Core doctrines, deities, and spiritual principles of Yazidism
The Sheikh Adi Shrine at Lalish is the focal point of Yazidi religious architecture. This article examines its key structural features, their symbolic meanings, and how the complex has evolved from the 12th century to the present.
Since the rise of ISIS, Yazidi shrines across Syria have suffered extensive damage, yet community initiatives and international aid have enabled the restoration of several key sites. This article surveys the documented destruction, ongoing reconstruction, and the cultural significance of these holy places.
This article examines Stranbêj, the Kurdish traditional singing style of Iraqi Kurdistan, alongside the sacred music of the Yazidi Qewls and the Syriac Catholic chants of Iraq. It highlights their shared oral foundations, divergent performance contexts, and the scholarly debates shaping their modern reinterpretations.
Since the 1970s, Yazidi studies have moved from exotic curiosity to a rigorous, interdisciplinary field. This article traces the scholarly shift, highlighting key publications, methodological breakthroughs, and the impact of recent events on academic consensus.
Qewls are the sacred hymns of the Yazidi faith, performed in distinct regional styles across Iraq, Syria, and the diaspora. These variations involve melodic contours, vocal ornamentation, and instrumental accompaniment shaped by local oral traditions and community histories.
Yazidi Qewls are sung in distinct melodic frameworks called kûbrî, comparable to Arabic maqamat. These modes structure the ritual chants, dictate the emotional tone, and are transmitted orally by hereditary reciters across regions.
This article examines how Yazidi concepts of sin and ritual purification intersect with and differ from those of neighboring Kurdish Muslim and Christian communities. It highlights theological foundations, ritual practices, oral traditions, and scholarly debates, drawing on recent academic sources.
The Baba Sheikh is the supreme spiritual authority of the Yazidi faith, overseeing key rituals, guiding the community’s moral framework, and embodying symbolic links to the tradition of Sheikh ‘Adī. This article examines his hierarchical position, ritual responsibilities, and the symbolic meanings attached to his role.
Yazidi Qewls are sung using distinct regional melodic idioms known as kubrî. The primary styles—Sinjar, Sheikhan, Syrian, Turkish, and diaspora—differ in tempo, ornamentation, and instrumental accompaniment, reflecting local traditions and historical contacts.
Since the 1990s, Yazidi communities across Europe have created schools, curricula, and community centres that teach the Yazidi faith while supporting integration. Institutions such as the Yazidi Academy in Hanover, the Yezidi Studies Center in Leipzig, and locally‑adapted curricula in Pforzheim illustrate how religious education serves both cultural preservation and social inclusion.