Entrance / Gateway: History is the mother of all sciences, and the saga of the Qazi family is a part of that history. The history of the Qazi family begins in the era of Budagh Sultan of Mukri (the eleventh century AH / lunar calendar). From the time when the Emir of Mukri moved his seat to present-day Mahabad and made it the capital of Mukriyan. The story of the Qazi family is a mixture of hardship and suffering, misfortune and good fortune; it is part of the wars and upheavals that have befallen the Mukriyan region, the Kurds, and Kurdistan over the past four hundred years. On this website, an effort has been made—with the help of photographs, documents, writings, and those stories passed down from generation to generation, told mouth to ear—to shed light on the details and hidden aspects of the life of this family and to give it due recognition. The purpose is: To rescue from oblivion that part of Kurdish history directly connected to the Qazi family, To provide an opportunity for those who wish to know who the Qazi family are, what they have done, how they lived, and where their path has led, And, by shedding light on this corner of our homeland's history, to reveal the beautiful side of Kurdish history, to prevent the repetition of mistakes, and ultimately to enable our society to progress and for our nation to stride forward toward a life of prosperity like other fortunate peoples. The data and information on this website are the storytelling of the ups and downs of the Qazi family's life. It is the tale of rising and falling, of coming together and falling apart, of the highs and lows in the lives of the family members. This website is itself like a delicious majmou'a (a traditional Kurdish sweet dish)—full of stories and pure, unfiltered words, and tales both strange and wondrous. Here, the photographs are brimming with stories, the stories are full of images, and the documents overflow with the flavors of administrative, political, economic, religious, and social life in Kurdish society. This website tells us in what family and social context Peshawa Qazi Muhammad emerged. It tells us in what soil this tall, lofty tree took root, from which river it drank water, and what roles his uncles, fathers, grandfathers, cousins, and relatives played in nurturing this tree—and later, in turning its blooming environment into a desert. This website recounts how Mirza Ahmad Qazi, in the second half of the eighteenth century AD, gathered the Kurdish tribes of Kurdistan in Divandarreh, and for what purpose. It discusses this family's ties with Sheikh Mohammad Khiabani and the Constitutional Movement. It speaks of the high status of women in this family. It tells of this family's sacrifices in the First World War, and of the first school they brought to Mukriyan. It mentions that they were the teachers of the poets of Mukriyan. It describes this family's role in founding Zhe-Kaf (Ž-K) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, in establishing the Republic of Kurdistan, the Kurdish flag, the Peshmerga force, the national anthem, and their leadership under Peshawa Qazi Muhammad. It discusses the arts of poetry, storytelling, calligraphy, painting, music, singing, and playwriting within this family. It speaks of the first translator in Iran, of satire, of the first Kurdish novelist, and of the first female Kurdish writer—who, as the first woman, was able to take her seat above the assembly of writers and poets... As Khayyam said, this website is the place where the soil and dust of the graves of the ancestors and forefathers of the Qazi family are sifted. It speaks of struggle and of dozens of martyrs who offered themselves at the altar of freedom and democracy. It tells of a family that at one time had royal turbans placed upon their heads, and at another time, like Hasanaki Vazir, was hanged on the gallows for the crime of loving freedom and patriotism. A family that in one era had gem-studded belts fastened around them and saddles of honor placed beneath them on their steeds of battle, and in another era was trampled beneath the hooves of oppression's horses. Despite those colorful pages, this website tells us—alas, a hundred woes and a thousand laments—that the true bread is the bread eaten from one's own labor, and the true man and true woman are those who walk through life with the sweat of their own brow. Whether this website be poor or rich, ugly or ruined, or a splendid and ornate hall—it is the product of the exhaustion and collective effort of all members of the Qazi family, and of all those people who, with a photograph, a document, or a single word, have placed a brick upon the fortress of this house. This website represents the tireless efforts of the vast majority of this family's members, who—with open hearts—opened up their homes, albums, chests, bundles, time, and abilities to this site. Now they have laid out this treasure on a colorful tray and placed it before your respected eyes, so that whoever needs it may fill their own jug with its water and go forth. Note: This website will remain open for adding the names, documents, and photographs of other members of the Qazi family who, for various reasons, have not yet been recorded. This translation captures the essence and literary style of the original introduction (likely the "Entrance" or "About" page of a website dedicated to the history of the Qazi family, centered on figures like Qazi Muhammad of the short-lived Republic of Mahabad).