Amadin: The Yazidi Saint of Healing
- Dala Sarkis
- Jun 3
- 12 min read
Introduction
Amadin is a holy figure of the Yazidi faith: a son of the great holy being Sheikh Shems and a patriarch of the Shemsani Sheikh lineage, venerated as a saint of healing to whom the people turn for relief, and remembered in Yazidi tradition as a figure connected with the founding of the historic Bahdinan emirate.
In the Yazidi tradition, Amadin, also called Emad ad-Din, is one of the honoured sons of Sheikh Shems, the holy being of the Sun, and the progenitor of one of the Yazidi Sheikh sublineages. He is venerated as a holy figure with the power of healing, especially of certain ailments, and his memory is bound up too with the history of the Kurdish principalities.
To know Amadin is to encounter the way the Yazidi faith honours its holy figures as sources of healing and help, and the way sacred lineage, healing power, and the history of the Kurdish land are woven together in the memory of a holy figure of the faith.
Contents
Who Is Amadin?
Amadin, also called Emad ad-Din, is a holy figure venerated in the Yazidi faith, honoured as one of the sons of the great holy being Sheikh Shems, the holy being of the Sun, light, and fire, and as the progenitor and patriarch of one of the Yazidi Sheikh sublineages. He is venerated as a holy figure with the power of healing, a saint to whom the people turn for relief from certain ailments, and his memory is connected in Yazidi tradition with the history of the Kurdish land, for he is remembered as a figure bound up with the founding of the historic Bahdinan emirate, one of the Kurdish principalities. The Sheikhs of his lineage are honoured among the Yazidi Sheikhs, living in the Yazidi communities of the region and beyond, and they bear an honoured religious title. As a son of the holy being of the Sun, a saint of healing, and the patriarch of an honoured lineage, Amadin holds a respected place among the holy figures of the Yazidi faith, one of the many holy guardians and saints through whom, in the Yazidi understanding, the care and help of the one God are made present in the life of the community.
His Name and Lineage
Amadin, or Emad ad-Din, bears a name of honour, and he belongs to one of the most honoured of the Yazidi holy lineages, as a son of Sheikh Shems of the great Shemsani line.
The name Amadin, a form of Emad ad-Din, is a name of dignity and honour. His lineage is among the most honoured of the Yazidi faith: he is a son of Sheikh Shems, the great holy being of the Sun and a member of the Heptad, and thus a grandson of Ezdina Mir, the great ancestor of the Shemsani Sheikhs. He is one of the sons of Sheikh Shems who became progenitors of the Yazidi Sheikh sublineages, and the Sheikhs descended from him form one of these honoured lines, bearing a distinct religious title and living among the Yazidi communities of Iraq, Armenia, and beyond. To belong to this lineage is to stand within the great Shemsani family of holy figures, the line of Sheikh Shems and his kin, among the most honoured of the Yazidi holy families. The name and lineage of Amadin thus mark him as an honoured holy figure of a great sacred family, the son of the holy being of the Sun and the patriarch of an honoured Sheikh line. To know his name and lineage is to begin to know his standing, the honoured son of a great holy being and the father of a holy lineage in the Yazidi faith.
Key Takeaways
Amadin, or Emad ad-Din, is a holy figure of the Yazidi faith.
He is honoured as a son of Sheikh Shems, the holy being of the Sun.
He is the patriarch of one of the Yazidi Sheikh sublineages.
He is venerated as a saint of healing, especially of certain ailments.
He is remembered in tradition as connected with the Bahdinan emirate.
His lineage is honoured among the Yazidi Sheikhs to this day.
