Islamkundliche Untersuchungen - Band 138: The Yaresan

Yaresan (Ehl-i Hak) [Türkçe, İstanbul, 2009]

Islamkundliche Untersuchungen - Band 138: The Yaresan [English, Berlin, 1990]

Islamkundliche Untersuchungen - Band 138: The Yaresan

M. Reza Hamzeh’ee

Klaus Schwarz Verlag

“Yaresan" and "Ahl-e haqq" are the names of an important community concentrated in South Kurdistan. Inspite of its importance, very little is known about this community. For this reason the existing information, although inadequate, has been extensively used by social scientists, including sociologists. But a sociological case study of this community does not exist. Therefore there will be many questions regarding this community which are yet to be answered.
In the present investigation, which is the first general study of this community, attempts are made to draw an overall picture of the community and present some outlines for future research.
The study will focus on three basic questions regarding the community:
a) The most important is to find out who the people are.
b)The second question investigates the contexts in which this community was born. This question concerns the past existence and the factors which contributed to its emergence.
c)The third question will be an extention of the above two and will look at the factors which have contributed to the survival of the community.

M. Reza (Fariborz) Hamzeh’ee was bom in Harsin, a samll Kurdish town in Western Iran. He finished his Primary school in Kermanshah, and secondary school in Tehran, where he also did his two-year military service. His fascination for India took him to that country where he lived for many years studying. Since 1981 he has been living in Germany doing research in sociology.

Contents

1. Concept and Methodology
1.1. Structure of the Research / 1
1.1.1. Delimiting the questions / 1
1.1.2. The character of the community / 1
1.1.3. Context of the community’s emergence / 3
1.1.4. Survival of the Yaresan / 4
1.1.4. a) Solidarity / 7
1.1.4. b) Social structure / 8
1.1.4. c) Pre-existing ideas and experiences / 9
1.2. Methodology / 10
1.2.1. Typological approach / 10
1.2.2. Socio-psychological approach / 12
1.3. Sources and Research / 16
1.3.1. Research position / 16
1.3.2. Material study / 17
1.3.3. Resources / 18
1.3.3. a) Field research / 18
1.3.3. b) Secondary literature / 18
1.3.3. C) Primary literature / 19
1.3.3. C. a) Traveller's reports and the like / 19
1.3.3.C. b) History and historical books / 19
1.3.3.C. cj Heresiographical books / 20
1.3.3.C. e) Other religious books / 23
1.4. Concept clarification / 24
1.4.1. Nativism / 24
1.4.2. Millenarism / 26
1.5. Name Clarification / 28
1.5.1. Name of the community / 28
1.5.2. Some place names / 28
1.5.2. a) Iran / 28
1.5.2. b) Kermanshah / 28
1.5.2. c) Lakestan / 30

2. Socio-Economic and Historical Background
2.1. Socio-Economic Background / 32
2.1.1. Iranian economy / 32
2.1.2. Kurdish society and economy / 36
2.1.3. Yaresan demography, economy and society / 38
2.1.3. a) Distribution of the Yaresan community / 38
2.1.3. b) Yaresan economy and society / 40
2.2. Historical Background / 41
2.2.1. Bahlul period / 42
2.2.2. a) Shah Fazl period / 44
2.2.2. b) Kurdish protest movements during the Arab domination / 45
2.2.3. Baba Sarhang period / 48
2.2.4. a) Shah Khoshin period / 49
2.2.4. b) Lorestan, Lakestan and Kermanshah / 49
2.2.4. c) Pir Shahriyar / 51
2.2.4. d) The Sho'ubite movement / 52
2.2.4. e) Historical background of the region in Shah Khoshin’s period / 53
2.2.5. a) Soltan Sahak period / 56
2.2.5. b) Historical background of the region in Sahak’s period / 58
2.2.6. Kermanshah 15 - 17th centuries / 60
2.2.7. Kermanshah 17 - 20th centuries / 61
2.2.7. a) Safavid rule / 61
2.2.7. b) Afshar and Zand periods / 62
2.2.7. c) Qajar dynasty / 64
2.2.7. d) Pahlavi dynasty / 68
2.2.7. e) 1979-1988 / 69

3. Stories of the Creation
3.1. Yaresan Stories of the Creation and Demonology / 70
3.1.1. From pre-eternity to the creation of the “Haftan” / 70
3.1.2. The creation of the universe and the earth / 71
3.1.3. The creation of the heavenly bodies (Demonology / 72
3.1.4. The creation of Adam and Eve / 73
3.1.5. Adam and Eve in paradise / 74
3.1.6. Adam and Eve on the earth / 75
3.2. The Yaresan Story of the Creation in Iranian Context / 76
3.2.1. Mazdaism / 76
3.2.2. Zarvanism / 82
3.2.3. Iranian folklore background / 84

