Chapter Three: Faith and Religious Identity
Part 14. Other Religions: Yazidis and Mandaeans
Yazidis and Mandaeans both practice ancient religions that predate the arrival of Islam in the Middle East. Yazidis mostly live in northern Iraq and are thought to be the descendants of the Sabeans mentioned in the Qur`an. The most famous Qur`anic reference to the Sabeans is in Surat al-Baqara where it says, “Surely the believers and the Jews, Nazareans (Christians) and the Sabians, whoever believes in God and the Last Day, and whosoever does right, shall have his reward with his Lord and will neither have fear nor regret” (Sura 2:62, Ahmed Ali translation).
This Qur`anic reference would seem to imply that the Sabeans were monotheists, believing in the same God as the Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Indeed, the Yazidis believe in one creator God, who entrusted oversight of the world to seven angelic beings. One of these beings, Melek Taus, is somewhat similar to the Biblical Satan and the Qur`anic Iblis in that he is said to have fallen from grace, however, unlike Christians and Muslims, Yazidis believe that Melek Taus repented and he represents one of the most important religious figures in their belief system. Their devotion to Melek Taus has led to repeated charges over the centuries that the Yazidis are devil worshipers.
The Mandaeans have also been referred to as Sabeans at different times in the past. They are a gnostic and dualistic religion, whose homelands are in southwestern Iraq, and their numbers are few in modern times. In fact, there are thought to be less than 70,000 Mandaeans worldwide today. Some have fled as far as to Australia. A reclusive group that has long separated themselves from fellow Iraqis, the Mandaeans place an emphasis on water baptism, to the extent that some have suggested they are descendants of the followers of John the Baptist. They are pacifist, egalitarian and family oriented, abstaining from red meat and strong drink.
Both Yazidis and Mandaeans have been victimized by the unrest in Iraq in modern times. The Mandaeans have suffered from the sectarian conflicts in Iraq, with most of them fleeing their homelands, so that they now dwell in nearby countries such as Jordan, Syria or Iran. The Yazidis have been repeatedly persecuted over the centuries, most recently by ISIS who sought to eliminate them from northern Iraq during their short-lived “caliphate” in the region. Yazidis were slaughtered, chased into the mountains, and many of their women were forcibly converted to ISIS’s brand of extremist Islam.
Yazidis and Mandaeans both face a struggle to survive and continue to practice their way of life in the modern Middle East. Check out the linked readings for more information about the Yazidis and Mandaeans. The first link is to a report produced by the Middle East Research Institute (MERI) in the wake of the ISIS genocide against the Yazidis. Section 3 is the most important part of the report for you to look at, since it briefly summarizes Yazidi beliefs, history and current situation. The rest of the report summarizes interviews conducted with Yazidis, some of the atrocities they suffered at the hands of ISIS and proposals for how to obtain justice for the Yazidis. The second link is to a BBC report on the Yazidis from 2014. The third link is to a 2014 report from The Guardian on ISIS’s attack on the Yazidis. It is noteworthy in that it contains a short video of a Yazidi woman pleading to the Iraqi parliament to help them in their plight. The fourth is from the World History Encyclopedia and provides a fuller description of Yazidi history and beliefs. The final link is to a video from the Religions for Breakfast series which goes into some detail on the Mandaean religion, its history, Scriptures, main beliefs, and current challenges.
https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-28686607
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/07/who-yazidi-isis-iraq-religion-ethnicity-mountains
