Etymology of “Yazidism”

Yazidism (Kurdish: Êzidîtî; Arabic: اليزيدية / al-Yazīdiyya) derives from the name Yazīd (يزيد), but not from the Umayyad caliph Yazid I (d. 683 CE) — a common misconception. Instead, it traces to pre-Islamic, Iranian divine terminology.
Root: Old Persian Yazata (𐎹𐎰𐎫)
Term
Language
Meaning
Connection
Yazata
Avestan / Old Persian
“Worthy of worship” – divine being, angel.
Root of “Yazīd”.
Yazīd
Arabic (from Persian)
“He increases” or “divine being”.
Name of Melek Tawus (Peacock Angel).
Êzîd
Kurdish
“God” or “divine”.
Self-designation: “Worshippers of Êzîd”.
Yazidis call themselves: Êzidî = “Those who worship Êzîd (God)”.
Not from Caliph Yazid I
Misconception
Reality
Named after Yazid I (Umayyad)
False — Yazidis pre-date Islam by centuries.
“Devil worshippers” slur
Medieval Muslim polemic — no etymological link.
Yazid I = Arabic يزيد بن معاوية (Yazīd ibn Muʿāwiya).
Yazidi “Yazīd” = from Yazata → divine emanation.
Historical Linguistic Path
Old Persian: Yazata (𐎹𐎰𐎫) → “worthy of sacrifice”
│
├─→ Avestan: Yazata = angel (e.g., Mithra, Anahita)
│
├─→ Middle Persian: Yazad = god/angel
│
└─→ Arabic: Yazīd = “increaser” or “divine”
    │
    └─→ Kurdish: Êzîd = God → Êzidî = Yazidi
Yazidi Self-Understanding
Term
Meaning in Yazidi Theology
Melek Tawus
Peacock Angel = chief Yazata.
Êzîd
The One God — not a person.
Şems
Sun Angel — another Yazata.
Hymn of the Faith:
“Êzîd is the name of God… We are the people of Êzîd.”
For Your Comparative Religion Book
Section
Use This
Prophetess
Lalish matriarchs — divine feminine in Yazata.
Mystic
Yazata = perennial angelology (cf. Sufi malak, Zoroastrian amesha spenta).
Healer
Peacock = renewal — healing through divine increase.
Word Count: ~350 → sidebar in Perennial chapter.
Bottom Line
Yazidism = from Yazata (“worthy of worship”) → not Caliph Yazid.
Means: “Worshippers of the Divine” — ancient Iranian root.

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