Şêx Cinêd

General Information

Also Known As

Sheikh Junayd shrine, Şêx Cinêd shrine

Type

Ziyareta

Nahiya (Subdistrict)

Cindires

Village or Nearby Villages

Feqîra

Religious Affiliation

Yezidi

Şêx Cinêd is a shrine of Feqîra in the Cindires sub-district. It is a different shrine from Pîr Seîd, the other shrine of Feqîra. The Ax û Welat host notes that the village has two shrines.1

Map and Location

Coordinates: 36.469771, 36.760998

Source: https://akmckeever.substack.com/

Dedicated Figure & Historical Roots

Şêx Cinêd is remembered as a sheikh of the Şêx Hesenî lineage, a renowned and humble man with miraculous powers. Villagers recall that some saw him fly with the doves, and some saw him handle a red-hot griddle, fire, and chains placed on his head.2 He died in 1934, and local Yezidis visited his shrine every Friday evening.4 The present shrine building was dedicated in 2011, and as perhaps the most recent Yezidi shrine in the region it carries a fluted conical dome of the kind found in the Yezidi areas of Iraq.5

On May 21, 2018, Turkish-backed fighters looted and vandalized the shrine and the surrounding cemetery. The dedication sign on the exterior was thrown to the ground, the gravestone inside was smashed, and the grave was exhumed.6

Ritual Practices & Beliefs

On Wednesday and Friday nights the villagers come to the shrine, light candles, and make their wishes and prayers. Yezidis from the surrounding villages come in groups to circle the shrine and make their visitation.3

Transcripts

Feqîra (Ax û Welat – Episode 1084):

  • 29:23 – A villager describes Şêx Cinêd of the Şêx Hesenî lineage and his miracles.
  • 30:30 – Description of the Wednesday and Friday night candle-lighting and the Yezidi visitation.

Videography

Feqîra (Ax û Welat – Episode 1084): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHDj-8bsPkk

Bibliography

References

  1. Ax û Welat, "Feqîra," Episode 1084, at 29:12. Kurdish quote: "Li vir jî em hatin cem Ziyaretê, me got du Ziyaret li vê gundî dane. Navê vê Ziyaretê jî Şêx Cinêd." English translation: "Here we came to the shrine; we said there are two shrines in this village. The name of this shrine is Şêx Cinêd." ↩

  2. Ax û Welat, "Feqîra," Episode 1084 (village Feqîra), YouTube video, at 29:23–29:52, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHDj-8bsPkk. Kurdish quote: "Şêx Cinêd, şêxekî Şêx Hesenî bû. Şêxê şêxa ne... Bi nav û deng bû, bi hucet û keramet bû. Sira Xwedê li ser hebû." English translation: "Şêx Cinêd was a sheikh of the Şêx Hesenî lineage, a sheikh of sheikhs... He was renowned, with proof and miracles; the secret of God was upon him." Kurdish quote: "Yanî hinka dîtibû bi qumriya ra firiya. Hinka dîtibû sêla sor, agir, zincîr kirayê... da ser serê xwe." English translation: "Some saw him fly with the doves; some saw a red-hot griddle, fire, and chains that he placed on his head." ↩

  3. Ax û Welat, "Feqîra," Episode 1084. Kurdish quote: "Şevê Çarşema, şevê Îna, miletê me tê ber, mûmên xwe vêdixin, ber mirazê xwe dixwazin, dua û daxwaziyên xwe dikin." English translation: "On Wednesday night and Friday night, our people come before it, light their candles, ask for their wishes, and make their prayers and requests." Kurdish quote: "Êzdiyên me hemû gundên li vê derê bin, tê seke, grûb grûb hatin li ber tewaf bûn û ziyareta xwe kirin." English translation: "Our Yezidis from all the surrounding villages come in groups, circle the shrine, and make their visitation." ↩

  4. Jamie O'Connell, "Incident Report Feature: Intentional Destruction of Religious Sites in Afrin," ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives, http://www.asor-syrianheritage.org/incident-report-feature-afrin-religious-sites/. Direct quote: "The Shrine of Sheikh Junayd is dedicated to a Yezidi figure who died in 1934 CE. The shrine is visited every Friday evening by local Yezidis." ↩

  5. Alexander McKeever, "Afrin: Incidents Of Desecration And Destruction Of Cultural Sites," Bellingcat, July 11, 2019, https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2019/07/11/afrin-incidents-of-desecration-and-destruction-of-cultural-sites/. Direct quote: "The Ezdina News video also shows clips from the shrine's dedication in 2011. Interestingly, as perhaps the most recent Yezidi shrine in the region, Sheikh Junayd features a fluted conical dome, such as those found in the Yezidi areas of Iraq." ↩

  6. O'Connell, "Intentional Destruction of Religious Sites in Afrin." Direct quote: "On May 21, 2018 Ezidi Press reported that Turkish-backed FSA fighters had looted and vandalized the shrine and surrounding cemetery in the village of Qarabash. Photographs and video footage show the sign bearing the dedication on the exterior of the shrine has been thrown to the ground. The gravestone in the shrine interior has been smashed and the grave has been exhumed." ↩