The Haftan: The Seven Holy Companions of the Yarsani Faith
- Sherko Sabir
- 14 hours ago
- 12 min read
Introduction
The Haftan, the Seven, are the higher of the two great heptads of holy beings of the Yarsani faith: the seven holy companions closest to the manifestation of the divine in Sultan Sahak, who accompanied the founding revelation and form the inmost angelic hierarchy of the Yarsani cosmos.
In the Yarsani tradition, also called Ahl-e Haqq, the divine manifestation is accompanied by holy beings reckoned in two great heptads. The first and higher is the Haftan, the Seven holy companions, foremost among them Pir Benyamin, along with Dawud, Pir Musi, and the others; the second is the Haftawaneh, the Seven Powers of the outer world.
To know the Haftan is to encounter the inmost mystery of the Yarsani vision of the divine: the seven holy companions who accompany the manifestation of the divine through the ages, the higher angelic hierarchy of one of the most distinctive of the living Kurdish religious traditions.
Contents
What Is the Haftan?
The Haftan, a name meaning the Seven, are the higher of the two great heptads of holy beings in the Yarsani faith, also called Ahl-e Haqq: the seven holy companions or divine beings closest to the manifestation of the divine in Sultan Sahak, the great manifestation of the divine in the Yarsani vision. In the Yarsani understanding, the Divine Essence manifests itself in the world in a succession of avatars or manifestations through the ages, and the supreme manifestation is accompanied by holy beings, divine companions who take part in the divine work. These holy beings are reckoned in two heptads, two groups of seven: the Haftan, the higher and inmost seven, the companions closest to the divine; and the Haftawaneh, the second seven, charged with the affairs of the outer world. The Haftan are the higher, the inmost circle of the holy beings, the seven who accompany the manifestation of the divine most closely; foremost among them is Pir Benyamin, along with Dawud, Pir Musi, and the others, including the one female among them. As the higher heptad of the holy beings, the inmost companions of the divine, the Haftan hold the highest place in the angelic hierarchy of the Yarsani faith.
The Name and the Number Seven
The name Haftan means simply the Seven, or the Seven Persons, from the word for seven, marking this group as the great heptad of the inmost holy companions of the divine.
The name Haftan, sometimes given as Haft Tan, means the Seven, or literally the Seven Persons or Seven Bodies, from the Iranic and Kurdish word for seven. The number seven is one of the most sacred and recurring of all numbers in the religious traditions of the region, and especially in the faiths of the Kurdish world: the Yarsani faith has its two heptads, the Haftan and the Haftawaneh; the Yazidi faith has its Heft Sirr, the Seven Holy Beings or Seven Mysteries; and the ancient Zoroastrian tradition has its seven Amesha Spentas, the Holy Immortals. The recurrence of the sacred seven across these traditions reflects a deep and shared heritage of the religious imagination of the Iranic and Kurdish world. The name Haftan thus marks this group as the great and sacred heptad of the inmost holy companions of the divine in the Yarsani faith, the Seven closest to the manifestation of the divine. To know the name and the sacred number is to begin to know the place of the Haftan in the Yarsani vision, the sacred Seven of the inmost circle of the holy.
Key Takeaways
The Haftan, meaning the Seven, are a higher heptad of holy beings in the Yarsani faith.
They are the seven holy companions closest to the manifestation of the divine.
Foremost among them is Pir Benyamin, with Dawud, Pir Musi, and others.
They accompanied the founding revelation of Sultan Sahak.
They form the inmost angelic hierarchy of the Yarsani cosmos.
They are the higher of two heptads, the other being the Haftawaneh.
Quick Facts
Name: The Haftan (Haft Tan), meaning the Seven
Tradition: Yarsanism (Ahl-e Haqq)
Nature: The higher heptad of holy beings, the inmost companions of the divine
Foremost member: Pir Benyamin, the preceptor
Other members: Dawud, Pir Musi, Baba Yadgar, and others
The female member: Khatun-e Razbar, the one woman among them
Accompanied: The manifestation of the divine in Sultan Sahak
Paralleled by: The Yazidi Heft Sirr and the Zoroastrian Amesha Spentas
Other heptad: The Haftawaneh, the Seven Powers of the outer world
Heritage: A foundational mystery of the Yarsani faith
The Higher Heptad
The Haftan are the higher and inmost of the two heptads of holy beings, the seven companions closest to the manifestation of the divine, holding the highest place in the angelic hierarchy of the Yarsani faith.
