Ahmed Mandalawi

The number of villages of Shabak is about 60 villages most of which hold Kurdish names...

Their population is with addition of those dwelling in Mosul city is about one hundred thousand individuals. These villages spread in the form of cordon surrounding the city of Mosul from the east. This pattern of proliferation enhances the idea that these tribes are the remnants Kurds who took part with the Persian Nadir Shah in the siege of Mosul in the seventeenth century ..  .He brought them with him from western Iran areas .The business of the people of these villages is agriculture and livestock in the first instance, though many of them fled to the city in search of a better life .So, they entered the field of trade or the jobs in the government or engaged in the army. As they are authentically Kurds, they had a position against the regime.
Shabak are from all categories of Muslims. They are Sunnis and Shiite and there are two types of Shiites. The first type is almost extinct now because they are those who follow the Baktashi doctrine which is the view of extreme mystical Shiite founded by Hajji Mohammad Baktash who was of Persian origin who lived in Turkey and wrote his thoughts in the Turkish language. Hajji Mohammad Baktash modified many of the Islamic ideas while retaining many of the tenets of Islam focused doctrine on loving the people of the House, led by Imam Ali, who they consider to be the most important man of Islam after the Prophet Muhammad and believe that the Caliphs had usurped the right to lead Muslims after the Prophet, hence their love and loyalty of the large so-called ( the baid)  who is the gentleman descendent from the Prophet and  they release their  moustaches , because they firmly believe that Imam Ali had great moustaches .