The Heft Sirr: The Seven Holy Beings of the Yazidis
- Daniel R
- 19 hours ago
- 13 min read
Introduction
The Heft Sirr, the Seven Mysteries or Seven Holy Beings, are at the very foundation of the Yazidi faith: the seven angels, emanations of the one God, created from his own light before the world, to whom God entrusted the care of all creation, and of whom Tawuse Melek the Peacock Angel is the chief.
Yazidism is a monotheistic faith, centred on belief in one God, the creator of all, who in the Yazidi vision brought forth from his own light seven Holy Beings or angels and entrusted to them the care of the world. These seven, known as the Heft Sirr, the Seven Mysteries, are the emanations of the one God, sharing in his divine essence, and through them God orders and sustains the world. They are made manifest in the world through their holy earthly representatives, the great saints of the faith.
As a living religion of the Kurdish people, Yazidism deserves to be understood accurately and respectfully, on its own terms. The Heft Sirr are the foundation of the Yazidi vision of God and the sacred order of the world, and to know them is to understand the heart of one of the most ancient and distinctive religious traditions of the Kurds. This article presents them as the Yazidis themselves understand them, as the holy emanations of the one God.
Contents
What Are the Heft Sirr?
The Heft Sirr, meaning the Seven Mysteries, are the seven Holy Beings or angels of the Yazidi faith, the emanations of the one God through whom God orders and cares for the world. In the Yazidi understanding, the one God, the creator of all, brought forth from his own light seven Holy Beings before the creation of this world, and entrusted to them the care and governance of all creation. These seven are the Heft Sirr, the Seven Mysteries or Seven Angels, and they share in the divine essence of the God from whom they emanate. Foremost among them, their leader and chief, is Tawuse Melek, the Peacock Angel, to whom God gave authority over the world. The seven are made manifest in the world through their holy earthly representatives, the great saints and holy figures of the faith, in whom the Heft Sirr are understood to be present or incarnate. The Heft Sirr are thus the foundation of the Yazidi vision of God and the world, the holy emanations of the one God through whom the divine cares for and sustains creation, the Seven Mysteries at the heart of the Yazidi faith.
The Meaning of the Name
The name Heft Sirr is composed of two Kurdish words: heft, meaning seven, and sirr (or sur), meaning mystery or secret, in the sense of a hidden, sacred essence. Together, the name means the Seven Mysteries, the seven holy and sacred essences or beings.
This name expresses the deep nature of the seven Holy Beings, for they are mysteries, sacred and hidden realities that emanate from the one God and share in his divine essence. The word sirr, mystery, denotes the divine essence or sacred reality from which the angels were created and which they carry within them, sometimes spoken of as the Sur of God, the divine essence itself. The Heft Sirr are thus not merely seven created beings but seven holy mysteries, seven emanations of the one divine essence, sharing in the nature of the God from whom they come. The seven Holy Beings are also called simply the Seven Angels, and the name Heft Sirr captures their character as sacred mysteries, the seven holy emanations of the one God. The meaning of the name thus reveals their essential nature, the Seven Mysteries, the holy and sacred emanations of the one divine essence, the seven Holy Beings at the foundation of the Yazidi vision of God and the world.
Key Takeaways
The Heft Sirr are the Seven Mysteries or Seven Holy Beings of the Yazidi faith.
Yazidism is monotheistic; the seven are emanations of the one God.
God created them from his own light before the creation of this world.
God entrusted to them the care and governance of all creation.
Their leader and chief is Tawuse Melek, the Peacock Angel.
They are made manifest in the world through holy earthly representatives.
Quick Facts
Name: Heft Sirr (the Seven Mysteries); the Seven Angels or Holy Beings
Faith: Yazidism, a monotheistic Kurdish religion
Nature: Seven Holy Beings, emanations of the one God
Created from: God's own light (nur), before this world
Role: God entrusted to them the care of all creation
Leader: Tawuse Melek, the Peacock Angel
Sirr / Sur: The divine essence or mystery they share from God
Manifest in: Their holy earthly representatives, the great saints
Sacred texts: The Yazidi qewls (sacred hymns)
Holy centre: Lalish, the sacred valley and pilgrimage site
Emanations of the One God
The first and most essential truth of the Heft Sirr is that they are emanations of the one God, brought forth from his own light, sharing in his divine essence. Yazidism is a monotheistic faith, and the seven Holy Beings are not separate gods but holy emanations of the single God.
