"The Servant of God", the Saint, the Universal Deity: Al-Khidr in the Yezidi and Alevi-Zaza Traditions

Abstract

Al-Khidr is a universal figure in the Islamic world, a character widely recognized throughout Muslim societies and particularly prominent in mystical orders and folk Islam. He is notable for his exceptional adaptability to non-Muslim traditions in contact zones, his ability to influence local cults, and his capacity to assimilate characteristics of non-Islamic figures, especially Christian saints. This study aims to define the niche, primary domains, functions, and characteristics of Khidr within the Yezidi and Alevi-Zaza religious traditions. The figure of Khidr among these peoples is of particular interest, as he is revered not only as a righteous man who guides people towards beneficence but also as a deity. Our focus on these two traditions is further justified by the Yezidi religion’s notable parallels with heterodox Shi‘a doctrines, which include the beliefs of the Alevi-Zazas. This is confirmed, amongst other factors, by the specific ways Khidr is venerated by these two groups. The research employs comparative historical analysis, drawing on Armenian historiographical materials not previously widely circulated in scholarly circles, Yezidi folklore materials published without translation or commentary, and field materials collected by the author from Yezidis in Armenia and Zazas from historical Dersim (modern Tunceli, Turkey), as well as Zaza emigrants from Dersim currently residing in Germany and France. As a result, we reconstruct the niche, main functions, and characteristics of Khidr in the Yezidi and Alevi-Zaza beliefs, and define the specific veneration of Khidr that is typical of these two traditions, especially his status as a deity. This reveals functional parallels with authentic characters whose domains, in one way or another, coincide with the traditional spheres of influence of this universal Muslim character.