Sheikh Obekr: The Yazidi Bearer of the Sacred Garment
- Daniel R
- 5 days ago
- 12 min read
Introduction
Sheikh Obekr is one of the great holy figures of the Yazidi faith: a member of the Heptad, the Seven Holy Beings to whom the one God entrusted the affairs of the world, whose earthly incarnation became the founding patriarch of the Qatani lineage of Sheikhs, and who is honoured as the bearer and protector of the Xerqa, the sacred garment of asceticism.
In the Yazidi tradition, the one God created Seven Holy Beings, often called the Heft Sirr, the Seven Mysteries, and entrusted to them the affairs of the world, with Tawuse Melek as their leader. Sheikh Obekr, also called Sheikh Abu Bakr, is honoured among these Holy Beings, and his earthly incarnation became a great holy figure and the patriarch of one of the principal Sheikh lineages, remembered especially as the keeper of the sacred garment.
To know Sheikh Obekr is to encounter the Yazidi vision of the Seven Holy Beings and the holy lineages, and the deep reverence for asceticism and devotion embodied in the sacred garment, the Xerqa, of which he is the honoured bearer and protector.
Contents
Who Is Sheikh Obekr?
Sheikh Obekr, also called Sheikh Abu Bakr or Sheikhubekir, is a holy figure venerated in the Yazidi faith as one of the Seven Holy Beings, the Heptad, to all of whom the one God assigned the affairs of the world. In the Yazidi understanding, these Holy Beings, led by Tawuse Melek, periodically take earthly form in the persons of great holy figures, and Sheikh Obekr's earthly incarnation, in the 13th century, became the founding patriarch of the Qatani lineage, one of the three principal lineages of the Yazidi Sheikhs. He is honoured especially as the bearer and protector of the Xerqa, the sacred black garment that symbolises asceticism, devotion, and the spiritual life in the Yazidi faith. As a member of the Heptad whose earthly incarnation founded a great Sheikh lineage and who keeps the sacred garment, Sheikh Obekr holds a high and honoured place among the holy figures of the Yazidi faith, one of the Seven Holy Beings through whom, in the Yazidi understanding, the one God governs and cares for the world. His standing among the Seven, his patriarchy of a principal Sheikh lineage, and his guardianship of the sacred garment together mark him as one of the great holy figures of the Yazidi tradition.
His Name and Title
Sheikh Obekr is known by the name Sheikh Abu Bakr, in its Kurdish form Sheikhubekir or Obekr; his honoured role is as a member of the Heptad, the patriarch of the Qatani Sheikhs, and the bearer of the Xerqa.
The name Sheikh Obekr is the Kurdish form of Sheikh Abu Bakr, a name honoured in the tradition; in the Yazidi context it designates this particular holy figure of the Heptad and his lineage, distinct from others who have borne similar names in the wider history of the region. His defining roles and titles are several: he is honoured as one of the Seven Holy Beings of the Heptad; as the founding patriarch of the Qatani lineage of Sheikhs, one of the three principal Sheikh lineages of the Yazidi faith; and, most distinctively, as the bearer and protector of the Xerqa, the sacred garment. These titles together mark his standing and his roles: his place among the Seven Holy Beings, his patriarchy of a great lineage, and his guardianship of the sacred garment of asceticism. To know his name and titles is to know his essential standing in the Yazidi faith, a member of the Heptad, the patriarch of the Qatani Sheikhs, and the honoured bearer of the Xerqa, one of the great holy figures of the tradition.
Key Takeaways
Sheikh Obekr (Sheikh Abu Bakr) is a great holy figure of the Yazidi faith.
He is one of the Heptad, the Seven Holy Beings of the tradition.
His earthly incarnation founded the Qatani lineage of Sheikhs.
He is honoured as the bearer and protector of the Xerqa, the sacred garment.
The Xerqa is the holy black textile symbolising asceticism and devotion.
He is one of the three principal Sheikh-lineage patriarchs.
