(An excerpt from a study written by the researcher)

Dr. Majeed Ja'afer

Faily Kurds, as their name says, are  Kurdish ethnic group and a part of the Kurdish people of the Middle East...

They speak the Kurdish language and have their own dialect. The Kurdish language composed of many dialects, among the major ones are Kurmanchi, spoken in Kurdistan, Turkey and Syria as well as in parts of Iraq and Iran (in the north); Sorani, spoken in parts of Kurdistan Iraq and Iran (in the center); Lurri (or Lori), spoken in parts of Kurdistan, Iran and Iraq (in the south); and Zaza in parts of Kurdistan of Turkey. Faily Kurdish is a sub-dialect of the Lurri. There are people and scholars who maintain that Lurri (and Faily) dialect is the origin of the Kurdish language. However, there are other people, rather very few, who say that Lurris are not Kurds but rather a separate ethnic group and Lurri dialect is not Kurdish. Kurds are usually referred to by the dialect they speak. Hence, Kurmachis, Soranis, Bahdinanis, Horamis, Faily Kurds and so on. There is no definitive and universally accepted explanation of the word “Faily”. Some scholars maintain that it is derived from the word (Peili) and the letter P has consequently became F, in the same way Parsi became Farsi. Some say they are the descendants of the “Pahla” (meaning Partha, a kingdom ruling during the same period as the Roman Empire). Others say it means strong and huge as elephants and since elephant in Arabic is “Fil” therefore they are called “Faily”. There are other theories as well. The adjective “Faily” is usually used in Iraq and in Iran to refer to deportees from Iraq.

Faily Kurds are Shia Muslims believing in the 12 Imams (Ithna ‘Ashari). According to some sources, Faily Kurds before becoming Shia Muslim, were Zoroastrians, then Nestorians, then Sunni Muslim and then converted to Shia Islam by the Shahs of Iran.

Faily Kurds have not been fanatics or fundamentalists but rather tolerant and respectful of other branches of Islam and of all other religions. Their ancient district in Baghdad (The Kurd Quarter) is adjacent to one of the biggest Sunni shrines, of Sheikh Abdu al-Qadir al-Geilani. Many Faily Kurds live in this neighborhood and visit the shrine. During the worst sectarian strife in 2006 this area was reported to be one of the most calm and harmonious between Shias and Sunnis and between Kurds, Arabs and other groups. Many religious elderly Faily Kurdish women and men, in Stockholm, Sweden, for example, used to visit churches to pray and light candles when there were no mosques in the Swedish capital.

Faily Kurds are known to be peaceful but resolute, dynamic and hardworking and determined (a proverb says “If a Faily Kurd says no it means no”), they are daring but seldom reckless, friendly but not subservient, fair but not docile, trustworthy and trusting others.

Faily Kurds formed the middle class backbone in the capital Baghdad. By deporting them, the former regime practically destroyed this class in Iraq. The middle class is usually the flag-bearer of democracy. By getting rid of Faily Kurds, the former regime thought it got rid of the hot-bed of democracy in Iraq. Faily Kurds have been on good terms with the other ethnic and religious groups in Iraq with intermarriages with all of them, despite being stigmatized and victimized by supporters of the former regime.