Latest news with #SefraNanuMast
Rudaw Net
05-04-2025
- Climate
- Rudaw Net
Heavy hail sends five to hospital in Soran
Also in Kurdistan Yazidis visit Lalish for Sefra Nan u Mast ritual Yezidi spiritual leader in hospital after suffering stroke Fire burns dozens of shops in Sulaimani bazaar Court orders Genel Energy to pay KRG $26.8 million in costs A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Heavy hail in the Soran district of Erbil province on Saturday injured five people and caused widespread damage to cars, homes, and crops, an official told Rudaw. All five suffered head injuries and were taken to Rawanduz Hospital, "three of them had their heads stitched," Hezhar Hakim, director of communications for the independent Soran administration, told Rudaw. Rain and hail fell across much of the Kurdistan Region on Saturday. In Soran, large hailstones shattered windshields, broke house windows, killed numerous birds, and damaged agricultural crops, especially apricot and plum trees, according to Hakim. Authorities warned people to avoid going outside. 'We are notifying all citizens that while the wave of rain and hail continues, they should protect their belongings and avoid going outside or traveling unless absolutely necessary,' Halgurd Sheikh Najib, supervisor of the Soran administration, told Rudaw. 'There are some areas in the Soran administration that are at risk of collapse, such as the Bekhal Road valley, the Mergasor area, Hamilton Road, and mountainous regions. If not absolutely necessary, avoid traveling, especially on these roads,' he added.
Rudaw Net
05-04-2025
- General
- Rudaw Net
Yazidis visit Lalish for Sefra Nan u Mast ritual
Also in Kurdistan Yezidi spiritual leader in hospital after suffering stroke Fire burns dozens of shops in Sulaimani bazaar Court orders Genel Energy to pay KRG $26.8 million in costs Gorran's rival factions announce different dates for party congress A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Yazidis brought bread and yogurt to the holy Lalish Temple as part of the centuries-old Sefra Nan u Mast tradition ahead of their new year. 'This is the path of our ancestors. Our forefathers preserved this and we are obligated to preserve this path like them. A person is known by their nature. No matter what happens, one should not abandon the traditions of their ancestors. One must follow in the footsteps of their forefathers,' Nafia Asfar, a Yazidi woman taking part in the ceremony, told Rudaw on Saturday. The Yazidi faithful carrying offerings of bread (nan) and yogurt (mast) were met by the religious leader Baba Chawish. The yogurt offerings are handed over to Nala Faqiri, the temple caretaker, and a portion is used to prepare dough. This is done by mixing it with water drawn from the sacred Zamzam and Kaniya Spi springs, which hold significance in Yazidi traditions. The bread is placed in a designated sacred area within the temple. As part of the ritual, a portion of the bread is ceremonially sprinkled with water. 'It's very nice that all the villagers gather together and we pray for ourselves. God willing, may it be a year of goodness and happiness,' said Zawra Mirza, another Yazidi woman participating in the ritual. The ceremony concludes with traditional dancing. These ancient practices passed down through generations reflect the enduring cultural and spiritual heritage of the Yazidi people. The Yazidis have endured years of suffering under the Islamic State (ISIS), losing many loved ones to the group's violent acts. ISIS militants abducted more than 6,000 Yazidis, mainly young women and children, when in 2014 they seized control of Shingal in northern Iraq. The fate of 2,832 of them remains unknown, according to the most recent statistics from the Office of Rescuing Abducted Yazidis, which is affiliated with the Kurdistan Region Presidency. The office has also documented 93 mass graves of Yazidis who were killed by ISIS militants between 2014 and 2017.
Rudaw Net
05-04-2025
- Health
- Rudaw Net
Yezidi spiritual leader in hospital after suffering stroke
Also in Kurdistan Yazidis visit Lalish for Sefra Nan u Mast ritual Fire burns dozens of shops in Sulaimani bazaar Court orders Genel Energy to pay KRG $26.8 million in costs Gorran's rival factions announce different dates for party congress A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Yazidi spiritual leader Sheikh Ali Ilyas is in stable condition after suffering a stroke, his attending physician stated on Saturday. "The stroke was mild and he is now under observation," Dr. Mohammed Aziz told Rudaw's Naif Ramadan from the private hospital in Duhok where the Yazidi spiritual leader is being treated. His health deteriorated Friday night. Ilyas holds the position of Baba Sheikh, which is the title given to the Yazidi supreme spiritual leader. He was appointed in late 2020 by Yazidi community leader Mir Tahsin Bag, following the death of his predecessor Khurto Hajji Ismail. Aziz said high blood cholesterol levels, stress, and smoking were contributing factors behind the stroke. 'He smokes around 40 cigarettes [a day],' he added. Ilyas will remain in the hospital for three to four more days, but his condition 'does not require treatment from outside the country,' the doctor added. Ilyas was born in Shekhan, Duhok province in 1979. His father served as the spiritual leader from 1978 to 1995. He was inaugurated during a ceremony at the holy temple of Lalish in November 2020, attended by some 5,000 Yazidis from across the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. The Baba Sheikh told Rudaw at that time that the return of thousands of Yazidis kidnapped by the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2014 would be a priority for him. He said the kidnapped women are 'holy' and 'I will carry their message wherever I go.' His predecessor made an unprecedented decision to welcome back women and girls who had been raped by ISIS, breaking with the tradition that forbids relationships with non-Yazidis.
