ALEXANDER THE GREAT ii. IN ZOROASTRIAN TRADITION The heritage of the Sasanian period includes two widely divergent storylines about Alexander,…

JELWA, KETĀB AL- (Kurd. Kitēba jilwe, “the Book of splendor”), title of a notional sacred text in Yazidism. Written copies…

ORAL LITERATURE in Iran. INTRODUCTION Oral literature (sometimes called “verbal art”) comprises many genres, narrative and lyrical, poetry and prose, sung and…

KĀKĀʾI, a term used both for a tribal federation and for a religious group in Iraqi Kurdistan. The word Kākāʾi…

MEM-Ê ALAN (Kurdish romance), probably the best-known Kurdish tale, and the one most often regarded as representative of Kurdish verbal art…

EXEGESIS i. In Zoroastrianism Zoroastrian exegesis consists basically of the interpretation of the Avesta (q.v.). However, the closest equivalent Iranian…

COSMOGONY AND COSMOLOGY i. In Zoroastrianism/Mazdaism The “orthodox” myth. The extant Avesta contains no systematic exposition of the cosmological beliefs…

iii. Shi’ite. iv. Yasidi and Ahl-e Haqq. v. Kurdish (Sunni).   iii. SHIʿITE Shiʿite festivals mark important occasions in Shiʿite…

CATECHISMS, treatises for instruction in the fundamental tenets of a religious faith, cast in the form of questions and answers….

IRAN ix, continued ix(1.2). Manicheism Called after the founding prophet Mani (216-74 or 277; q.v. at iranica.com), Manicheism was a…

IRAN ix. RELIGIONS IN IRAN Religions in Iran will be divided into the following two sub-entries: 1. Iranian religions of…

HĒRBED (or Hērbad, Ērvad), a Zoroastrian priestly title, at present used for a “priest in minor orders,” that is, a…

FOLK POETRY in Iranian languages. The term ‘folk poetry’ can be properly used for texts which have some characteristics marking…

YAZIDIS ii. Initiation in Yazidism Three different rites can mark the initiation of a Yazidi child as a member of…

KURDISH WRITTEN LITERATURE. Written, “elevated” poetry traditionally played a less prominent role in Kurdish society than folk poetry (q.v.) did….

NĪRANGDĪN CEREMONY, a Zoroastrian ritual to consecrate gōmēz, or bull’s urine; the consecrated liquid is known as nīrang or nīrangdīn….

ḴĀNĀ QOBĀDI, Gurāni poet (fl. ca.1700-1759 or 1778) and one of the major members of the school of Gurāni poetry…

QAWL, Yezidi, a type of poetry that plays a central role in the religious life of the Yezidis. These hymns…

MIRDREKVANDI, ʿALI, nicknamed “Gunga Din,” author of “Irradiant,” a popular epic written in broken English in the mid-20th century. Little…