Timeline

Data table