Yazidis have been in the news a lot lately, due to their persecution by ISIS. Who are they? It is another religion I have never heard of until recently. It makes me wonder how many more religions there are out there...And I can't wait to explore them all!
Yazidis primarily reside in Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. Many of Yazidi beliefs come from Christianity and Islam together. And Yazidis adhere to much of the Bible and the Koran.
It is rumored to have been founded by an 11th century Ummayyad sheikh, and comes from Zoroastrianism, an ancient Persian faith, believed to be the world's first monotheistic religion.
Children are baptized, and circumcised, like Christianity. Yasdan, the Creator of the world, or God, is the almighty for the Yazidis and can't be worshipped directly. Yasdan has seven great spirits or angels and the greatest is the Peacock Angel, called Malak Taus. The peacock is a symbol of immortality in early Christianity because the skin doesn't seem to decay. Yazidis pray to Malak Taus five times a day, like Muslims pray five times a day and refrain from eating pork, like Muslims. They sacrifice animals and believe in rebirth of the soul or reincarnation like Hinduism. So, this ancient religion is even more than Christianity and Islam.
Malak Taus has yet another name, Shaytan, which is Arabic for devil. And this is why Yazidis are believed to be" devil worshippers". But Yazidi is derived from the Persian "ized" and means angel. Izidis actually means "worshippers of God".
It is a strong religion that has lasted centuries of persecution and yet the Yazidis march on, never abandoning their faith. And also never converting others to their religion. One cannot convert to Yazidi, you have to be born into it to be a part of this unique religion.
Therefore, their faith I can say is solid and true and a part of Omnism. Though I can't convert to Yazidi, I can accept and believe in what they do.
Check out BBC for a great article about the Yazidis. http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-28686607
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