Traditionally, Kurdish women wore colorful skirts and blouses. Men wore baggy, colorful pants with a plain shirt having very full sleeves, which were tied at the elbow. Bright-colored vests and sashes (often red) were worn over the shirt. A man wore a blue silk turban on his head, and often completed his costume with a dagger worn at the waist. Traditionally, nomadic Kurdish men shaved their heads and wore long moustaches. Women wore bright, colorful, heavily embroidered clothing.

Traditional dress is becoming rare. Kurds generally dress like the people of the countries where they live. In Iran, women must wear a cloth covering their hair and clothes. In Turkey, on the other hand, the government has banned women from covering their hair in universities and public jobs. Women there are required to wear more Western-style clothing. In Iraq, men wear woolen coats and vests, checkered head-scarves, and baggy pants. Women wear the Muslim-style dress, often with baggy trousers underneath. The traditional Kurdish shoe, the klash, is a soft crocheted mocassin with a flexible sole.

Answer 1

International conferences have a nasty habit of drawing national boundaries along the crests of mountain ranges. This may be neat and tidy, but it is essentially a plainsman's answer. Of course, most capital cities are not on mountain-tops, and the atytitudes of statesmen rarely take into account the needs of the people who live in mountain ranges. Thus at each end of the Pyrenees one finds paople arbitrarily spliut between two countries; the Basques and the Catalans. While the Catalans have resigned themselves to being half in France and half in Spain, the Basques protest constantly. They are after all both racially and linguistically related neither to the French nor to the Spanish peoples. They would like their own independent mountain state. This would, however, probably not be economically viable on its own. The Kurds are mountain people, too. Their region, which they call Kurdistan, is split between Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Iran and Russia. They have their own ehtnicity and language(s), and would like to be independent. The problem here, however, is not that Kurdistan would not be economically viable; it has mineral deposits which none of the 'sharing' countries want to give up. It was all about a certain border in Iraq that the Turks wanted to be taken and they assumed that it was theirs.

Answer 2

Kurds are an ethnic group based around the Southeast of Turkey, in the borders or Iran and Northern Iraq. The war started off when ethnic Kurds wanted their own state and fighting to have Southeast of Turkey (Diyarbakir) as part of their land. However, Turkey refused to allow this. After losing an huge amounts of lands to the Arabs and Europeans in World War 1, Turkey has decided to not let 1 inch of land go. The ethnic Kurds retaliated through terror means. Since the 1980's, Kurdish separatists have killed more than 50,000 Turks in terror attacks. These attacks range from suicide bombings, bombs placed in public areas, and bombings and killings of Turkish soldiers. The Turkish military has responded effectively and the main terror leader of the militant group of the Kurdish rebels which is called the PKK was apprehended by Turkish special forces in the 90's. His name is Abdullah Ocalan, and he is being held in a island prison in Turkey. Terror attacks still continue, civilians and military personel still die from the PKK attacks. American intelligence is helping the Turkish government spot the PKK positions so that the Turkish military can co-ordinate precise attacks. The main front of the war is on the Northern Iraq, Southeastern Turkish region. The rebels have for a long time done hit and run attacks on Turkish soldiers. The rebels enter from North Iraq into Southeast Turkey, attack and run back into North Iraq believing that Turkey had no power in pursuing them, however, Turkish military has done campaigns in North Iraq sending commandos and air strikes.

Don't be mistaken by thinking all Kurds are against the Turkish state, I have family friends in Turkey who are Kurds and want nothing to do with the rebels.

The PKK is recognized as a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States of America.

The dominant language among the Kurdish population is the Kurdish language which has two main dialects, Kurmanji (more dominant in Turkish and Syrian Kurdistan) and Sorani (more dominant in Iraqi and Iranian Kurdistan). There are also the languages of Zazaki and Gorani, which are spoken by Kurds, but are not linguistically considered to be Kurdish languages.

As Iraqi Kurdistan is only recognized as an autonomous region that has the ability to determine official languages, it has recognized Kurdish (both Kurmanji and Sorani dialects), Arabic (MSA/Fusha), and, in some places, Turkmeni as official languages.

Kurdistan has two dominant dialects of Kurdish, Kurmanji, which is dominant in Turkish and Syrian Kurdistan, and Sorani, which is dominant in Iraqi and Iranian Kurdistan, with some overlap in Iraq between the dialects. As such, Iraqi Kurdistan, the only one with enough authority to recognize official languages, recognizes both Kurmanji and Sorani as official languages. There are also the languages of Zazaki and Gorani, which are languages spoken by Kurds, but are not linguistically Kurdish languages.

Of course, the local national languages are also spoken in Kurdistan, i.e. Turkish, Arabic, and Farsi and Azeri.
The dominant language among the Kurdish population is the Kurdish language which has two main dialects, Kurmanji (more dominant in Turkish and Syrian Kurdistan) and Sorani (more dominant in Iraqi and Iranian Kurdistan). There are also the languages of Zazaki and Gorani, which are spoken by Kurds, but are not linguistically considered to be Kurdish languages.