In the Yarsani vision, the manifestation of the divine in Sultan Sahak is accompanied by holy beings, and these are reckoned in two heptads, the Haftan and the Haftawaneh. Of these, the Haftan are the higher and inmost: the seven holy companions closest to the divine, the inmost circle of the holy beings, who take part most directly in the divine work and accompany the manifestation of the divine most closely. They are higher than the Haftawaneh, the second seven, who are charged with the affairs of the outer or external world; the Haftan belong to the inmost and higher sphere, the companions of the divine itself. This place as the higher and inmost heptad marks the Haftan as the highest of the holy beings of the Yarsani faith, the seven closest to the manifestation of the divine. To be of the Haftan is to belong to the inmost circle of the holy, the companions of the divine in its manifestation. This standing as the higher heptad is the essential nature of the Haftan, marking them as the inmost and highest of the holy beings. It is as the higher heptad, the inmost seven companions of the divine, that the Haftan hold their place at the summit of the angelic hierarchy of the Yarsani faith.
The Seven Companions
The Haftan comprise seven holy companions, foremost among them Pir Benyamin, the preceptor, along with Dawud, Pir Musi, and the others, including the one woman among them.
The Haftan are seven, and among them certain holy companions are especially honoured and named in the Yarsani tradition. Foremost is Pir Benyamin, honoured as the preceptor or spiritual guide, the holder of the highest rank among the companions, often likened to the archangel Gabriel. With him are Dawud, the guide known by an honoured title to the Yarsani; Pir Musi, the holy scribe who, in the tradition, recorded the divine words, and who is likened to the recording angel; and Baba Yadgar, a greatly revered holy figure. Among the seven, too, is the one woman, Khatun-e Razbar, the holy lady and, in the tradition, the mother of Sultan Sahak, the sole female among the inmost companions. Together these seven holy companions form the Haftan, the inmost circle of the holy beings of the Yarsani faith, each honoured and named in the sacred tradition and the sung poems. The naming and honouring of these seven companions is the heart of the veneration of the Haftan, the inmost holy beings of the faith.
Companions Through the Ages
In the Yarsani vision, the holy companions of the Haftan accompany the divine through its successive manifestations in the ages of the world, taking earthly form alongside each manifestation of the divine.
A distinctive feature of the Yarsani faith is its vision of the divine manifesting itself in the world in a succession of avatars or manifestations through the ages or epochs of the world, each a manifestation of the one Divine Essence; and in this vision, the holy companions of the Haftan accompany the divine through these successive manifestations, themselves taking earthly form alongside each manifestation of the divine. So, in the age of the supreme manifestation in Sultan Sahak, the companions appeared in their forms as Pir Benyamin, Dawud, Pir Musi, and the others, just as in earlier ages, such as that of Shah Khoshin, the divine and its companions had appeared in other forms. This vision of the holy companions accompanying the divine through the ages, taking earthly form alongside each manifestation, reflects the Yarsani belief in the successive manifestations of the divine and the transmigration of souls. The Haftan are thus not only the companions of a single age but the eternal companions of the divine through all its manifestations. This vision of the companions through the ages is a profound aspect of the Haftan, marking them as the eternal inmost companions of the divine. It is as the eternal companions of the divine through its successive manifestations that the Haftan are understood in the Yarsani vision.
The Haftan and the Haftawaneh
The Haftan, the higher heptad, are accompanied by a second heptad, the Haftawaneh, the Seven Powers charged with the affairs of the outer world, whose lineages became the spiritual houses of the Yarsani community.