In the Yazidi understanding, there is one God, the creator of all, known by many names and beyond all created things. From his own light, the divine light or nur, God brought forth the seven Holy Beings, the Heft Sirr, who are thus emanations of the one God, carrying within them a share of his divine essence, the sacred mystery or sur. The seven are not independent deities but holy beings who emanate from and share in the nature of the one God, the means through which the one God acts in and cares for the world. In this, the Heft Sirr may be compared to the way other monotheistic traditions speak of angels or holy emanations of the one God, beings through whom the divine acts while remaining one. The closeness of the seven to the one God is so great that, in the Yazidi vision, the leading figures of the divine order, the one God and his chief emanations, are understood as a holy unity. This truth, that the Heft Sirr are emanations of the one God and not separate gods, is the foundation of a right understanding of the Yazidi faith and of the seven Holy Beings, the holy emanations of the single divine essence, the Seven Mysteries through whom the one God orders and cares for the world.
The Entrusting of the World
A central part of the Yazidi vision is that God, having brought forth the seven Holy Beings, entrusted to them the care and governance of all creation, so that the Heft Sirr are the divine caretakers of the world.
In the Yazidi understanding, the one God, after creating the seven Holy Beings from his own light, assigned to them the care of all the world's affairs, entrusting to them the ordering, sustaining, and governance of creation. The world is thus in the care of the Heft Sirr, the Seven Mysteries, who order and sustain it on behalf of the one God from whom they emanate. Foremost in this care is Tawuse Melek, the leader of the seven, to whom God gave authority over the world, so that he is honoured as the one who, under God, has charge of creation. This entrusting of the world to the seven Holy Beings expresses the Yazidi vision of a God who creates and then orders his creation through his holy emanations, the Heft Sirr being the means by which the one God cares for and governs the world. The entrusting of the world to the seven is thus a central feature of the Yazidi understanding of God and creation, the Seven Mysteries as the divine caretakers of the world, ordering and sustaining it on behalf of the one God. It is as the holy beings to whom God entrusted creation that the Heft Sirr hold their place at the foundation of the Yazidi faith, the seven emanations through whom the one God cares for the world.
The Seven and Their Earthly Representatives
A distinctive part of the Yazidi understanding of the Heft Sirr is that the seven Holy Beings are made manifest in the world through their holy earthly representatives, the great saints and holy figures of the faith, in whom the seven are understood to be present.
In the Yazidi tradition, the seven Holy Beings of the Heft Sirr are not only heavenly realities but are made manifest in the world through holy earthly figures, the great saints of the faith, who are understood to be the representatives or earthly manifestations of the seven. Foremost among these holy figures is Sheikh Adi, the great saint of the faith, who is understood to be a manifestation of the divine, closely associated with the chief of the seven. Other holy figures of the faith, such as Sheikh Shams, Fakhradin, Nasirdin, Sejadin, and others, are understood as the earthly representatives of the seven Holy Beings, the great saints in whom the Heft Sirr are present in the world. Through these holy figures, the seven Holy Beings are made present and active in the world and in the history of the faith, the heavenly mysteries manifest in the great saints. This understanding, that the seven are manifest in their holy earthly representatives, is a distinctive and important part of the Yazidi vision, binding the heavenly Heft Sirr to the great saints and holy figures of the faith, the Seven Mysteries made present in the world through their earthly manifestations. It is one of the ways in which the Yazidi faith understands the closeness of the divine to the world, the holy emanations of the one God made manifest in the great saints of the tradition.
The Heft Sirr and the Sacred Order
The Heft Sirr stand at the foundation of the whole sacred order of the Yazidi faith, the seven Holy Beings through whom the one God orders the world, honoured in the sacred hymns and the holy places of the tradition.
