A thousand eyes watched
It is said that man is the enemy of what he does not know. It is also said that the more knowledge we gain, the more ignorance we become aware of. When a person reads, explores, researches, and asks questions, he discovers new things, and with them, he realizes how ignorant he was of them. Had he not read or researched, he would have believed he understood, but his discovery of knowledge reveals his ignorance. Therefore, they say that the “dead” person does not know he is dead, nor does he perceive the weeping, loss, arrangements, and subsequent events happening around him. However, everyone around him knows that he has passed away. Similarly, the foolish or ignorant person often does not realize he is foolish, but everyone around him knows it.
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I have finally finished reading a wonderful novel by the Turkish-British, global writer in language, culture, and residence, Elif Shafak, titled “There Are Rivers in the Sky.” The book centers on the Epic of Gilgamesh, the discovery of the clay tablets on which it was inscribed, and the Assyrian-Yazidi people in Iraq, their suffering over centuries, and many other fascinating topics. It is an encyclopedic novel that blends reality with fiction and emotion.
Some aspects of the novel prompted me to research Yazidi culture and history. I found that the origin of their name is disputed among scholars, but the most prominent view attributes it to Yazid ibn Muawiya. I see no connection between him and them, especially since they are not Muslims. Others believe the name is derived from an old Persian word such as “Yazd” or “Izid,” meaning “the Sacred,” “the Worshipped,” or “God.” It might also indicate that their origins trace back to the ancient Persian province of “Yazd.” But as usual, the truth in our regions is lost.
The Yazidis, or Yezidis, adhere to a monotheistic religion with ancient roots. They believe in one God who created the universe and does not allow others to enter it. Their faith is not missionary, and they do not have a prophet or messenger in the sense known in Abrahamic religions. Some researchers view it as an extension or mixture of ancient religions in Mesopotamia and Iran, and their origins may trace back to Islamic sects from which they split, similar to the Druze.
Yazidis belong to the Indo-European ethnic group, like the Persians and Kurds. Their language is Kurdish, and their dialect is called “Kurmanji.” Historically, they have inhabited northern Iraq. They have a unique conception of good and evil. Due to their beliefs and stances, they have suffered genocides throughout history, the most recent being in 2014 at the hands of ISIS criminals, particularly in the Sinjar region. This occurred after the Kurdish Peshmerga forces betrayed them by their sudden withdrawal from Sinjar before the attack, leaving them without adequate protection. This reinforced among some a sense of the necessity to return and pride in a distinct Yazidi identity separate from the broader Kurdish identity.
Yazidis perform the prayer ritual individually, facing the sun. Among their sacred holidays is the Yazidi New Year, celebrated in their holy city of Lalish. Their population ranges between 500,000 and 1.5 million, and they reside in Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Russia, and Germany.
In short, the novel “There Are Rivers in the Sky” is worth reading.
Ahmed Al-Sarraf
