Yuri Dasni

Since the beginning of the XXI century, there has been a growing interest in the history and religion of the #Yezidi# community in the world and attempts are being made to reinterpret them. The subject of this study is Yezidism and Zoroastrianism, which in modern science, depending on the ideological position of different authors, have different ideas. There have been controversies for many years that the Yezidis are Zoroastrians, others claim that the Yezidis are an independent community and these religions are not connected in any way. In fact, the history of Yezidism and Zoroastrianism is so closely interrelated that it is impossible to study Yezidism without getting acquainted with Zoroastrianism and vice versa. In order to better understand Zoroastrianism proper, its roots, its basic theological prerequisites, it is necessary to carefully study the Yezidi sacred hymns, which became the basis of the holy scripture of the Zoroastrians - Avesta, and which is largely based on the principles of the Yezidi creed. When analyzing not only Zoroastrianism, but also all the ancient Indo-Iranian religions known to the world, such as Mithraism, Zurvanism, Manichaeism, Mazdakism, Vedism and others, it is easy to notice that in their essence they are in many ways similar to Yezidism, have identical mythology, symbols and rituals, the names of some deities and mythical heroes. Just as Christianity and Islam originated in the bosom of Judaism, all these Iranian religions are closely connected with Yezidism, whose influence on these cults was fundamental.
According to Yezidism, religion originates from the day God created man and continuously exists to the present day. His scriptures say that first God created seven angels and appointed Malik Taus as the supreme angel; then, with the help of angels, He created the world - the Earth, the Firmament, the Sun and the Moon; after that, God created Adam and Eve, and from Adam's flesh He created Bin Sefar. 72 nations descended from Adam and Eve, and the Yezidi community descended from Bin Sefar; Malik Taus appointed the patron of the Yezidi community and sent down sacred hymns to the Yezidis through him. The preface to the holy book of the Yezidis Jelva says: And God sent Malik Tausa into this world so that he would separate his chosen community and bring her the truth of knowledge, and free her from fear and delusion. This was done first by word of mouth, face to face, then through this book, which is called Jelva, and the reading of which is not allowed for those (people) who stand outside this community. In another holy book of the Yezidis, the Black Book, written in the XII century, it says: Before the appearance of Christ in this world, we had one (monotheistic) religion, which others call idolatry. Jews, Christians and Muslims have harmed our religion. Iranians too.
If you believe the Yezidi mythology, then Yezidism exists forever and is the primary source in relation not only to Zoroastrianism, but also to other world religions. According to the Yezidi version, Zoroaster was a Yezidi, and Zoroastrianism is an offshoot of Yezidism. In particular, the book of the Yezidi Sheikh Hassan, written in 1246, says: Zerdasht was born in the country of Dasin, in the month of April on Wednesday, in the village of Drin in the southern part of Mount Maklub. He underwent the ritual of ablution in the Holy Spring of the Lalish Shrine. At first, he was engaged in improving Yezidism, but then, under the influence of a certain priest named Arjas, he changed his attitude to Yezidism and developed a new religion – Zoroastrianism based on the Yezidi holy book Jelva. Zoroaster opposed the closed system of Yezidism, proposed to reform the religion and open access for initiation not only by birth, but also to all comers. In his opinion, this was necessary in order to increase the number of believers and strengthen the community by attracting new adherents. His idea aroused the anger of the higher clergy, who considered the Yezidis the chosen people and were supporters of the enlightenment and improvement of exclusively people born from the father and mother of the Yezidis. Zoroaster was declared a traitor to the faith and expelled from the community. Having failed in his mission among his fellow tribesmen, Zoroaster turned to other nations and was accepted as a prophet first among many foreigners, and then began to gain popularity among his former co-religionists.
The prayers of Zoroastrianism have many similarities with the prayers of the followers of Yezidism and are also pronounced with two palms raised up at chest level and a face turned to the sun. The number of daily prayers is the same as that of the Yezidis, five, but the most important and obligatory are morning and evening prayers (at sunrise and sunset). Just like the Yezidis, sacred texts should be transmitted orally. In Zoroastrianism, the teaching was transmitted exclusively orally since the Zoroastrians considered any letter to distort the Truth of the Prophet's oral speech. Despite this, in the III century AD. The Zoroastrian teaching was set forth in the Avesta.
The main religious holidays also coincide – in mid-spring, mid-summer, the harvest festival, the feast of the return of livestock from summer pastures, mid-winter, the feast of the commemoration of the deceased and the New Year in the month of April (Nisan). Mandatory attributes of the New Year's Eve are lamps with fire, painted eggs and flowers. All these objects have a certain meaning - the fire symbolizes purification, the egg is a symbol of the origin of life, flowers are the flowering, brightness, and diversity of life. The main holiday in Zoroastrianism, as well as in Yezidism, falls on the 20th of December (on the day of the winter solstice, when the increase in daylight begins) - dedicated to the God – Ida Ezid, in Zoroastrianism dedicated to the Sun God - Mitra. Not a single holiday, ceremony or rite in both Yezidism and Zoroastrianism was complete without a fire that is lit in temples. The Yezidis have preserved these holidays to this day.
There are also similarities in terminology: religion is called daena (modern din); priests feast; holidays - jezhn, Aida, etc. The number of angels also coincides, only the Yezidi archangel Malik Taus, in Zoroastrianism is opposed to Amesha Spenta. Even the main symbol of Zoroastrianism - Faravahar, strongly resembles the Yazidi symbol of the Divine Peacock, to the wings and tail of which a human image with a solar disk is added. All this has been preserved in Yezidism to this day.
As we can see, in Zoroastrianism rituals, terminology, symbolism changed, but the essence remained the same. Based on this, it can be argued that Yezidism is the primary source in relation to Zoroastrianism, and not vice versa. We have touched only on the main provisions of the two religions in order to demonstrate the relationship between Yezidism and Zoroastrianism. Of course, for a more detailed comparison, special studies are needed, which, as we know, have not yet been conducted in the world.[1]