Yezidi prophecy foresees 'Rainbow Warriors'
and return of the Peacock Angel
Dawn of a Golden Era according to Yezidi Prophecy

“When the blue star al-Qud appears in the heavens, the Fifth Age’s days of purification will commence with war and the return of Melek-Taus as a rainbow around the sun.”

by Nallein Satana Al-Jilwah Sowilo
and Patrick David Harrigan

The Yezidi people, an ethnically Kurdish religious community indigenous to northern Mesopotamia, preserve ancient knowledge of pre-Islamic times, including sacred sciences like astrology and spiritual traditions dating from the era of ancient Sumerian civilization as attested by the Yezidi calendar that dates from 4,750 BCE. No other modern people of Mesopotamia lay claim to archane knowledge of such great antiquity as do the Yezidis.

Among these sacred sciences, Yezidis attach special importance to augury or divination, the interpretation of omens or portents. Already in the mid-5th century BCE, Herodotus identified the magi (ancestors of the Yezidis) as interpreters of omens and dreams. This knowledge was (and remains) strictly an oral tradition passed within families from generation to generation. The Yezidis may very well be among the last people of Mesopotamia to preserve such knowledge.

The Yezidi people, who regard themselves as the followers of a heptad of seven holy beings, known as angels or heft sirr (‘seven mysteries’) headed by Melek Taus or the ‘Peacock Angel’, also prophesize certain signs that they say are indicative of the Peacock Angel’s immanence and his earthly manifestations. One of these signs is a peculiar kind of rainbow. The appearance of a certain rainbow, according to Yezidi prophecy, will signal the dawn of a golden era that they call the Age of Shambhala, when all races will be united in peace.

The Yezidi name for the Pole Star is al-Qud. The Yezidis' sanjak or lamp tower represents this same rotating sky-pole or axis mundi and is identified with Taus Melek, the peerless Peacock Angel.

“Some of Yezidi sheikhs could bring forth rainbows through magic alone, for after all as magis they were both seers and magicians.”

A modern depiction of the all-seeing eye of Melek Ta’us, the Peacock Angel of Yezidi lore. In the Yezidi faith, Melek Ta’us is regarded as the foremost among archangels and an emanation of God Himself. Yezidi religion is centered upon Melek Ta’us, who is depicted in the form of a peacock. Peacocks, however, are not native to the lands where Melek Ta’us is worshipped, but to the Indian subcontinent.

The prophecy states that when the ‘blue star’ al-Qud makes it appearance in the heavens, the Fifth Age of this world will commence, and that these will be the days of purification for everyone on earth. Al-Qud is the Yezidi name for Polaris, the Pole Star. At end of this age, the Pole Star will conjunct with Sirius the brightest star in the sky and both will become fiery red in color. This will happen, it is said, when Melek Taus reveals himself in the form of a rainbow or halo around the sun.

Yezidis maintain that when Melek Taus returns to earth as a peacock or rainbow along with the six great archangels, he will send messages to holy individuals around the world, who will carry these messages around the world and give them to representatives of all nations.

The Fifth Age will begin as a time of war not for the Yezidis alone but for all mankind. We can see this already happening with the forced migration of Yezidis from their ancient holy mountain of Shingal. The prophecy states that this will force the Yezidis to migrate to the four corners of world, including the return to their ancient homeland of India.

During this period of global turmoil, the Yezidis will shine as the source of enlightenment to Muslim and Christian nations. Lalish and other ancient holy sites will be oases for refugees who seek shelter. This war, it is said, will be an entirely spiritual war over material matters. Material issues will be dissolved by the spiritual message of those who remain alive to recreate a new world and usher in the new Golden Age of Melek Taus.

At the end of our age seven rainbow warriors take birth in each of seven races on earth. Then all races will become unified when a perfect rainbow appears. This is said to be the beginning of the Fifth Age. Since ancient times one of the signs that magi or sheikhs look for is a perfect rainbow presaging the end of one age and the dawn of a another. Some of Yezidi sheikhs could bring forth rainbows through magic alone, for after all as magis they were both seers and magicians.

As soon as a rainbow appears the sheikhs look closely for flaws. If a rainbow appears bright like the sun and its arc stretches from one place on earth to other, then it is viewed as start of New Age. If its arc is incomplete, then it is regarded as darkly ominous. The rainbow is perfect again if the Sun halo closes. As soon as a golden circle is complete, the rainbow will again encircle the earth perfectly indicating the beginning of Fifth Age. The earth shall be perfect as very first age of Eden when heaven and earth were united.

"Then from the tears of Melek Taus that have fallen from heaven, there will grow the Tree of Life with its branches reaching the heavens."

We now live in the Fourth Age, the last age before dissolution.

Yezidis further prophesize that during this fifth world many spiritual rainbow warriors will be born from seven rainbow rays to every race and nation on earth. They will cleanse the earth and lead mankind. From these first spiritual warriors will come the next generation of rainbow warriors associated with Shambhala or the Golden Age. They will be planters, lawgivers, and storytellers.

These ‘rainbow warriors’ or ‘rainbow angels’ will follow in the way of Melek Taus and will teach mankind the ways of Melek Taus to keep the earth pure in thoughts and good deeds. They will divide the four directions and surround it in a circular rainbow with its center in Lalish (representing the sun). Then from the tears of Melek Taus that have fallen from heaven, there will grow the Tree of Life with its branches reaching the heavens.

About the Authors

Nallein Satana al-Jilwah Sowilo is descended from a long line of magi or mai, the caste of ancient religious and ritual leaders who read the sacred Avesta and other chants, and practice divination and astrology. Born in the Yezidis’ holy village of Shingal, she was named Nallein Tiffany Sowilo at birth. At age 13, she received her spiritual name Yezidi al-Jilwah. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California where she teaches and serves the Yezidi cause worldwide.

Patrick David Harrigan is a comparative religious scholar, author-photographer, publisher, and supporter of the Yezidi cause. He has lived for 25 years in the Indian subcontinent since 1970 and is conversant in German, Hindi-Urdu, Nepali, Tamil, and Sinhala. He did his undergraduate and master's studies in Asian languages & religion at the University of Michigan and did further post-graduate studies at University of California-Berkeley and at the University of Madras. He has published many articles and websites that showcase and explain the role of mythology in ancient religious beliefs and practices, especially concerning the pan-Indian wargod Skanda-Murugan and his multi-religious shrine in Kataragama, Sri Lanka. Following the latest assault by ISIS fighters against Yezidi shrines on Mount Sinjar, Yezidis urged Patrick to rush to Washington DC to meet the Baba Sheikh, spiritual leader of the Yezidi people, at the Murugan Temple of North America.

Patrick Harrigan and Nallein Satana al-Jilwah Sowilo now jointly compose and publish articles about Yezidi culture and religion. Visit the Yezidi Sanatana Dharma Society on Facebook to follow the cause of the Yezidis.