Sheikh Said
(1865-1925)

Sheikh Said, a Kurdish Sunni religious leader from the town of Bismil in Diyarbakir, was one of the most influential figures in early 20th-century Kurdish religious and nationalist movements. As a leading member and later the general leader of the Azadi organization, a Kurdish nationalist group preparing resistance against the newly formed secular Turkish Republic, Sheikh Said became the central figure of the 1925 Kurdish rebellion. Combining Kurdish nationalist aspirations with Islamic motivations, the uprising opposed both the abolition of the Caliphate and the harsh assimilationist policies imposed on Kurds by Ankara. With a force of over 15,000 fighters composed of Kurdish citizens, religious groups, and tribal militias, Sheikh Said’s movement achieved significant early successes, capturing much of Turkish Kurdistan and several key cities, including Diyarbakir. While the rebellion initially carried a religious tone calling for an Islamic state, it soon evolved into a broader independence movement, openly seeking Kurdish self-determination and liberation from Turkish domination. Sheikh Said was outspoken in his commitment to Kurdish identity, uniting nationalist ideals with religious authority in an effort to rally Kurdish resistance. His movement, however, was not universally supported, as some Kurdish Alevis refused to join due to sectarian differences. Nevertheless, the rebellion represented a powerful moment of Kurdish resistance. The Turkish state responded with overwhelming force, deploying more than half its army to crush the revolt. After fierce battles, Sheikh Said was captured, tried, and executed, signaling both the end of the uprising and a harsher phase of Turkish policy toward the Kurds. The suppression of the rebellion also influenced regional politics, effectively ending Turkey’s claims on Mosul while highlighting the complexity of Kurdish struggles against emerging nation-states. Sheikh Said’s legacy remains a defining chapter in Kurdish history. By bridging religion and nationalism, he provided a model of leadership that inspired future generations of Kurdish activists and fighters. Though his revolt was ultimately defeated, his role as a symbol of Kurdish resistance against Turkish rule endures, embodying the enduring Kurdish struggle for rights, recognition, and self-determination in the 20th century.