4. Divine Manifestation, Angelology and Dualism
4.1. Divine Manifestation / 90
4.1.1. Manifestation of the "Divine Essence" among the Yaresan / 90
4.1.2. The idea of Divene manifestation / 92
4.1.3. The Divine Essence / 93
4.1.4. The idea of Divine manifestation among Iranian social movements / 94
4.2. Angelology / 98
4.2.1. The Yaresan henotheism / 98
4.2.2. Names of the Yaresan angels / 101
4.2.3. The Ruchiyar and Ayvat positions / 104
4.2.4. Baba Yadegar’s birth / 107
4.2.5. The spring of Anahita / 108
4.2.6. The Yaresan system of angel-worship / 112
4.2.7. The Ameshaspandsand the Haftan / 113
4.2.8. The Yazatas / 115
4.2.9. The Haftavaneh / 116
4.2.10. Mithra and Vayu / 118
4.3. Dualism / 119
4.3.1. Dualism of the Yaresan / 119
4.3.2. Relation between the Yaresan and the Yazidis / 121
4.3.3. Excursus: The Yazidi religion and community / 122
4.3.4. Dualistic origin of the Creation among the Yaresan / 124
4.3.5. Dualism in Iran / 125

5. Eschatology
5.1. Doctrine of Metempsychosis / 128
5.1.1. Metempsychosis among the Yaresan / 128
5.1.2. Doctrine of metempsychosis / 130
5.1.3. Metempsychosis among Iranian social movements / 132
5.2. Millenarism and Nativism / 136
5.2.1. Millenarism and egalitarianism of the Yaresan / 136
5.2.2. Chiliastic prediction / 145
5.2.3. Nativism among Iranian socio-religious movements / 148
5.2.4. Millenarism and egalitarianism in Iran / 151

6. Rituals
6.1. Periodical Meetings / 156
6.1.1. The "Jam / 156
6.1.1. a) Conditions for helding a Jam / 156
6.1.1. b) Terms and roles in the Jam / 157
6.1.1. c) The Jam ceremony / 158
6.1.2. Types of prayer in the Jam / 160
6.1.3. Fekr-o zekr / 160
6.1.4. The significance of music among the Yaresan / 162
6.1.5. The significance of the Jam ceremony / 163
6.2. The "Nazr" or Offering and Sacrifice / 164
6.2.1. Offerings / 165
6.2.1. a) The "Niyaz” / 165
6.2.1. b) The "Shokraneh” / 165
6.2.2.Sacrifices / 166
6.2.2. a) Blood sacrifice / 166
6.2.2. b) Bloodless sacrifice / 167
6.2.2. c) Items which are not sacrificed but are accompanied with sacrificial ceremony / 167
6.2.2. d) Khedmat / 167
6.2.3. Performance of the sacrificial ceremony / 168
6.2.3. a) Ritual for blood sacrifices / 168
6.2.3. b) Ritual for bloodless sacrifices / 177
6.2.3. c) Ritual of sacrifices other than blood or bloodless sacrifices / 178
6.2.3. d) Ritual for the Khedmat / 178
6.2.4. Ritual for offerings / 178
6.2.5. A hymn on the importance of sacrifice / 178
6.2.6. Sacrifice rituals in Iran / 181
6.3. Other Yaresan Rituals and Religious Tenets / 184
6.3.1. Fasting / 184
6.3.2. The prohibition of fasting for thirty days / 187
6.3.3. Ablution of the Yaresan / 189
6.3.4. Ceremonies for the dead / 190
6.3.5. The "Charchivan" or the "Four Pillars" of Yaresan religion / 193
6.3.6. The five “Moqadasat" of the Yaresan / 194
6.3.7. Periods of the World History / 196
6.3.8. Other similarities between Yaresan and Mazdaism / 197

7. Organization and Institution
7.1. Social Organization and Rites / 198
7.1.1. Some initiation terms / 198
7.1.2. Conditions of membership in the community / 199
7.1.3. The "Sar-sepordan" or initiation ceremony of the Yaresan / 200
7.1.4. Some variations in the performance of the “Sar-sepordan” / 203
7.1.5. Group initiation / 203
7.1.6. Types of membership and recruitment / 204
a) Tne "Chakideh / 204
b) The "Chasbideh / 205
7.2. Social Structure of the Yaresan Community / 205
7.2.1. The ''Khandan” / 205
7.2.2. The "Sar-sepordan" of the "Khanadans” / 209
7.2.3. Early formation of the "Khandans” / 211
7.2.4. The significance of the Yaresan institution of "Sar-sepordan" / 216
7.2.5. Initiation rites in Iran / 219
7.3. The Brotherhood and Brother-Sisterhood Contract / 222
7.3.1. The brother-sisterhood contract among the Yaresan / 222
7.3.2. Significance of the brother-sisterhood contract / 223
7.3.3. The brother-sisterhood contract in Iran / 225
7.4. Social Divisions in the Yaresan Community / 226
7.5. The Social Structure of the Yaresan Community / 227

