AMandaean priest refers to an ordained religious leader inMandaeism. The three ranks of Mandaean priests are thetarmida (junior priest),ganzibra (senior priest), andrishama (patriarch).
All priests must undergo lengthy ordination ceremonies, beginning withtarmida initiation.[1] Mandaean religious leaders and copyists of religious texts hold the titleRabbi orRabbai (Classical Mandaic:ࡓࡁࡀࡉ,romanized: rbai), or in Arabic,Sheikh.[2][3] In Iran, they are also occasionally referred to asMullah.
All Mandaean communities traditionally require the presence of a priest, since priests are required to officiate over all important religious rituals, includingmasbuta,masiqta, birth and wedding ceremonies. Priests also serve as teachers, scribes, and community leaders. Many Mandaean diaspora communities do not have easy access to priests.[1] Due to the shortage of priests in the Mandaean diaspora,halala (Classical Mandaic:ࡄࡀࡋࡀࡋࡀ) or learned Mandaean laymen who are ritually clean (both individually and in terms of family background) can sometimes assume minor roles typically assumed by ordained priests. Such laymen taking on limited priestly roles are calledpaisaq (Classical Mandaic:ࡐࡀࡉࡎࡀࡒ).[4]: 338 Ritually clean laymen who are literate in Mandaic and can read Mandaean scriptures are known asyalufa (Classical Mandaic:ࡉࡀࡋࡅࡐࡀ,romanized: ialupa).[5]: 15
InMandaean scriptures, priests are referred to asNaṣuraiia (Classical Mandaic:ࡍࡀࡑࡅࡓࡀࡉࡉࡀ,lit. 'Naṣoraeans')[6] or occasionally asTarmiduta (Classical Mandaic:ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡅࡕࡀ, an abstract noun derived fromtarmida). On the other hand, laypeople are referred to asMandaiia (Classical Mandaic:ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ,lit. 'Gnostics, Knowers, Enlightened Ones').[7]: 116 Naṣuraiia are considered to havenaṣiruta, or esoteric divine knowledge. (Brikha Nasoraia describesnaṣiruta as the esoteric strand of Mandaeism, similar to howSufism is related to Islam.)[7]
There are three types of priests inMandaeism:[1]
Priests have lineages based on the succession ofganzibria priests who had initiated them. Priestly lineages, which are distinct from birth lineages, are typically recorded in thecolophons of manyMandaean texts. The position is not hereditary, and anyyalufa (yalupa), or Mandaean male who is highly knowledgeable about religious matters, is eligible to become a priest.[4]
Traditionally, anyganzeḇrā who baptizes seven or moreganzeḇrānā may qualify for the office ofrišama. The currentrišama of the Mandaean community in Iraq isSattar Jabbar Hilow al-Zahrony. In Australia, therišama of the Mandaean community isSalah Choheili.[8][9]
Ashganda (šganda) orashganda (ašganda)[6] is a ritual assistant who helps priests with ritual duties. Prior to ordination, many priests have typically served asshganda as young men, although this is not a requirement.[1]
Zazai of Gawazta, who was active during the 270s AD during the reign of Sasanian EmperorBahram I, is widely considered to be one of the first Mandaean priests. During the Muslim conquests of the 630s, the Mandaean priestAnush bar Danqa, led a delegation before the Muslim authorities to have the Mandaeans recognized as aPeople of the Book.[10][1]
The contemporary Mandaean priesthood can trace its immediate origins to the first half of the 19th century. In 1831, acholera pandemic inShushtar,Iran devastated the region and eliminated all of the Mandaean religious leaders there. Two of the surviving acolytes (šgandia),Yahia Bihram andRam Zihrun, reestablished the Mandaean priesthood inSuq esh-Shuyuk on the basis of their own training and the texts that were available to them.[4]
Although Mandaean priests have been exclusively male since the 1900s,Buckley (2010) presents evidence that there had historically been Mandaean priests who were women, including Bibia Mudalal (the wife ofRam Zihrun during the 19th century) andShlama beth Qidra (Šlama, daughter of Qidra, from the 3rd century AD).[4]
Ritual clothing and accessories worn by Mandaean priests include:[1]
Mandaean priests are dressed completely in white to symbolize radiantuthras from theWorld of Light.[1]
Mandaean priests regularly receivezidqa (alms)[12] from laypeople, since priesthood is typically a full-time occupation.
Symbolically, a Mandaean priest represents anuthra on earth (Tibil).[1]
Shishlam is the personification of the prototypical orarchetypal Mandaean priest.[1]
As of 2016, RishamaSalah Choheili estimated a total number of 43–44 Mandaean priests in the world, including tarmidas, ganzibras, and rishamas.[13][14]
Australia — 13, including RishamaSalah Choheili, RishamaBrikha Nasoraia, GanzibraKhaldoon Majid Abdullah, TarmidaSahi Bashikh, TarmidaYuhana Nashmi, and Tarmida Thamir Shamkhi
Iraq — 12, led by RishamaSattar Jabbar Hilo
Iran — 6, including GanzibraNajah Choheili, GanzibraTaleb Doraji, and Tarmida Behram Khafajy[15][16]
Jordan — 2
Turkey — 1
United States — 3, including Ganzibra Walid Ebadfardzadeh and Fawzi Masboob (died 2022)[17]
Netherlands — 2, including TarmidaRafid al-Sabti
Denmark — 1
Sweden — GanzibraSalwan Alkhamas and othersThere are a few Mandaean priests inSweden, including GanzibraSalwan Alkhamas ofSödertälje and Tarmida Qais Edan ofMalmö.[18] Buckley (2023) reported that in 2015, there were 8 Mandaean priests in Sweden.[17]: 23
In 2016,Salah Choheili also estimated a total number of 16shgandas in the world who could potentially become tarmidas, 4 of whom were in Australia.[14]
During the 2000s, RishamaAbdullah Ganzibra Najam (d. 2009) was one of the few high-ranking Mandaean priests in the Netherlands.[19]
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