Alongside the Haftan, the higher and inmost heptad, the Yarsani tradition reckons a second heptad, the Haftawaneh, the Seven Powers or Seven Sons. While the Haftan are the inmost companions of the divine, belonging to the higher sphere, the Haftawaneh are charged with the affairs of the outer or external world, each responsible for the guidance of a community of the faithful; and the lineages descending from them became the original spiritual houses, the Khandans, into which the Yarsani religious community is organised. The two heptads together, the Haftan and the Haftawaneh, form the great structure of the holy beings of the Yarsani faith, the inmost companions of the divine and the powers of the outer world. The relation of the two heptads, the higher and the outer, is a characteristic feature of the Yarsani vision of the holy, the orders of the divine companions and the powers of the world. This relation to the Haftawaneh helps to mark the place of the Haftan as the higher and inmost of the two great heptads. It is in this structure of the two heptads that the full vision of the holy beings of the Yarsani faith is expressed, the Haftan foremost among them as the inmost companions of the divine.
Meaning and Significance
The Haftan embody, above all, the inmost mystery of the Yarsani vision of the divine: the seven holy companions who accompany the manifestation of the divine most closely, the higher angelic hierarchy of the faith. As the inmost companions, they represent the holy beings closest to the divine itself.
The Haftan embody, too, the Yarsani vision of the divine manifesting itself in the world accompanied by holy beings, through the successive ages, and the sacred structure of the heptads that orders the holy beings of the faith. In this, they represent the inmost mystery and the sacred order of the Yarsani understanding of the divine. The recurrence of the sacred Seven, here in the Haftan, in the Yazidi Heft Sirr, and in the Zoroastrian Amesha Spentas, reflects a deep and shared heritage of the religious imagination of the Iranic and Kurdish world. In all this, the Haftan are among the most profound features of the Yarsani faith, embodying the inmost circle of the holy companions of the divine, the higher of the two heptads, and the vision of the holy beings accompanying the divine through the ages. They are the inmost mystery of the Yarsani vision of the divine, foremost among them Pir Benyamin, and they form, with the Haftawaneh, the great structure of the holy beings of this living Kurdish faith.
The Haftan and the Kurds
The Haftan are holy beings of the Yarsani faith, one of the distinctive indigenous religious traditions of the Kurdish people, and they are part of the rich religious and cultural heritage of the Kurds, especially of the Yarsani Kurdish community.
The Yarsani faith, also called Ahl-e Haqq, is one of the distinctive indigenous religious traditions of the Kurdish people, its sacred traditions preserved in the Gorani Kurdish language, and its holy beings, including the Haftan, are part of the rich and distinctive religious heritage of the Kurds, especially of the Yarsani Kurdish community for whom they are living objects of devotion. The vision of the inmost holy companions of the divine, and the sacred structure of the heptads, reflect the depth and distinctiveness of the Yarsani religious vision, a precious part of the religious heritage of the Kurdish people. The recurrence of the sacred Seven across the Yarsani Haftan, the Yazidi Heft Sirr, and the Zoroastrian Amesha Spentas reflects the deep and shared heritage of the Iranic and Kurdish religious world, of which the Kurds are heirs. For the Yarsani Kurds, the Haftan are living and beloved holy beings, the inmost companions of the divine. In presenting the Haftan, we honour a foundational mystery of the Yarsani faith, part of the distinctive religious heritage of the Kurdish people, the inmost holy companions of the divine whose vision is among the most profound features of the tradition, and whose veneration continues as a living devotion in the Yarsani community to this day.
Debates and Misconceptions
Does the veneration of the Haftan make the Yarsani faith polytheistic? No. The Yarsani faith, like the related traditions of the region, is at its heart centred on the one Divine Essence, the one God, who manifests himself in the world. The Haftan are not seven rival gods but holy beings, the inmost companions of the divine manifestation, through whom the divine work is accomplished, honoured and venerated within a faith centred on the one Divine Essence. They are best understood as the inmost angelic hierarchy of the faith, akin to the archangels of other traditions and to the Heft Sirr of the Yazidi faith, not as independent deities. It is important to understand the Yarsani faith accurately, with respect for its own vision of the one divine and its holy companions.