Quick Facts
Name: Sheikh Obekr (Sheikh Abu Bakr; Sheikhubekir)
Venerated in: Yazidism
Among: The Heptad, the Seven Holy Beings
Earthly incarnation: 13th-century founding patriarch of the Qatani Sheikhs
Lineage: The Qatani, one of the three principal Sheikh lineages
Honoured as: The bearer and protector of the Xerqa
The Xerqa: The sacred black garment of asceticism and devotion
Leader of the Heptad: Tawuse Melek, the Peacock Angel
Companions in the Heptad: Sheikh Shems, Sheikh Hasan, and others
Heritage: A great holy figure of the Yazidi faith
One of the Seven Holy Beings
Sheikh Obekr is honoured as one of the Heptad, the Seven Holy Beings to whom the one God entrusted the affairs of the world, the inmost circle of the holy figures of the Yazidi faith.
At the heart of the Yazidi faith is the belief that the one God, after creating the world, entrusted its care and governance to Seven Holy Beings, often called the Heft Sirr, the Seven Mysteries, with Tawuse Melek, the Peacock Angel, as their leader and foremost. These Seven are the highest of the holy figures, the great powers through whom the one God governs and cares for the world, and they periodically take earthly form in the persons of great holy figures. Sheikh Obekr is honoured as one of these Seven Holy Beings, a member of the Heptad, alongside such great figures as Sheikh Shems the being of the Sun and Sheikh Hasan the Master of the Pen. To be among the Seven is to belong to the inmost and highest circle of the holy figures, the great powers of the Yazidi vision. This place among the Seven Holy Beings is the highest aspect of Sheikh Obekr's standing, marking him as one of the great powers through whom the one God governs the world. It is as one of the Heptad, the Seven Holy Beings, that Sheikh Obekr holds his highest honour in the Yazidi faith, one of the inmost circle of the holy figures.
Bearer of the Sacred Garment
Most distinctively, Sheikh Obekr is honoured as the bearer and protector of the Xerqa, the sacred black garment that symbolises asceticism, devotion, and the spiritual life in the Yazidi faith.
The most distinctive role of Sheikh Obekr is as the bearer and protector of the Xerqa, the sacred garment of the Yazidi faith. The Xerqa is a holy black garment or textile that symbolises asceticism, humility, devotion, and the spiritual life, worn or kept as a sign of dedication to the holy and the renunciation of worldly pride; it holds a deep significance in the spiritual and devotional life of the tradition. Sheikh Obekr is honoured as the holy figure to whom the keeping and protection of this sacred garment are entrusted, the bearer and guardian of the symbol of asceticism and devotion. This role marks him as a figure especially associated with the ascetic and devotional dimension of the faith, the spiritual discipline, humility, and dedication of which the Xerqa is the sacred sign. As the bearer of the Xerqa, Sheikh Obekr embodies and guards the ideal of asceticism and devotion in the Yazidi faith, the renunciation of worldly pride and the dedication to the holy. This role as the bearer and protector of the sacred garment is the most distinctive aspect of Sheikh Obekr, marking him as the guardian of the ideal of asceticism and devotion. It is as the bearer of the Xerqa, the keeper of the sacred garment of the spiritual life, that Sheikh Obekr is most distinctively honoured among the holy figures of the Yazidi faith.
Patriarch of the Qatani Sheikhs
The earthly incarnation of Sheikh Obekr became the founding patriarch of the Qatani lineage, one of the three principal lineages of the Yazidi Sheikhs.
In the Yazidi understanding, the Holy Beings take earthly form in the persons of great holy figures, and the earthly incarnation of Sheikh Obekr, in the 13th century, became the founding patriarch of the Qatani lineage of Sheikhs. The Yazidi Sheikhs, the priestly families of the faith, are organised into three principal lineages, and the Qatani, descended from Sheikh Obekr, is one of these, alongside the Shemsani and the Adani lines. The Sheikhs of the Qatani lineage carry forward the holiness and the religious roles of their founding patriarch, the holy figure of the Heptad whose earthly incarnation founded their line. To be the patriarch of one of the three principal Sheikh lineages is to hold a place among the founding fathers of the Yazidi religious order, the ancestors of the holy families who carry forward the faith. This role as the patriarch of the Qatani Sheikhs is an important aspect of Sheikh Obekr, binding the holy figure of the Heptad to one of the great living lineages of the Yazidi faith. It is as the patriarch of the Qatani Sheikhs, as well as a member of the Heptad and the bearer of the Xerqa, that Sheikh Obekr holds his honoured and enduring place in the Yazidi faith, the ancestor of one of the three principal holy lineages.