8. Social Movements and Social Conflict
8.1. The Original Context for the Emergence of the Yaresan / 229
8.2. Yaresan as a Social Movement / 230
8.3. The Main Features of the Yaresan Social Movement in
Relation to Other Iranian Movements / 231
8.3.1. Nativistic tendencies / 231
8.3.2. Egalitarian tendencies / 233
8.3.3. Millenarism / 233
8.3.4. Dualistic world view / 235
8.4. The Main Environmental Aspects of the Yaresan Background / 235
8.4.1. Social aspects / 235
8.4.2. Economic aspects / 239
8.4.3. Geo-political aspects / 241
8.4.4. Historical aspects / 242
8.5. Social Conflict as a Consequence of the Existing Situation / 244
8.5.1. Economic conflict / 245
8.5.2. Socio-cultural conflict / 247
8.5.3. Power conflict / 248

9. Survival of the Yaresan
9.1. Factors Contributing to the Survival of the Yaresan / 252
9.1.1. Political non-radicalism / 252
9.1.2. Social organization / 253
9.1.3. Military force / 255
9.1.4. Trans-communal solidarity / 257
9.1.5. Pre-existing ideas and experiences / 258
9.1.6. Other resource / 259

Appendix

Appendix 1: Yaresan Religious Stories Regarding the Creation / 262
Appendix 2: Yaresan Stories Regarding Divine Manifestation,
Metempsychosis and Other Matters Regarding Theophanies and Angels / 265
Appendix 3: Yaresan Religious Stories Regarding Rituals and Institutions / 276

Bibliography / 280

Index / 303

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The present work is the outcome of my efforts over several years. I had to encounter a great number of difficulties and odds during the course of my research work. Therefore, it is with a sense of great personal gratification that I have completed it. But it would have been impossible for me to accomplish it, had there not been constant and sincere help and encouragement from quite a few people who also shared with me my moments of anxiety.
First of all I would like to mention Prof. Dr. Hans-Christoph Schmitt of Erlangen University, who spent much time on this work. With my sincere gratitude I dedicate this work to him.

I have had the opportunity to enjoy the scientific guidance of Prof. Dr. Peter Waldmann of Augsburg University and Prof. Dr. Bert Fragner of Bamberg University. They have been sources of constant help and encouragement.

The help and cooperation of some of my friends have been of crucial importance in completing this work. I especially would like to mention Mr. Anthony Hornby of Augsburg University who took the trouble of going through all the work and patiently improving the language.
I have been helped in various ways by many other friends to all of whom I am very much indebted. Among them I would only like to mention Markus Ohlenroth, Regina Zitzelberger and Christine Baier.

My final thanks are also due to Isabel Haensch, Zohreh and Farivar Hamzeh’ee, Morteza Najafi and Mohsen Bahrami.

1. Concept and Methodology

1.1. Structure of the Research

1.1.1. Delimiting the Questions

“Yaresan" and "Ahl-e haqq" are the names of an important community concentrated in South Kurdistan. Inspite of its importance, very little is known about this community. For this reason the existing information, although inadequate, has been extensively used by social scientists, including sociologists. But a sociological case study of this community does not exist. Therefore there will be many questions regarding this community which are yet to be answered.
In the present investigation, which is the first general study of this community, attempts are made to draw an overall picture of the community and present some outlines for future research.
The study will focus on three basic questions regarding the community:
a) The most important is to find out who the people are.
b)The second question investigates the contexts in which this community was born. This question concerns the past existence and the factors which contributed to its emergence.
c)The third question will be an extention of the above two and will look at the factors which have contributed to the survival of the community.

1.1.2. The character of the community
This report consists of nine chapters. The first is devoted to methodological explanations. The remaining eight are divided into three groups, each of which aims at answering one of the questions raised above. Chapters two to seven are devoted to the introduction of the Yaresan, mainly to answer the first question: Chapter two concentrates on the Yaresan as a community, and is divided into two parts. The first part is a description of the socio-economic background, class and social status. Here it is indicated that the majority of the community have always belonged to the lower strata of the Iranian society. In the second part, the historical records regarding the community and the region they live in from the time of their emergence, have been collected and chronologically arranged. In the arrangement of this historical and traditional information the style in which the traditional history of the Yaresan is related has been adopted. Among other things, this short …

M. Reza Hamzeh’ee

Islamkundliche Untersuchungen - Band 138
The Yaresan

Klaus Schwarz

Klaus Schwarz Verlag
Islamkundliche Untersuchungen - Band 138
The Yaresan
A Sociological, Historical and Religio-Historical
Study of a Kurdish Community
M. Reza Hamzeh’ee

Berlin - 1990

CIP-Titelaufnahme der Deutschen Bibliothek
Hamzeh’ee, M. Reza:
The Yaresan: a sociological, historical, and religio-histoncal
study of a Kurdish community IM. Reza Hamzeh’ee. – Berlin:
Schwarz, 1990
(Islamkundliche Untersuchungen ; Bd. 138)
Zugl.: Augsburg, Univ., Diss., 1989
ISBN 3-922968-83-X
NE: GT

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ISBN 3-922968-83-X
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