Are the members of the Haftan always the same seven? The Yarsani tradition holds that the holy companions of the Haftan accompany the divine through its successive manifestations in the ages of the world, taking earthly form alongside each manifestation; so the companions are understood as eternal holy beings who appear in different forms in different ages. In the age of the supreme manifestation in Sultan Sahak, they appeared as Pir Benyamin, Dawud, Pir Musi, and the others. The lists and forms of the companions may vary somewhat in different tellings, as is natural in a tradition preserved in sacred poetry and oral transmission, but the core vision of the inmost seven companions of the divine is constant.
How is the Haftan known and preserved? The Haftan are known through the sacred traditions of the Yarsani faith, above all the sacred poetry of the Kalam-e Saranjam, the divinely revealed narratives preserved and passed down through the generations, in which the holy companions and their deeds are honoured and remembered. We name these sacred sources with respect, without reproducing the sacred verses, honouring the living tradition through which the Haftan are known and venerated.
Related Topics
Sultan Sahak: the great manifestation of the divine accompanied by the Haftan
Pir Benyamin: the foremost of the Haftan, the preceptor
Dawud: one of the Haftan, the holy companions
Pir Musi: the holy scribe of the Haftan
Baba Yadgar: a revered holy figure of the Yarsani faith
Khatun-e Razbar: the one woman among the Haftan
The Haftawaneh: the second heptad, the Seven Powers of the outer world
The Heft Sirr: the Seven Holy Beings of the Yazidi faith
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Haftan in the Yarsani faith?
The Haftan, a name meaning the Seven, are the higher of the two great heptads of holy beings in the Yarsani faith, also called Ahl-e Haqq: the seven holy companions or divine beings closest to the manifestation of the divine in Sultan Sahak. They are the inmost circle of the holy beings, who accompanied the founding revelation and form the inmost angelic hierarchy of the Yarsani cosmos.
Who are the members of the Haftan?
The Haftan are seven holy companions, foremost among them Pir Benyamin, honoured as the preceptor or spiritual guide. With him are Dawud, the guide; Pir Musi, the holy scribe who recorded the divine words; Baba Yadgar, a greatly revered holy figure; and the one woman among them, Khatun-e Razbar, the holy lady and, in the tradition, the mother of Sultan Sahak. Together they form the inmost circle of the holy beings of the faith.
What does the name Haftan mean?
The name Haftan, sometimes given as Haft Tan, means the Seven, or literally the Seven Persons, from the Iranic and Kurdish word for seven. The number seven is one of the most sacred and recurring of all numbers in the religious traditions of the Kurdish world, appearing in the Yarsani Haftan and Haftawaneh, the Yazidi Heft Sirr, and the Zoroastrian Amesha Spentas, reflecting a deep and shared heritage.
What is the difference between the Haftan and the Haftawaneh?
The Haftan and the Haftawaneh are the two great heptads of holy beings of the Yarsani faith. The Haftan are the higher and inmost seven, the companions closest to the manifestation of the divine, belonging to the higher sphere. The Haftawaneh are the second seven, the Seven Powers charged with the affairs of the outer world, each responsible for the guidance of a community; their lineages became the spiritual houses, the Khandans, of the Yarsani community.
Is the veneration of the Haftan polytheism?
No. The Yarsani faith is at its heart centred on the one Divine Essence, the one God, who manifests himself in the world. The Haftan are not seven rival gods but holy beings, the inmost companions of the divine manifestation, through whom the divine work is accomplished, honoured within a faith centred on the one divine. They are best understood as the inmost angelic hierarchy of the faith, akin to the archangels of other traditions.
How are the Haftan related to the Kurds?
The Haftan are holy beings of the Yarsani faith, one of the distinctive indigenous religious traditions of the Kurdish people, its sacred traditions preserved in the Gorani Kurdish language. They are part of the rich religious heritage of the Kurds, especially of the Yarsani Kurdish community for whom they are living objects of devotion. The recurrence of the sacred Seven across the Kurdish faiths reflects the deep and shared Iranic and Kurdish religious heritage.
References and Further Reading
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