Asceticism and Devotion
Through his guardianship of the Xerqa, Sheikh Obekr is especially associated with the ideal of asceticism and devotion in the Yazidi faith, the spiritual discipline, humility, and dedication to the holy of which the sacred garment is the sign.
The Xerqa, the sacred garment of which Sheikh Obekr is the bearer, is the sign of asceticism and devotion in the Yazidi faith, and through it Sheikh Obekr is especially associated with this spiritual ideal. Asceticism, the renunciation of worldly pride and comfort for the sake of the holy, and devotion, the dedication of the life to God and the holy, are honoured ideals in the Yazidi tradition, as in many religious traditions, expressed in lives of humility, discipline, and dedication. The sacred garment symbolises this ideal, and Sheikh Obekr, as its bearer, is the holy figure who guards and embodies it, the patron, as it were, of the ascetic and devotional life. This association reflects the spiritual depth of the Yazidi faith, its honouring of humility, discipline, and dedication to the holy, beyond the outward forms of the tradition. The association of Sheikh Obekr with asceticism and devotion, through the sacred garment, is a meaningful aspect of his character, marking him as a figure of the spiritual and devotional depth of the faith. It is as a guardian of the ideal of asceticism and devotion, the bearer of the sacred garment of the spiritual life, that Sheikh Obekr holds a meaningful place in the Yazidi faith.
Meaning and Significance
Sheikh Obekr embodies, above all, the Yazidi vision of the Seven Holy Beings, the holy lineages, and the ideal of asceticism and devotion, a member of the Heptad whose earthly incarnation founded a great lineage and who keeps the sacred garment. As a Holy Being, he represents the great powers through whom the one God governs the world; as the bearer of the Xerqa, the ideal of the spiritual life.
Sheikh Obekr embodies, too, the deep structure of the Yazidi faith, in which the Holy Beings, the holy lineages, and the spiritual ideals are woven together, and the reverence for asceticism, humility, and devotion that the sacred garment symbolises. In this, he represents both the cosmic and the spiritual depth of the tradition. In all this, Sheikh Obekr is among the great holy figures of the Yazidi faith, embodying the Seven Holy Beings, the holy lineages, and the ideal of asceticism and devotion. He is one of the Heptad, the patriarch of the Qatani Sheikhs, and the bearer of the Xerqa, one of the great figures of the faith, honoured alongside the other Holy Beings of the Heft Sirr led by Tawuse Melek. The vision of holiness, lineage, and devotion that he embodies is among the profound features of the Yazidi faith.
Sheikh Obekr and the Kurds
Sheikh Obekr is a holy figure of the Yazidi faith, one of the ancient indigenous religious traditions of the Kurdish people, and he is part of the rich religious and cultural 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 the great Sheikh Obekr, 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 vision that Sheikh Obekr embodies, of the Seven Holy Beings, the holy lineages, and the ideal of asceticism and devotion symbolised by the sacred garment, reflects the spiritual depth and the distinctive structure of the Yazidi faith, a precious part of the religious heritage of the Kurdish people. For the Yazidi Kurds, Sheikh Obekr is a great and living holy figure, one of the Seven Holy Beings, the patriarch of a principal lineage, and the guardian of the sacred garment, honoured in the devotional life of the community. In presenting Sheikh Obekr, we honour a great holy figure of the Yazidi faith, part of the distinctive religious heritage of the Kurdish people, one of the Seven Holy Beings whose guardianship of the sacred garment and ideal of asceticism and devotion are among the profound 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 the Seven Holy Beings, including Sheikh Obekr, a form of polytheism? No. This is a crucial 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 Seven Holy Beings of the Heft Sirr, including Sheikh Obekr and led by Tawuse Melek, are not seven rival gods but holy beings and emanations created by the one God, to whom he entrusted the care of the world, through whom his governance and care are expressed, honoured and venerated within a faith centred firmly on the one God. The veneration of Sheikh Obekr as one of the Seven is the honouring of a holy being of the one God, not the worship of a separate deity. It is essential to understand the Yazidi faith accurately as the monotheistic, non-dualistic tradition it is, setting aside the false and harmful misrepresentations long directed at it.
