Here ends Kitâb Reš, which is followed by several stories, some of which are told secretly, some openly.
APPENDIX TO PART I
APPENDIX TO PART I
They say our hearts are our books, and our šeiḫs tell us everything from the second Adam until now and the future. When they notice the sun rise, they kiss the place where the rays first fall; they do the same at sunset, where its rays last fall. Likewise they kiss the spot where the moon first casts its rays and where it last casts them. They think, moreover, that by the multiplication of presents to šeiḫs and idols they keep troubles and afflictions away.
There is a great difference among the ḳôchaks, they contradict one another. Some say, “Melek Ṭâ´ûs appears to me and reveals to me many revelations.” Others say, “We appear to people in many different ways.” Some believe that Christ is Šeiḫ Šams himself. They say that they have had prophets in all times; the ḳôchaks are the prophets. One of the ḳôchaks says in one of his prophecies: “I was in Jonah’s ship, where a lot was cast in my presence. It fell on Jonah; and he was thrown into the sea, where he remained forty days and nights.” Another said: “I was sitting with the great God, who said, ‘I hope the time will come when I shall send Christ to the world.’ I said to him, ‘Yes.’ Then he sent him. After making a sign in the sun, Christ came down to the earth.” He appeared to our sect only, and made for us seven circles, which are at Šeiḫ ‘Adî. Now he appeared to us because we observe the necessary order, which the other sects do not observe. Their origin and race are unknown; ours are known. We are emirs and sons of emirs; we are šeiḫs and sons of šeiḫs; we are ḳôchaks and sons of ḳôchaks, etc. But Christians and Moslems make priests and mullas for themselves out of those who had none of their kindred in those offices before, and never will have afterward. We are better than they. We are allowed to drink wine; our young men also may desire it when they, in company with women, engage in religious dancing and playing. Some of the ḳôchaks and šeiḫs, however, are not allowed to drink it. When one is about to die, he is visited by a ḳôchak, who places a bit of Šeiḫ ‘Adî’s dust in his mouth. Before he is buried his face is anointed with it. Moreover, the dung of sheep is placed on his tomb. Finally, food is offered on behalf of the dead. The ḳôchaks pray for the dead at the graves, for which service they are paid. They tell the relatives of the dead what they see in dreams and visions, and the condition of their dead, whether they have been translated to the human or to the animal race. Some people hide silver or gold coins that they plan to take out in case they are born the second time in this world. Some believe that the spirits of many righteous persons travel in the air. Those spirits make revelations to the ḳôchaks, who are acquainted with the world of mysteries and secrets. Life and death are in their hands. Hence the fate of the people depends on the gratitude and honor which they show the ḳôchaks. According to Yezidis, hell has no existence. It was created in the time of the first Adam, they say, when our father, Ibrîḳ al-Aṣfar, was born.[51] By reason of his generosity and noble deeds, Ibrîḳ had many friends. Now, when he viewed hell he became very sad. He had a small baḳbûḳ aṣfar,[52] into which, as he kept weeping his tears fell. In seven years it was filled. He then cast it into hell, and all its fires were put out that mankind might not be tortured. This incident relates to one of the noble deeds of our first father, Ibrîḳ al-Aṣfar. They have many more such upright men of noble deeds. Such an one is Mohammed Rašân, whose resting place is behind the mount of Šeiḫ Mattie.[53] He (Rašân) is exceedingly strong, so that the most sacred oaths are sworn by him. If any one becomes sick, he takes refuge in making vows to ḫasin, i. e., pillars of idols. Now there is a place of religious pilgrimage which is called Sitt Nafîsah. This place is a mulberry tree in the village of Ba‘ašîḳa. Another such place is called ‘Abdi Rašân, and is in the village of ḳarabek. A third place of pilgrimage is in the village Baḥzanie, which is called Šeiḫ Bakû. Nearby is a spring, and beside this is a mulberry tree. Whoever is afflicted with fever, goes to that tree, hangs on its branches a piece of cloth from his clothes, and casts bread in the spring for the fish. All this he does that he may be cured. They entertain the belief that whoever unties or shakes off one of the shreds of cloth will catch the disease with which the man was afflicted when he hung it up. There are many such trees in the village of Ba‘ašîḳa, and in some other places. There is also a spring of water, called in the common language ‘Ain aṣ-Ṣafra (Yellow Spring). The Yezidis call it Kanî-Zarr.[54] In this swim those who are afflicted with the disease of abû-ṣafar (jaundice). But those who are troubled with dropsy go for cure to the house of the Pir that lives in the village of Man Reš.
When they assemble at Šeiḫ ‘Adî’s, no one is allowed to cook anything. Everyone is to eat from Šeiḫ ‘Adî’s table. As to the ḳôchaks, every one of them sits on a stone, as one sits in prayer. To them the laity go, seeking succor. They give them money while making their petition, and vow to the stone on which the ḳôchak sits, sheep and oxen, everyone according to his means. Now, at the New Year the places are given in contract. When they assemble at the New Year, they dance and play with instruments of joy. Before eating the kabdûš, i. e., the vowed ox, they swim in the water of Zamzam, a spring coming from beneath the temple of Šeiḫ ‘Adî. Then they eat in haste, snatching meat from the pot like fanatics, so that their hands are frequently burned. This practice is in accordance with their rules. After eating, they go up the mountain, shooting with their guns, and then return to Šeiḫ ‘Adî. Everyone of them takes a little dust and preserves it for the times of wedding and death. They wear entwined girdles which they call the ties of the back (belt). They baptize these and the sanjaḳs with the water of Zamzam. He who is called Jawiš[55] wears a stole which is woven from the hair of a goat. It is nine spans in length and around it are sansûls (tinsels).
When the gathering comes to an end, they collect the money from the ḳôchaks and the contractors, and bring it to the emir. After everyone has taken according to his rank, the remainder goes to the emir.
They have another gathering which takes place at the feast of Al-Hijâjj. At this pilgrimage they go up to the mountain which is called Jabal al-‘Arafât.[56] After remaining there an hour, they hasten toward Šeiḫ ‘Adî. He who arrives there before his companions is praised much. Hence everyone tries to excel. The one who succeeds receives abundant blessings.