Many Ezidis choose to list their language as Kurdish or Kurmanji because it seems easier when dealing with institutions or people unfamiliar with Ezidis. But doing so risks slowly eroding a history and identity that stretches back thousands of years. One LinkedIn user chose a different path; proudly listing Ezdiki.
Dissolve by 10 March—or face attack. That was the message delivered to the YBŞ in Mosul, placing Shingal’s Ezidis at another crossroads. For a people still rebuilding after genocide, the prospect of imposed security decisions revives a familiar and dangerous pattern. Ezidi leaders warn that dismantling local defense forces without a binding administrative and security agreement could force new displacement and leave the homeland of Sharfadin exposed once again.
The appeal case of Hasna A. has become a critical test of whether European courts are prepared to fully acknowledge and prosecute crimes committed under ISIS rule. For Ezidi survivors, the hearings were not an abstract legal exercise but a painful confrontation with lived trauma. The recognition of enslavement in a European courtroom carries profound meaning, affirming that crimes committed against the Ezidi people are neither forgotten nor beyond accountability.
Iraqi activist Yanar Mohammed, known for defending vulnerable women and supporting survivors of violence, has been shot dead in Baghdad after returning from Canada.
Ezidis in Giessen continue to play a leading role in grassroots dialogue efforts, bringing together diverse religious and cultural groups to promote understanding, respect, and peaceful coexistence in line with the values of Sharfadin.
Women are the quiet strength of every society. Even in the face of violence, displacement, and loss, they continue to protect their families, educate their children, and preserve culture. Among the Ezidis, women have shown that survival alone is not enough; they transform suffering into resilience and silence into voice. Their actions prove that the true power of a society is revealed not in how it dominates, but in how it values and listens to its women.
In the late 1980s, during the Armenia–Azerbaijan war, many Kurds left Armenia, openly stating they would not fight against their Muslim brothers. They relocated to Kazakhstan and remained there for decades, removed from the political and military realities Armenia faced. This development raises legitimate security concerns. Individuals who once refused to defend the state on religious grounds demonstrated that their loyalty was conditional. If loyalty is defined by religion rather than citizenship, the implications are serious. In any future conflict involving a Muslim-majority country, where would such actors stand? Armenia cannot ignore this question.
Ezidi refugees in Australia are calling on the government to prioritise survivors of IS captivity, highlighting the trauma and ongoing needs of those displaced, as widows and children of IS fighters are repatriated.
0:00 / 0:00 Rudaw: هوس بالإيزيديين Swinging Christmas
0:00 / 0:00 Rudaws Besessenheit von Eziden: Die Wahrheit über Sprachgrenzen hinweg verdreht
0:00 / 0:00 Навязчивая одержимость Rudaw езидами: искажение правды на разных языках
0:00 / 0:00 Rudaw’s Obsession with Ezidis: Twisting Truth Across Languages
Among the most ancient and spiritually profound celebrations in the Ezidi religious (sharfadin) calendar is the sacred feast of Xidir...
Rudaw recently published two versions of the same story about a fire at an Ezidi camp—one calling them “Ezidi Kurds” in Turkish, the other “Yazidi” in English. Beyond the inconsistency, the facts differ, raising serious questions about journalistic ethics. Why is there such an obsession with Ezidis, their religion, language, and history? It’s time for media to stop politicizing truth and start reporting honestly.
The holiday of Xidir Nebî and Xidir Êlyas is one of the most important religious celebrations among Ezidis, honoring two revered saints associated with protection, love, and life. Though venerated across multiple cultures—from Iran to Armenia and beyond—Ezidis maintain distinct traditions that blend sacred texts, local legends, and ancient rituals. The festival involves fasting, special plant-based dishes, and symbolic practices such as pêxûn preparation, hair-cutting for blessings, and matchmaking customs rooted in dreams. Folk celebrations include communal gatherings, ceremonial songs, and playful rituals like dolidang, connecting spiritual devotion with social cohesion. Across history, Xidir and Êlyas have absorbed traits from pre-Islamic and pre-Christian myths, linking Ezidi practice to ancient regional narratives of divine guidance and the quest for life-giving waters.
Ezidis in Şengal reaffirm that their safety and ability to control their own security are fundamental rights. Any attempt to undermine local defense structures or allow external interference threatens their survival and identity.
Праздник Хидир Элияс и Хидир Неби — это священный езидский праздник, посвящённый бессмертным святым Хидир Элиясу и Хидир Неби, хранителям жизни, любви и защиты. Отмечаемый ежегодно в феврале, праздник включает добровольный пост, приготовление символических блюд, известных как Священная семёрка, и ритуалы, приглашающие благословение в дом. От мистического знака копыта до приготовления Пехун, этот праздник воспевает исцеление, божественное наставление и обновление как тела, так и духа.
The holiday of Xidir Êliyas and Xidir Nebî is a sacred Ezidi holiday honoring the immortal saints Xidir Êliyas and Xidir Nebî, guardians of life, love, and protection. Observed each year in February, the days combine voluntary fasting, preparation of symbolic foods called the Sacred Seven, and rituals that invite blessings into the home. From the mystical hoofprint sign to the making of Pekhûn, the holiday celebrates healing, divine guidance, and the renewal of both body and spirit.
In 2014, the Mam Rashan Shrine on Mount Sinjar was destroyed in a campaign aimed at erasing Ezidis and their faith, Sharfadin. Its demolition was meant to sever a people from their sacred ground. Rebuilt on its original site, the shrine now stands as proof that destruction did not succeed. It is not only stone restored, but continuity reclaimed.
Rudaw-ը պնդում է, որ եզդիները «քրդեր» են՝ կրկնելով Նեչիրվան Բարզանիի և KRG-ի երկարատև փորձը՝ յուրացնելու մեր ինքնությունը։ Եզդիները առանձին էթնիկ ժողովուրդ են, Շարֆադինի հետևորդներ, որոնք ունեն մեր սեփական պատմությունը, իրավունքները և ձայնը։ Գերմանիան աջակցում է տեղահանված եզդիներին, քանի որ դա նրանց պատասխանատվությունն է, այլ ոչ թե Բարզանիի պատճառով։ Մեզ «քուրդ եզդիներ» անվանելը ջնջում է մեր ինքնությունը, թաքցնում տասնամյակների մարգինալացումը և փորձում է օգտագործել մեզ քաղաքական շահի համար։ Եզդիները անկախ են, և ոչ մի քաղաքական գործիչ կամ լրատվամիջոց չի կարող վերաշարադրել մեր պատմությունը կամ խլել մեր ապագան։