Quick Facts
Name: Amadin (Emad ad-Din)
Venerated in: Yazidism
Father: Sheikh Shems, the holy being of the Sun
Grandfather: Ezdina Mir, ancestor of the Shemsani Sheikhs
Lineage: Patriarch of a Yazidi Sheikh sublineage
Venerated as: A saint of healing
Associated healing: Of certain ailments, including of the stomach
Remembered for: A connection with the founding of the Bahdinan emirate
Era: The 13th century
Heritage: An honoured holy figure of the Yazidi faith
Son of the Holy Being of the Sun
Amadin is honoured as one of the sons of Sheikh Shems, the great holy being of the Sun, light, and fire, one of the Seven Holy Beings of the Yazidi faith.
Among the highest honours of Amadin is his place as a son of Sheikh Shems, one of the greatest of the Yazidi holy figures, the holy being of the Sun, light, and fire, a member of the Heptad, the Seven Holy Beings to whom the one God entrusted the affairs of the world. Sheikh Shems had a number of honoured sons, who became the progenitors of various Yazidi Sheikh sublineages, and Amadin is among them, one of the holy offspring of the great being of the Sun. To be a son of Sheikh Shems is to belong to the inmost circle of the Yazidi holy families, the children of one of the greatest of the Holy Beings, and to carry forward the holiness and the lineage of the being of the Sun. This descent from the holy being of the Sun is a defining aspect of Amadin's standing, marking him as a holy figure of the highest lineage, the son of one of the Seven Holy Beings. It is as a son of Sheikh Shems, the holy being of the Sun, that Amadin holds his honoured place among the holy figures of the Yazidi faith, carrying forward the holiness of one of the greatest of the Holy Beings.
The Saint of Healing
Amadin is venerated as a saint of healing, a holy figure to whom the people turn for relief from certain ailments, one of the holy figures through whom, in the Yazidi understanding, the healing care of the one God is made present.
Among the holy figures of the Yazidi faith, many are associated with the power of healing, holy guardians and saints to whom the people turn for relief from particular ailments and troubles; and Amadin is among these, venerated as a saint of healing. He is especially associated with the healing of certain ailments, including those of the stomach and the inner body, and the people turn to him for relief and help in such troubles, trusting in his holy power and his intercession. This veneration of Amadin as a healer reflects the wider Yazidi understanding of the holy figures as sources of help, protection, and healing in the difficulties of life, the saints and guardians to whom the community turns in need, and through whom the care and help of the one God are made present. The healing associated with Amadin is part of the rich tradition of the Yazidi holy figures as helpers and healers, each often associated with particular ailments or spheres of help. This role as a saint of healing is an important and beloved aspect of Amadin, the holy son of the being of the Sun to whom the people turn for relief from certain ailments. It is as a healer and helper, as well as a holy figure of a great lineage, that Amadin is honoured and turned to in the Yazidi community.
Patriarch of a Sheikh Lineage
Amadin is the patriarch of one of the Yazidi Sheikh sublineages, the ancestor of an honoured holy family that continues among the Yazidi community to this day.
In the social and religious order of the Yazidi faith, the community is organised into castes and lineages, among them the Sheikhs, the priestly families descended from the great holy figures, and Amadin is the patriarch of one of these Sheikh sublineages. The Sheikhs descended from Amadin form one of the honoured holy families of the Yazidi community, carrying forward his lineage and his holiness, and bearing a distinct religious title; they live among the Yazidi communities of Iraq, Armenia, and the wider region and diaspora. As a son of Sheikh Shems who became the progenitor of a Sheikh line, Amadin holds a place among the founding patriarchs of the Yazidi Sheikh families, the ancestors of the holy lineages that carry forward the holiness and the religious roles of the community. This role as the patriarch of a Sheikh lineage is an important aspect of Amadin, marking him as the ancestor of an honoured holy family that continues to this day. It is as the patriarch of a Sheikh lineage, as well as a saint of healing and a son of the being of the Sun, that Amadin holds his honoured and enduring place in the Yazidi faith, the ancestor of a living holy family of the community.
Remembered in History and Tradition
The memory of Amadin is bound up not only with sacred tradition but also with the history of the Kurdish land, for he is remembered as a figure connected with the founding of the historic Bahdinan emirate.