As Iraqi Kurdistan is only recognized as an autonomous region that has the ability to determine official languages, it has recognized Kurdish (both Kurmanji and Sorani dialects), Arabic (MSA/Fusha), and, in some places, Turkmeni as official languages.

The great and scholarly Sultan of Egypt and Syria!

Saladin, pronounced Salah al-Din in Arabic, was a Kurd born in Tikrit, Iraq in 1137. In 1174 he became Sultan of both Egypt and Syria after the death of Nur ad-Din, who was once Saladin's political rival and once-mentor.

During the time he spent gaining power in Egypt and Syria, Saladin tried to avoid open conflict with the Crusaders, who the Muslims referred to collectively as Franks. But after Nur ad-Din's death, Saladin know had a large enough army to pursue his goal of recapturing the Holy Land.

Following a year long truce with the Crusaders, on July 4, 1178 Saladin defeated the Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin. During this battle Saladin captured the King of Jerusalem Guy de Lusignan. Next he marched on the city itself but found it defended by a knight, Balian of Ibelin. Balian and only a handful of other knights successfully defended the city from Saladin's attack until an agreement was made between the two, Balian would surrender the city to Saladin, as long as Saladin allowed the Christians to leave safely with the payment of a ransom.

The fall of Jerusalem led to the calling of the Third Crusade, and soon Saladin's famous rival Richard I of England was on his way to the Holy Land along with the King of France and the Hly Roman Emperor. The armies of Richard and Saladin soon fought several times and the two leaders had a great respect for each other. Before Richard surrounded the city, Saladin burnt all the crops in the fields outside of the city walls so Richard and his army would have no food. Eventually Richard realized that even if he did capture Jerusalem, he would not be able to defend it against Saladin, so in 1192 the two kings agreed to a truce. Saladin would remian in control of Jerusalem, so long as he allowed safe passage to and from the city for Christian pilgrims.

The following year, in the city of Damascas in Syria, Saladin passed away on March 4. When his advisors opened his treasury there was not enough money to even bury the great Sultan, he had long since given nearly everything away to charity.

Answer 1

Sunni and Shiite are different sects of Islam whose differences are discussed in the Related Question below. As for Kurds, this is an ethnic group. Kurds are predominantly Sunni Muslims (although there are minorities of Shiite and non-Muslim Kurds as well). As concerns the current interaction between Sunni Kurds, Sunni Arabs, and Shiite Arabs in Iraq, their fundamental differences are religiosity (how religious they are), tribalism, factionalism, militarism, and historic enmities. The conflict between these groups in modern Iraq is for the most part political, economic, and social (as opposed to religious) even though religious dialogue is often used to excite combatants.

Answer 2

Kurds are a race as Arabs and Indians and other races or nations. However, Sunnis and Shiites are different Islamic schools or groups. Kurds are mostly Sunnis and some are Shiites.

Refer to questions below for more information.

Answer 3

Before going into the details below, it is important to highlight two points:

• Both Sunnis and Shiites are Muslims. They both believe in one and only one God and believe in his prophet and Messenger Muhammad. They believe in Quran and in the five pillars of Islam. They pray facing the same direction (Kaaba). They may pray together in the same mosque and led by a Sunni or Shiite at no difference.
• To be a Kurd is an ethnic statement, not a religious one. Muslim Kurds can be either Sunni or Shiite Muslims. "Kurds" as an ethnicity could be compared to Arabs or Africans, etc. which are not different forms of Islam but the different ethnicities which may practice it.

Details

Firstly:

Division and differences among this ummah is something inevitable, to which history bears witness, as do the texts of the Sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever among you lives after I am gone will see a great deal of dissent." Narrated by Abu Dawood (4067); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

Dissent has occurred in the political field, as well as in the fields of thought and 'aqeedah, which is represented in the appearance of different sects at the end of the era of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, such as the Murji'is, Shi'ah and Khawaarij.

But by His mercy, Allaah decreed that this division should happen when some groups drifted away from the way of the main body of the Muslims and developed their own different approach, and they were distinguished by their own names and character. So the 'aqeedah of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah, and the 'aqeedah of the majority of Muslims, was not confused even for a day with that of the other, misguided sects, so that those sects would not dare to call themselves Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah, rather they are called after the bid'ah (innovation) that they introduced, or the person who founded the sect. You can see that when you examine the names of all the sects.

The famous hadeeth about the ummah splitting into seventy-three sects bears witness to that.

It was narrated from Mu'aawiyah ibn Abi Sufyaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood among us and said: "Those who came before you of the people of the Book split into seventy-two sects, and this ummah will split into seventy-three: seventy-two in Hell and one in Paradise, and that is the jamaa'ah (main body of Muslims)."