In the Yazidi faith, the seven Holy Beings are at the heart of the sacred vision of God and the world, and they are honoured throughout the religious life of the community. The sacred hymns of the faith, the qewls, sung in the Kurdish tongue, celebrate the seven Holy Beings, the one God, and the holy figures in whom the seven are manifest, preserving and transmitting the sacred knowledge of the tradition. The holy valley of Lalish, the sacred centre and pilgrimage place of the faith, is bound up with the great saints in whom the seven are manifest, above all Sheikh Adi, whose holy shrine is there. The sacred calendar, the festivals, and the religious order of the faith are all bound up with the vision of the one God and the seven Holy Beings through whom he cares for the world. Among the holy figures associated with the divine order is Ezdina Mir, honoured in the tradition. The Heft Sirr thus stand at the foundation of the entire sacred order of the Yazidi faith, the seven Holy Beings through whom the one God orders and cares for the world, honoured in the hymns, the holy places, and the religious life of the community. It is as the foundation of this sacred order that the Seven Mysteries hold their central place in the Yazidi vision, the holy emanations of the one God at the heart of the faith.
Symbolism and Meaning
The Heft Sirr embody, above all, the Yazidi vision of the one God and the holy order of the world, the seven sacred emanations through whom the one God creates, orders, and cares for creation. As the Seven Mysteries, they express the closeness of the divine to the world and the sacred order through which God governs all things.
The Heft Sirr embody, too, the sacredness of the number seven, a holy and recurring number in the Yazidi tradition and in many of the ancient traditions of the region, and the idea of the divine made manifest in holy figures and in the world. In their being emanations of the one God, they express the deep monotheism of the faith, the one God who acts through his holy emanations. In all this, the Heft Sirr are the foundation of the Yazidi faith, the seven Holy Beings through whom the one God orders and cares for the world, made manifest in the great saints of the tradition and honoured in its sacred hymns and holy places. They are one of the most distinctive and profound features of the religious heritage of the Kurds, the Seven Mysteries of the Yazidi faith, the holy emanations of the one God, of whom Tawuse Melek is the chief. The vision of the one God and his seven holy emanations is among the most ancient and beautiful of the religious visions preserved among the Kurdish people.
The Heft Sirr in Kurdish Heritage
The Heft Sirr belong to Yazidism, one of the most ancient and distinctive religious traditions of the Kurdish people, a living faith of great antiquity and beauty. As such, the seven Holy Beings hold a special and central place in the religious heritage of the Kurds.
Yazidism is a faith followed by Kurds, chiefly the Kurmanji-speaking Yazidis, and it is one of the most distinctive and ancient religious traditions of the Kurdish people, preserving a vision of the divine of great antiquity. The Heft Sirr, the seven Holy Beings at the foundation of this faith, are thus a central part of the religious heritage of the Kurds, the holy emanations of the one God through whom, in the Yazidi vision, the divine cares for the world. The Yazidi faith and its vision of the one God and the seven Holy Beings have been preserved by the Yazidi community through many centuries, often in the face of grave persecution and misunderstanding, and the tradition deserves to be known and understood accurately and with respect, as a living religion of great depth and antiquity. As one of the most distinctive religious traditions of the Kurdish people, Yazidism, with its vision of the Heft Sirr, is a precious part of the spiritual heritage of the Kurds. In presenting the Heft Sirr, then, we present one of the most profound and beautiful features of the religious heritage of the Kurdish people, the Seven Mysteries of the Yazidi faith, the holy emanations of the one God, understood as the Yazidis themselves understand them.
Debates and Misconceptions
Are the Yazidis polytheists who worship seven gods? No; this is a serious misunderstanding. Yazidism is a monotheistic faith, centred on belief in one God, the creator of all. The Heft Sirr, the seven Holy Beings, are not separate gods but emanations of the one God, brought forth from his own light and sharing in his divine essence, the means through which the one God orders and cares for the world. To understand the seven Holy Beings rightly is to understand them as the holy emanations of the single God, much as other monotheistic traditions speak of angels or holy emanations, not as a pantheon of separate deities.