The memory of Amadin reaches into the history of the Kurdish principalities, for in Yazidi tradition he is remembered as a figure connected with the founding of the Bahdinan emirate, one of the historic Kurdish principalities of the region, centred on the area that bears a related name. This connection, whether understood as historical, traditional, or both, reflects the way the holy figures of the Yazidi faith are woven into the history and identity of the Kurdish land, their memory bound up with the principalities, the regions, and the peoples of the area. It reflects too the prominence of the Yazidi holy families in the history of the region, in a period when the Yazidi faith and its leaders held a significant place in the Kurdish world. The weaving together of sacred tradition and the history of the land in the memory of Amadin is characteristic of the way the holy figures are remembered, as both objects of devotion and figures of the history and identity of the people. This place in history and tradition is a notable aspect of Amadin, binding the holy saint and patriarch to the history of the Kurdish land and its principalities. It is as a figure of both sacred tradition and the history of the Kurdish world that Amadin is remembered, the holy son of the being of the Sun whose memory is woven into the story of the land.
Meaning and Significance
Amadin embodies, above all, the way the Yazidi faith honours its holy figures as sources of healing and help and as the patriarchs of its sacred lineages, the holy son of the being of the Sun who became a saint of healing and the father of an honoured line. As a saint of healing, he represents the care and help that the holy figures bring to the troubles of life.
Amadin embodies, too, the weaving together of sacred lineage, healing power, and the history of the Kurdish land in the memory of a holy figure, and the prominence of the Yazidi holy families in the history of the region. In this, he represents the rich interweaving of faith, lineage, and history in the Yazidi tradition. In all this, Amadin is among the honoured holy figures of the Yazidi faith, embodying the descent from the great Holy Beings, the power of healing, the patriarchy of a sacred lineage, and the connection with the history of the land. He is a son of Sheikh Shems and a saint of healing, one of the honoured figures of the faith, venerated alongside the great holy beings of the Heft Sirr, the Seven Holy Beings led by Tawuse Melek. The vision of healing, lineage, and sacred history that he embodies is among the rich features of the Yazidi faith.
Amadin and the Kurds
Amadin is a holy figure of the Yazidi faith, one of the ancient indigenous religious traditions of the Kurdish people, and his memory is part of the rich religious and historical heritage of the Kurds, especially of the Yazidi Kurdish community.
The Yazidi faith is one of the ancient indigenous religious traditions of the Kurdish people, and its holy figures, including Amadin, are part of the rich and distinctive religious heritage of the Kurds, especially of the Yazidi Kurdish community for whom they are living objects of devotion. The memory of Amadin is woven into both the sacred tradition and the history of the Kurdish land, in his veneration as a saint of healing and his connection with the historic Bahdinan emirate, reflecting the deep interweaving of the Yazidi faith with the history and identity of the Kurdish people. For the Yazidi Kurds, Amadin is a living holy figure, a saint of healing and an honoured ancestor, a cherished part of the devotional and historical heritage of the community. In presenting Amadin, we honour a holy figure of the Yazidi faith, part of the distinctive religious and historical heritage of the Kurdish people, the holy son of the being of the Sun whose healing power, sacred lineage, and connection with the history of the land are among the rich features of the tradition, and whose veneration continues as a living devotion in the Yazidi community to this day.
Debates and Misconceptions
Is the veneration of Amadin and the Yazidi saints a form of polytheism? No. This is an important point, for the Yazidi faith has long been gravely misunderstood and misrepresented. Yazidism is a monotheistic faith, centred on belief in one God, the creator of all things. The holy figures such as Amadin, the saints and the guardians, and the great Holy Beings of the Heft Sirr led by Tawuse Melek, are not rival gods but holy figures and emanations through whom the one God's care, help, and healing are made present, honoured and venerated within a faith centred on the one God. The veneration of Amadin as a saint of healing is the honouring of a holy figure of the one God, not the worship of a separate deity. It is important to understand the Yazidi faith accurately as the monotheistic tradition it is, setting aside the misrepresentations long directed at it.
