Kurdish literature

A manuscript of Kurdish Shahnameh from the archive of legacy committee of Vejin in Mariwan

Some of the well-known Gorani language poets and writers are Mele Perîşan (1356–1431), Shaykh Mustafa Takhtayi, Mistefa Bêsaranî (1642–1701), Muhammad Kandulayi (late 17th century), Khana Qubadi (1700–1759), Shayda Awrami (1784–1852) and Mastoureh Ardalan) (1805–1848). Zazaki and Gorani which was the literary languages of much of what today is known as Iraqi, Turkish and Iranian Kurdistan, is classified as a member of the Zaza–Gorani branch of the Northwestern Iranian languages.[3]

A Yezidi religious work, the Meshefa Reş, is in a classic form of Kurmanji[4] and it has been conjectured that it was written sometime in the 13th century. However, it has been argued that the work was actually written as late as the 20th century by non-Yazidi authors seeking to summarise the beliefs of Yezidis in a form similar to that of the holy scriptures of other religions.[5]

1. Mela Huseynê Bateyî (1417–1495) from Hakkâri, who wrote the author of Mawlud, a collection of verse and an anthology;
2. Salim Salman, author of Yûsif û Zuleyxa in 1586;
3. Melayê Cizîrî (1570–1640) from Bohtan region, the famous sufi poet. His collection of poems contains more than 2,000 verses
4. Ehmedê Xanî (1651–1707), the author of Mam and Zin, a long poem of 2,650 distichs, is probably the best known and most popular of the classical Kurdish poets.[6]

A manuscript of Ahmadi dictionary by Shex Marof Nodê (1753-1838) from the archive of legacy committee of Vejin. This manuscript is written in 1928.

In contrast to Kurmanji, literary works in Sorani were not abundant before the late 18th century and early 19th century. Although many poets Nalî have written in Sorani,[7] but it was only after him that Sorani became an important dialect in writing.[8] Nalî was the first poet to write a diwan in this dialect. Others, such as Salim and Kurdi, wrote in Sorani in the early 19th century as well.[9] Haji Qadir Koyi of Koy Sanjaq in central Kurdistan (1817–1897), and Sheikh Reza Talabani (1835–1909) also wrote in Sorani dialect after Nalî. The closeness of the two dialects of Sorani and Kurmanji is cited as one of the reasons for the late start in Sorani literature, as well as the fact that during 15th to 19th century, there was a rich literary tradition in the Kurmanji dialect. Furthermore the presence of the Gorani dialect as a literary language and its connection to Yarsanism and Ardalan dynasty was another reason that people did not produce texts in Sorani.[7][10]

• PHILIP G. KREYENBROEK, "Kurdish Written Literature", Encyclopedia Iranica
• T. Bois, Kurdish Folklore and Literature, Part VI of Kurds and Kurdistan, Encyclopaedia of Islam.