Narrated by Abu Dawood (4597) and others; classed as saheeh by al-Haakim (1/128), who said: it is an important hadeeth that represents a basic principle. It was classed as hasan by Ibn Hajar in Takhreej al-Kashshaaf (63). It was classed as saheeh by Ibn Taymiyah in Majmoo' al-Fataawa (3/345), al-Shaatibi in al-I'tisaam (1/430), and al-'Iraaqi in Takhreej al-Ihya' (9/133). It is mentioned frequently and often quoted as evidence by the scholars in the books of Sunnah, and it was narrated from a number of the Sahaabah via many isnaads, most of the soundest of which specify the number of sects as being seventy-three.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) described the saved group as the jamaa'ah, i.e., the consensus of the Muslim scholars. In other reports he also described them as "the vast multitude", as in the hadeeth of Abu Umaamah and others which is recorded by Ibn Abi 'Aasim in al-Sunnah (1/34) and al-Tabaraani in al-Mu'jam al-Kabeer (8/321), with an isnaad that is hasan li ghayrihi (hasan because of corroborating evidence).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also described them in the following terms: "My ummah will split into seventy-three sects, all of whom will be in Hell except one group." They said: Who are they, O Messenger of Allaah? He said: "(Those who follow) that which I and my companions follow." This is mentioned in the hadeeth of 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Amr which was recorded and classed as hasan by al-Tirmidhi (2641). It was also classed as hasan by al-'Iraaqi in Ahkaam al-Qur'aan (3/432), al-'Iraaqi in Takhreej al-Ihya' (3/284) and al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

This is the clearest sign that the Muslim can use to determine what is the saved group, so he should follow the way of the majority of scholars, those whom all the people testify are trustworthy and religiously-committed, and he should follow the way of the earlier scholars among the Sahaabah, Taabi'een and the four Imams and other scholars, and he should beware of every sect that differs from the main body of Muslims (jamaa'ah) by following innovation (bid'ah).

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

The sign of the people of bid'ah is that they do not follow the salaf. End quote from Majmoo' al-Fataawa (4/155).

He also said (3/346): The sign of these groups - i.e., the seventy-two groups that go against Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah - is that they forsake the Qur'aan, Sunnah and scholarly consensus. The one who follows the Qur'aan, Sunnah and scholarly consensus is one of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah. End quote.

It is not permissible for anyone to imagine after this that the Shi'ah, for example, are the saved group, or that the deviant Sufis, Khawaarij or Habashis are the saved group. Rather these are innovated groups which only follow invented ideas, that are denounced by the scholars and the majority of Muslims, who feel repulsion in their hearts towards them. Their ideas were never believed in for a day by Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthmaan or 'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with them), or by Imam Abu Haneefah, Maalik, al-Shaafa'i or Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Would any wise person think that a belief that these imams were unaware of could be correct?

Think about it. There is the greatest and most obvious difference between Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah (the saved group) and other, misguided groups.

Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) says:

Hence the saved group is described as Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah, and they are the greater majority and the vast multitude. As for the other groups, they are followers of weird ideas, division, innovation and whims and desires, and none of these groups reached anywhere close to the size of the saved group, let alone being equal to them, rather some of these groups are very small in number. The sign of these groups is that they go against the Qur'aan, Sunnah and scholarly consensus. The one who follows the Qur'aan, Sunnah and scholarly consensus is one of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah.

Majmoo' al-Fataawa (3/346).

Al-Shaatibi has mentioned many names of the doomed groups in al-I'tisaam (1/453-460).

Secondly:

The scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah have stated in their books that the other sects are among the misguided and doomed innovated groups, and that they deserve to enter Hell because of the reprehensible ideas and grave innovations that they have introduced into the religion of Allaah. But in most cases they are not regarded as kaafirs, rather they are regarded as Muslim sects.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

Similarly, with the other seventy-two groups, those that are hypocrites are inwardly kaafirs, and those that are not hypocrites but rather believe inwardly in Allaah and His Messenger are not inwardly kaafirs, even though they are mistaken in their interpretations, regardless of what that mistake may be. Some of them may have some of the branches of hypocrisy, or they may not have the kind of hypocrisy that dooms a man to the lowest depths of Hell.

The one who says that each of the seventy-two sects is guilty of kufr that puts one beyond the pale of Islam is going against the Qur'aan and Sunnah and the consensus of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them all), and the consensus of the four imams and others. None of them regarded any of the seventy-two sects as kaafirs, rather they regard one another as kaafirs.

Majmoo' al-Fataawa (7/218).

This does not mean that every sect that calls itself Muslim is actually Muslim, rather they may be kaafirs and apostates, such as the extreme Raafidis, the extreme Sufis and the baatini sects such as the Druze, Nusayris and others. These are all beyond the pale of Islam and are not regarded as being among the sects mentioned in the hadeeth.

Thirdly:

The cause of difference and division among these groups mentioned in the hadeeth has to do with fundamental matters of religion and basic issues of 'aqeedah, not differences of opinion regarding fiqh.

Al-Shaatibi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

These are regarded as sects because they differ from the saved group with regard to some fundamental issues of religion and basic rules of sharee'ah, not with regard to minor issues, because differences with regard to minor issues does not lead to division and factionalism, rather factionalism occurs when there are differences concerning fundamental issues of Islam.

Al-I'tisaam (1/439).

If some Muslim groups stand out from others because of a specific method of da'wah and working for Islam, but they do not go against Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah in their 'aqeedah, then they are not to be regarded as doomed groups, rather they are among the saved group in sha Allaah, if they follow the way of the Sahaabah and Taabi'een in 'aqeedah and action.

Islam Q&A