'IRAQ AND THE PERSIAN GULF' [‎223v] (451/862)

PEOPLE
33 °
dox Shia sect, akin to or identical with the Qizilbashis who are
affiliated to the Bektashi order of dervishes. The Shebeks are be
lieved by their neighbours to be the survivors of the Mongol
invasions (p. 246). Also, many of the Turkoman villagers of Kirkuk
province are Qizilbashis. The Bahais, who are found in Baghdad,
have a different origin. They are the followers of modernist Shia
teachers who in the nineteenth century created a great stir in Persia
by identifying themselves with the Twelfth Imam. They accept
Mohammed and the Koran, but hold that revelation is progressive.
Their connexion with Iraq is incidental, but they have suffered
juridical persecution from the orthodox Shias of Baghdad (p. 3 I 6 )-
Yezidis
The Yezidis, whose proper name is Dasnayi, speak a Kurdish
dialect and are thought to be of Kurdish stock. In Iraq they inhabit
thejabal Sinjarand theShaikhan district north-east of Mosul (p. 381).
The Yezidi faith is a mixture of both ancient and living religions.
The Zoroastrian element is most notable, and their name may derive
from the Persian Yazdan, God. They believe that the supreme being,
the spirit of good, delegated power over the world for 10,000 years to
Satan {Shaitan) on his fall from heaven. Hence their religion seeks
not to worship but to placate one who is regarded more as the Lord of
Power—a Babylonian and Semitic notion (p. 222)—than as the author
of evil; but the name of Shaitan is never pronounced, nor will they
utter similar words beginning with sh. The more cheerful part of
their religion is concerned with nature worship and the cult of the
sun. There is a spring festival and in October a Feast of Assembly at
Shaikh Adi, at which a bull is sacrificed to the sun, ‘Shaikh Shams ad
Din’, in whose honour they illuminate the neighbourhood at night
with numerous little oil lamps. A great place is held in their pan
theon by the Peacock King, Malek Taus, a power of nature appar
ently not to be identified (as is usually said) with Shaitan. They have
seven sacred and secret bronze images of Malek Taus for different
sections of their community.
They respect Christ (Malek Isa) as an angel and Mohammed as
a prophet, and have adopted many biblical stories. Baptism and
circumcision are customary; they drink wine, but do not eat pork,
gazelle, or fish, lettuce, beans, or pumpkins. Red is a favourite colour
for clothing, which is in the Kurdish style (p. 34 ^)’ but blue is
taboo; their sacred books include the Kitab al Jalweh or Book of
Revelation, containing an account of the powers of Satan, and a Black