Sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...

Shems or Melek Shams ad-Din () is a holy figure venerated in

Yazidism Yazidism, also known as Sharfadin, is a Monotheism, monotheistic ethnic religion which has roots in Ancient Iranian religion, pre-Zoroastrian Iranian religion, directly derived from the Indo-Iranians, Indo-Iranian tradition. Its followers, ca ...

, he is considered one of the Seven Divine Beings, to all of whom God assigned the World's affairs, and his earthly incarnation is considered one of the four sons of Ezdina Mir along with Nasirdîn, Fexredîn, and Sicadîn, who are the respective ancestors and patriarchs of the four Şemsanî Sheikh lineages.

Biography

Sêx Şems, also known as Şêşims, and Şemsedîn, is one of the members of the Heptad and one of the most fundamental theological symbols in Yazidism as the divinity of the

Sun The Sun is the star at the centre of the Solar System. It is a massive, nearly perfect sphere of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core, radiating the energy from its surface mainly as visible light a ...

, source of light and life, the divine light of God. He is also linked with

fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...

, which is his terrestrial counterpart and

oaths Traditionally, an oath (from Anglo-Saxon ', also a plight) is a statement of fact or a promise taken by a sacrality as a sign of verity. A common legal substitute for those who object to making sacred oaths is to give an affirmation instead ...

, which are sworn by the doorway of his shrine. Annually, during the Feast of the Assembly, a ceremonial bull sacrifice is performed in front of his shrine in

Lalish Lalish (, also known as Lalişa Nûranî) is a mountain valley and temple located in the Nineveh Plains, Iraq. It is the holiest temple of the Yazidis. It is the location of the tomb of the Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir, a central figure of the Yazidi ...

. Şêx Şems is the eponym of one of the four principal Şemsanî Sheikh lineages, was the patriarch of the Şemsanî family and brother of Fexredîn, Sicadîn and Nasirdîn.

Children

The nine sons of Sheikh Shems are:Diar Khalaf and Hayri Demir. 2013. ''Mythos und Legende der Shex Mend und das Symbol der Schlange'' (Myth and legend of the Şêx Mend and the symbol of the snake) (in German). *Şêx Alê Şemsa * Şêx Amadînê Şemsa *Şêx Avîndê Şemsa *Şêx Babadînê Şemsa *Şêx Bavikê Şemsa *Şêx ʿEvdalê Şemsa *Şêx Hesenê Şemsa *Şêxê Reş (Cinteyar) *Şêx Tokilê Şemsa *Şêx Xidirê Şemsa His daughters are: * Sitiya Îs/Ês * Sitiya Nisret * Sitiya Bilxan (Belqan)

References

Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown Yazidi mythology Yazidi history Yazidi religion 12th-century Kurdish people Yazidi holy figures Sun myths {{Yazidi-stub