Yazidi in Sweden


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Yazidi are a Kurdish people who follow an old religion related to Zoroastrianism, but which has remnants of Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.


Where Are they Located?

They are located primarily in the Nineveh province of northern Iraq. The sacred valley of Lalish is the center point of their culture. Though some live in Syria, Turkey, Armenia and Georgia, many have emigrated to parts of Europe. Almost all of the Turkish population has emigrated to Germany. The Armenian and Georgian populations largely relocated to Russia. Sweden also has a significant population since 2008.


What Are Their Lives Like?

They were persecuted along with other Kurds by Saddam Hussain and have been misunderstood by Muslims controlling them for centuries. They are scorned and despised as "devil worshippers," mostly because of their beliefs regarding the "Peacock Angel."

They are mostly monogamous, though chiefs may take more than one wife.

They are a closed community which avoids prolonged contact with non-Yazidis, accepts no converts and will kill a daughter who marries outside the religion.

In 2007 a girl named Du 'a Khalil Aswad was stoned for allegedly converting to Islam. The incident was captured on cell phone video and gained worldwide attention. There was an international outcry and killings in retaliation. Other such honor killings have been reported among the Yazidi.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Yazidis believe God created the world and then created 7 archangels to rule it. One of them, the Peacock Angel, passed a test by God in which he would not bow down and worship Adam. As a result he was made the "god of this world." This story is similar in Islam regarding Satan. However, the Muslim belief is that Satan was punished for not bowing down. The Peacock Angel is "Melek Taus" or "Shaytan". The latter is the name in the Koran for Satan. Yazidis are forbidden to speak the name "Shaytan."

Their world view revolves around angels. Besides praying toward the sun, they will fast for certain angels who control the affairs of this world. They aren't supposed to wear the color blue or eat lettuce. Their holy day is Wednesday and they aren't supposed to take showers on that day. They celebrate New Year's Day as the first Wednesday in the month of Nisan. This is the day they believe the Peacock Angel comes to the Earth as God's representative.

During their pilgrimage to the valley shrine at Lalish, 55 km east of Duhok in Northern Iraq, they will kiss the sacred stone black snake and enter the temple. There they baptize their children, tie colorful cloth to the tomb of the 12th century Sufi mystic who reformed the Yazidi religion, hug pillars, light fires and perform other rituals. If possible, they will carry dirt from Lalish with them and conceal it behind a veil in their home.

Their calendar adds 4,750 years to the Gregorian calendar.

Yazidis believe that they are descendants of Adam, but not of Eve. Instead, they have descended separate from others through Adam's other wife, Jar or Jer.


What Are Their Needs?

They believe Christ is the light of God, but are more focused on angels and pleasing them.

They need to hear the Gospel and see the lives of true believers. Their villages need development and their schools need English teachers.


Prayer Points

For the light of Christ to shine upon them.
For believers to reach out to them in their Diaspora.
For other non-Kurdish Yazidis who also worship the Peacock Angel to hear the Gospel.
For believers among them to be accepted as Yazidis who believe in Jesus and not rejected as cultural traitors.


Scripture Prayers for the Yazidi in Sweden.


References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yazidi


Profile Source:   Anonymous  

People Name General Yazidi
People Name in Country Yazidi
Pronunciation yah-ZEE-dee
Alternate Names Yezidi
Population this Country 4,500
Population all Countries 782,000
Total Countries 10
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 20455
ROP3 Code 116305
ROP25 Code 308985
ROP25 Name Yazidi
Country Sweden
Region Europe, Western
Continent Europe
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country Sweden
Region Europe, Western
Continent Europe
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked

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Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Religion Subdivision: Prakriti
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
100.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Kurdish, Northern
Language Code kmr   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Swedish
Primary Language Kurdish, Northern
Language Code kmr   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Swedish
People Groups Speaking Kurdish, Northern

Primary Language:  Kurdish, Northern

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1856-2016)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1872-2005)
Bible-Complete Yes  (2008)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories Story Runners
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Kurdish, Northern Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Walk with the Prophets and meet the Messiah Al Massira
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kurdish, Northern YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Photo Source manothegreek 
Profile Source Anonymous 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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