Kaka’i Faith, Rites and Rituals: An Esoteric Muslim Group Shrouded in Mystery and Symbolism

Kaka’ Faith, Rites and Rituals: An Esoteric Kurdish Muslim Group Shrouded in Mystery and SymbolismThe land of Kurdistan is dotted with many religious groups scattered throughout the territories that expand to the Iranian, Iraqi, and Turkish lands. The Kaka’i sect is one of the oldest and most mysterious groups that has survived, despite many transformations in its history. It has developed a sophisticated yet simple set of ideas and practices which combine aspects of Islamic Sufi and esoteric Shi’a traditions and practices into its worldview. The tribal nature of this group adds to the simplicity and beauty of the soul of the community’s members. The love of music and appreciation of the beauty of nature add particular flavor to their doctrines and practices that attract those who appreciate these aspects of the group. However, these same features make the sect, at best, the target of criticism by orthodox Muslims jurists and theologians, and, at worst, a target of terrorist attacks by extremist Jihadi-Salafi groups such as ISIS and Ansar al-Islam.This study narrates the story of this esoteric community, with the hope of introducing them to the world and bringing their suffering to the attention of the scholarly community and the wider public.

Author

• Surdashi, Bayanne

Language

• en

Keyword

• Sufism
• Esoteric sect
• Ahl-i Haqq
• Kaka'y
• Ahl-e Haqq
• Kakayee

Date created

• 2020

Type of Work

• Master's Thesis

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Islamic Studies

Degree

• M.A.

Advisor

• Faghfoory, Prof. Muhammad

Committee Member(s)

• Faghfoory, Prof. Muhammad

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/np193990x