What is the significance of the Xerqa? The Xerqa is the sacred black garment of the Yazidi faith, symbolising asceticism, humility, devotion, and the spiritual life, the renunciation of worldly pride and the dedication to the holy. It holds a deep significance in the spiritual and devotional life of the tradition, and Sheikh Obekr is honoured as its bearer and protector. It is best understood as a sacred sign of the ascetic and devotional ideal, a symbol of the spiritual depth of the faith, honoured with reverence.
Is Sheikh Obekr a historical or a purely legendary figure? In the Yazidi understanding, Sheikh Obekr is both: he is one of the Seven Holy Beings of sacred tradition, and his earthly incarnation in the 13th century is honoured as the historical founding patriarch of the Qatani Sheikh lineage, which continues to this day. As with the other Holy Beings whose earthly incarnations are the great holy figures and lineage-founders, such as Sheikh Hasan and Sheikh Shems, sacred tradition and history are woven together. The honest position is to honour both: the Holy Being of sacred tradition and the remembered historical patriarch of a living lineage.
Related Topics
The Heft Sirr: the Seven Holy Beings, of whom Sheikh Obekr is one
Tawuse Melek: the Peacock Angel, leader of the Seven Holy Beings
Sheikh Hasan: the Master of the Pen, a fellow Heptad member
Sheikh Shems: the holy being of the Sun, a fellow Heptad member
Sheikh Adi: the great reformer of the Yazidi faith at Lalish
Sheikh Fakhradin: the author of the sacred hymns, a Heptad member
Sheikh Mend: the guardian of the sacred serpent
Ezdina Mir: the ancestor of the Shemsani Sheikhs
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sheikh Obekr in the Yazidi faith?
Sheikh Obekr, also called Sheikh Abu Bakr, is a great holy figure venerated in the Yazidi faith as one of the Heptad, the Seven Holy Beings to whom the one God entrusted the affairs of the world. His earthly incarnation, in the 13th century, became the founding patriarch of the Qatani lineage of Sheikhs, and he is honoured especially as the bearer and protector of the Xerqa, the sacred garment of asceticism and devotion.
What is the Heptad?
The Heptad, often called the Heft Sirr or Seven Mysteries, is the group of Seven Holy Beings whom, in the Yazidi faith, the one God created and to whom he entrusted the care and governance of the world, with Tawuse Melek, the Peacock Angel, as their leader. They are the highest of the holy figures, the great powers through whom the one God governs the world, and they periodically take earthly form in the persons of great holy figures. Sheikh Obekr is one of these Seven.
What is the Xerqa?
The Xerqa is the sacred black garment or textile of the Yazidi faith, symbolising asceticism, humility, devotion, and the spiritual life, the renunciation of worldly pride and the dedication to the holy. It holds a deep significance in the spiritual and devotional life of the tradition, and Sheikh Obekr is honoured as its bearer and protector, the guardian of the sacred sign of the ascetic and devotional ideal.
What is the Qatani lineage?
The Qatani is one of the three principal lineages of the Yazidi Sheikhs, the priestly families of the faith, alongside the Shemsani and Adani lines. The Qatani lineage is descended from the earthly incarnation of Sheikh Obekr, who is honoured as its founding patriarch. The Sheikhs of this lineage carry forward the holiness and religious roles of their founder, the holy figure of the Heptad whose earthly incarnation founded their line.
Is the veneration of the Seven Holy Beings polytheism?
No. Yazidism is a monotheistic faith centred on belief in one God. The Seven Holy Beings, including Sheikh Obekr and led by Tawuse Melek, are not seven rival gods but holy beings created by the one God, to whom he entrusted the care of the world, through whom his governance is expressed, honoured within a faith centred firmly on the one God. It is essential to understand the Yazidi faith accurately as the monotheistic, non-dualistic tradition it is, setting aside the false misrepresentations long directed at it.
How is Sheikh Obekr related to the Kurds?
Sheikh Obekr is a holy figure of the Yazidi faith, one of the ancient indigenous religious traditions of the Kurdish people, and he is part of the rich religious heritage of the Kurds, especially of the Yazidi Kurdish community for whom he is a living object of devotion. The vision of the Seven Holy Beings, the holy lineages, and the ideal of asceticism and devotion that he embodies reflects the spiritual depth and distinctive structure of the Yazidi faith, a precious part of the Kurdish heritage.
References and Further Reading
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