The religion of the Kurds
Amongst the Kurds there is found a considerable variety of religions, which has caused unfavourable observers to regard them as idolatrous. Not only are the Christians of several dominations represented among them, but also the Muslims, who form the predominant millah or creed among the peoples of Kurdistan ; in addition to these there are several less important sects, of which by far the most important are the Qizilbâsh and the Yazîdî Kurds.
Of the Christian sects in Kurdistan there are three, the Jacobites, the Armenians, and the Nestorians. Of these the Armenians are most important in the north, where Kurdistan and Armenia adjoin one another. The Armenians are divided into two parties : the uniate Armenians are those who are in communion with the Roman Church, while those who refuse to acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope constitute the non-uniate church. But few Kurds belong to either the Armenian or the Jacobite Church. it is the Nestorian branch which embraces the largest number of Kurds ; the Nestorians and the Kurds are racially closely related through inter-marriage, and, when a Kurd adopts Christianity, it is to the Church of Nestorius that he usually turns ; further, though inter-marriage between Sunni Muslims and Christians of any sect is discountenanced, it is by no means uncommon at the present day for a Kurd to court a Nestorian girl and take her to wife. But the dominant religion throughout the country is naturally Islam, the religion of a long succession of conquerors and of all the surrounding races with whom the Kurd conies into closest contact ; but it is often a form of Islam contaminated by pagan superstitions and strange rites, many of which are said to have points of resemblance with Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and other heathen cults. These corruptions, grafted on to the religion Ibn-ul-Athîr calls them mushrikîn, "polytheists" or "idolaters " (Kâmil, iii, 37)...
The religion of the Kurds
Amongst the Kurds there is found a considerable variety of religions, which has caused unfavourable observers to regard them as idolatrous. Not only are the Christians of several dominations represented among them, but also the Muslims, who form the predominant millah or creed among the peoples of Kurdistan ; in addition to these there are several less important sects, of which by far the most important are the Qizilbâsh and the Yazîdî Kurds.
Of the Christian sects in Kurdistan there are three, the Jacobites, the Armenians, and the Nestorians. Of these the Armenians are most important in the north, where Kurdistan and Armenia adjoin one another. The Armenians are divided into two parties : the uniate Armenians are those who are in communion with the Roman Church, while those who refuse to acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope constitute the non-uniate church. But few Kurds belong to either the Armenian or the Jacobite Church. it is the Nestorian branch which embraces the largest number of Kurds ; the Nestorians and the Kurds are racially closely related through inter-marriage, and, when a Kurd adopts Christianity, it is to the Church of Nestorius that he usually turns ; further, though inter-marriage between Sunni Muslims and Christians of any sect is discountenanced, it is by no means uncommon at the present day for a Kurd to court a Nestorian girl and take her to wife. But the dominant religion throughout the country is naturally Islam, the religion of a long succession of conquerors and of all the surrounding races with whom the Kurd conies into closest contact ; but it is often a form of Islam contaminated by pagan superstitions and strange rites, many of which are said to have points of resemblance with Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and other heathen cults. These corruptions, grafted on to the religion Ibn-ul-Athîr calls them mushrikîn, "polytheists" or "idolaters " (Kâmil, iii, 37).
The attitude of the Kurds towards Judaism is uncertain ; for, whereas the Talmud forbids the admission of Kurdish proselytes (Yebānôth, Jer. i, 6 ; Bab. 16a), Mas'ûdî, the Arab traveller and geographer, is said to have recorded that "Jews are often found among them" (Al-Ansârî, Nukhbat-ud-Dahr, p..19)...
The Religion of The Kurds
By G. R. Driver, Magdalen College, Oxford
Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies
1922
