Qewls and oral transmission

Oral tradition and religious hymns occupy a central place in preserving the faith.

92%

Confidence

Supportive

Contrary

Neutral

What it is: Yazidism preserves much of its doctrine, memory, and devotion through oral tradition, especially in hymns called qewls.

How the tradition understands it: Religious knowledge is transmitted by recitation, listening, ritual performance, and community instruction, not only by reading written texts.

Basis and context: Orality helps explain both the historical flexibility of the tradition and the difficulty of reducing it to a single normative book.

Debates and variations: The recent process of written recording and academic or community canonization of oral texts generated new discussions about authority.

Supportive

Khanna Omarkhali, The Yezidi Religious Textual Tradition

yezidism,khanna-omarkhali,orality,texts

A reference study on the textualization and canonization of Yazidi oral traditions.

Reference: Khanna Omarkhali, The Yezidi Religious Textual Tradition: From Oral to Written.
Content: It examines textual categories, oral transmission, written recording, and disputes over textual authority.
Use in debate: It is central for understanding the qewls and the caution needed toward a simplified written canon.

Philip G. Kreyenbroek, Yezidism: Its Background, Observances and Textual Tradition

yezidism,kreyenbroek,texts,observances

A classic academic book on Yazidi observances and textual tradition.

Reference: Philip G. Kreyenbroek, Yezidism: Its Background, Observances and Textual Tradition.
Content: The book describes beliefs, observances, oral tradition, texts attributed to Yezidism, and the religion's historical background.
Use in debate: It is an important source for orality, practices, and historical formation.

Qewwals and Specialists of the Oral Tradition

yezidism,qewwals,oral-tradition,authority

Religious specialists preserve recitation and doctrinal memory.

Reference: Traditions and studies on the qewwals and other ritual specialists.
Content: These agents preserve hymns, narratives, and performances essential to religious continuity.
Use in debate: It is a relevant source for oral authority and the transmission of knowledge.

Yazidi Qewls

yazidism,qewls,hymns,orality

Religious hymns in Kurmanji preserve doctrine, memory, and devotion.

Reference: Qewls and traditional Yazidi recitations.
Content: The hymns transmit cosmological themes, saints, rites, values, and sacred narratives.
Use in debate: Primary source for orality and transmission of religious knowledge.

Neutral

Kitab al-Jilwah

yazidism,kitab-al-jilwah,texts,canon

Text frequently presented as Yazidi scripture, but with disputed authenticity.

Reference: Kitab al-Jilwah.
Content: The text has often been presented as a Yazidi sacred book; many scholars, however, treat its known form with caution and consider it probably late or mediated by non-Yazidis.
Use in debate: Important as a debated source for the question of written canon.

Mashaf Rash

yazidism,mashaf-rash,black-book,texts

Another text attributed to the Yazidi tradition whose known form is academically debated.

Reference: Mashaf Rash, also called "Black Book" in part of the literature.
Content: The text is frequently cited in popular presentations of Yazidism, but its manuscript history and internal authority are the object of academic dispute.
Use in debate: Serves to show the difference between living oral tradition and supposed fixed written canon.