Is the chief of the seven, Tawuse Melek, an evil or fallen being? No, and this must be stated clearly and firmly, for it is the source of a grave and harmful slander against the Yazidi people. In the Yazidi faith, Tawuse Melek is the chief of the holy angels, a wholly good and benevolent being, the leader of the seven Holy Beings to whom God gave charge of the world. The false identification of the Peacock Angel with any evil or fallen figure is a misunderstanding rooted in the assumptions of outsiders, entirely foreign to and rejected by the Yazidi faith itself. It is offensive and incorrect, and it has been used to justify centuries of cruel and unjust persecution against the Yazidi people. The Yazidis honour the seven Holy Beings as wholly good, the holy emanations of the one God, and any association of them with evil is a slander to be rejected. Yazidism is a monotheistic and non-dualistic faith, in which the seven Holy Beings are wholly good emanations of the one good God.
Is the Yazidi faith a confused mixture, or a tradition in its own right? Yazidism is a distinct and ancient religious tradition in its own right, with its own vision of the one God and the seven Holy Beings, its own sacred hymns, holy places, and religious order. While it shares, like all the traditions of the region, in the broad and ancient religious heritage of the area, it is a coherent and distinctive faith, deserving to be understood accurately and respectfully on its own terms, as a living religion of the Kurdish people.
Related Topics
Tawuse Melek: the Peacock Angel, chief of the seven Holy Beings
Sheikh Adi: the great saint of the faith, manifestation of the divine
Ezdina Mir: a holy figure of the Yazidi tradition
Newroz: the new-year festival of the Kurdish world
Shahmaran: the sacred serpent queen of Kurdish lore
Zoroaster: the prophet of the ancient Iranic faith
The Amesha Spentas: the holy immortals of the Zoroastrian tradition
The Simurgh: the great mythic bird of Iranic legend
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Heft Sirr in the Yazidi faith?
The Heft Sirr, meaning the Seven Mysteries, are the seven Holy Beings or angels of the Yazidi faith, the emanations of the one God through whom God orders and cares for the world. In the Yazidi understanding, the one God brought them forth from his own light before the creation of this world and entrusted to them the care of all creation. Their leader and chief is Tawuse Melek, the Peacock Angel, and they are made manifest in the world through their holy earthly representatives.
Does the Yazidi faith worship many gods?
No; Yazidism is a monotheistic faith, centred on belief in one God, the creator of all. The Heft Sirr, the seven Holy Beings, are not separate gods but emanations of the one God, brought forth from his own light and sharing in his divine essence, the means through which the one God orders and cares for the world. They are best understood as the holy emanations of the single God, much as other monotheistic traditions speak of angels or holy emanations of the one God.
What does the name Heft Sirr mean?
The name combines the Kurdish words heft, meaning seven, and sirr or sur, meaning mystery or secret, in the sense of a hidden, sacred essence. Together it means the Seven Mysteries. The word sirr denotes the divine essence or sacred reality from which the angels were created and which they carry within them, sometimes spoken of as the Sur of God. The seven Holy Beings are also called simply the Seven Angels.
Who is the leader of the Heft Sirr?
The leader and chief of the seven Holy Beings is Tawuse Melek, the Peacock Angel, to whom God gave authority over the world. In the Yazidi faith, Tawuse Melek is the chief of the holy angels, a wholly good and benevolent being, the foremost of the seven emanations of the one God and the one who, under God, has charge of creation. Any association of him with evil is a slander entirely foreign to and rejected by the Yazidi faith.
How are the seven Holy Beings present in the world?
In the Yazidi tradition, the seven Holy Beings are made manifest in the world through their holy earthly representatives, the great saints and holy figures of the faith, in whom the seven are understood to be present. Foremost among these is Sheikh Adi, understood as a manifestation of the divine. Other holy figures, such as Sheikh Shams, Fakhradin, Nasirdin, and Sejadin, are understood as the earthly representatives of the seven, the great saints in whom the Heft Sirr are present in the world.
Is the Heft Sirr part of Kurdish heritage?
Yes; the Heft Sirr belong to Yazidism, one of the most ancient and distinctive religious traditions of the Kurdish people, followed chiefly by Kurmanji-speaking Yazidis. The seven Holy Beings, at the foundation of this faith, are a central part of the religious heritage of the Kurds. Yazidism is a living religion of great depth and antiquity, preserved through many centuries, and deserves to be understood accurately and with respect, on its own terms.
References and Further Reading
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