Kurdish literature ( or ئەدەبی کوردی) is literature written in the Kurdish languages. Literary Kurdish works have been written in each of the Six main languages: Zaza, Gorani, Kurmanji, Sorani, Laki and Southern Kurdish. Balül was a 9th century poet and religious scholar of the Yarsani faith is the first well-known poet who wrote in Gorani Kurdish. Moreover Ali Hariri (1009–1079) from the Hakkari region is one of the first well-known poets who wrote in Kurmanji Kurdish.

Zazaki - Gorani literature

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.

Kurmanji literature

A Yezidi religious work, the Meshefa Reş, is in a classic form of Kurmanji 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.

Sorani literature

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, but it was only after him that Sorani became an important dialect in writing. 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. 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.

A historical list of Kurdish literature and poets

Religious

Goranî dialect

Famous poets in Kurmancî dialect

Soranî dialect

Kurdish poets and writers of the 20th century

Kurdish poets and writers of the 21st century