Work / monument · text

Mem and Zin

1692 · 17th century · Also known as Mem û Zîn, Mem u Zin

Mem and Zin is an epic poem in Kurmanji Kurdish written by Ahmad Khani and completed in 1692. Based on a folk tale, it tells of the tragic love of Mem and Zin, a sister of the emir of Bohtan at Cizre, whose union is thwarted by the intrigues of the courtier Bakr. With its call for Kurdish unity, it is considered the classic work of Kurdish literature.

Mem and Zin
Image: Gomada · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Emirate of Bohtan

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Mem and Zin. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/mem-and-zin
MLA
“Mem and Zin.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/mem-and-zin. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Mem and Zin.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/mem-and-zin.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Mem and Zin’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/mem-and-zin (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