Is Amadin a historical or a purely legendary figure? In the Yazidi tradition, Amadin is honoured as a real holy figure of the past, a son of Sheikh Shems and the patriarch of a Sheikh lineage that continues to this day, as well as a saint of healing and a figure connected with the history of the Kurdish land. As with many revered holy figures, history and sacred tradition are woven together in his memory. The honest position is to honour both: the remembered holy ancestor of a living lineage and figure of the region's history, and the beloved saint of healing of sacred devotion.
Is the healing associated with Amadin a matter of magic? It is better understood within the Yazidi tradition as the holy intercession and care of a saint, through whom, in the Yazidi understanding, the help and healing of the one God are made present, rather than as magic. The people turn to Amadin, as to the other holy figures, in trust and devotion, seeking the help and healing that flow from the holy and from the one God whom the holy figures serve.
Related Topics
Sheikh Shems: the holy being of the Sun, father of Amadin
Ezdina Mir: the great ancestor of the Shemsani Sheikhs
Sheikh Fakhradin: uncle of Amadin, author of the sacred hymns
Sheikh Mend: the guardian of the sacred serpent, of the Shemsani line
Musa Sor: the Lord of Air and Wind, a fellow healing saint
The Heft Sirr: the Seven Holy Beings of the Yazidi faith
Tawuse Melek: the Peacock Angel, leader of the Holy Beings
Sheikh Adi: the great reformer of the Yazidi faith at Lalish
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Amadin in the Yazidi faith?
Amadin, also called Emad ad-Din, is a holy figure venerated in the Yazidi faith, honoured as one of the sons of the great holy being Sheikh Shems, the being of the Sun, and as the patriarch of one of the Yazidi Sheikh sublineages. He is venerated as a saint of healing to whom the people turn for relief from certain ailments, and is remembered in tradition as a figure connected with the founding of the historic Bahdinan emirate.
Whose son is Amadin?
Amadin is a son of Sheikh Shems, the great holy being of the Sun, light, and fire, a member of the Heptad of Seven Holy Beings. He is thus a grandson of Ezdina Mir, the great ancestor of the Shemsani Sheikhs. Sheikh Shems had a number of honoured sons who became progenitors of various Yazidi Sheikh sublineages, and Amadin is among them, carrying forward the holiness and lineage of the being of the Sun.
What is Amadin the saint of?
Amadin is venerated as a saint of healing, a holy figure to whom the people turn for relief from certain ailments, including those of the stomach and the inner body. This reflects the wider Yazidi understanding of the holy figures as sources of help, protection, and healing in the difficulties of life, the saints and guardians to whom the community turns in need, and through whom the care of the one God is made present.
How is Amadin connected with Kurdish history?
In Yazidi tradition, Amadin is remembered as a figure connected with the founding of the Bahdinan emirate, one of the historic Kurdish principalities of the region. This connection reflects the way the holy figures of the Yazidi faith are woven into the history and identity of the Kurdish land, and the prominence of the Yazidi holy families in the history of the region in the period when the faith held a significant place in the Kurdish world.
Is the veneration of Amadin polytheism?
No. Yazidism is a monotheistic faith centred on belief in one God. The holy figures such as Amadin, and the great Holy Beings, are not rival gods but holy figures through whom the one God's care, help, and healing are made present, honoured within a faith centred on the one God. The veneration of Amadin as a saint of healing is the honouring of a holy figure of the one God, not the worship of a separate deity.
How is Amadin related to the Kurds?
Amadin is a holy figure of the Yazidi faith, one of the ancient indigenous religious traditions of the Kurdish people, and his memory is part of the rich religious and historical heritage of the Kurds, especially of the Yazidi Kurdish community for whom he is a living object of devotion. His memory is woven into both sacred tradition and the history of the Kurdish land, reflecting the deep interweaving of the Yazidi faith with the history and identity of the people.
References and Further Reading
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