Sabian Mandaean Association of Ahvaz | |
انجمن صابئین مندایی | |
| Formation | 1930 or 1931 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Sheikh Salem Sabouri |
| Founded at | Ahvaz |
| Location | |
Region served | Iran |
| Najah Choheili | |
TheMandaean Council of Ahvaz (Persian:انجمن صابئین مندایی, literally theSabian–Mandaean Association ofAhvaz) is the main organization of theMandaean religion and the primary authority of theMandaean ethnic community inAhvaz,Iran.
The Mandaean Council of Ahvaz was founded in 1349A.H. (Gregorian year: 1930 or 1931) by Sheikh Salem Sabouri (Persian:شیخ سالم صابوری), who was the religious leader of the Mandaeans at that time. It was officially registered in 1359A.H. (Gregorian year: 1940 or 1941).[1]
GanzibraJabbar Choheili (baptismal name:Mhatam Yuhana br Yahya; or in Arabic:Shaikh Jabar, the son of Ṭawoos[2]) was the head priest organzibra of the Mandaean Council of Ahvaz during the 1990s and 2000s.[3]
GanzibraJabbar Choheili (Persian:جبار چحیلی), chairman of the board of directors of the council, died on the morning of Sunday, December 27, 2014.[4][5][6][7] His sonSalah Choheili, who emigrated to Australia in 1996, has also been active on the council.[8]
RishamaNajah Choheili (Persian:نجاح چحیلی) currently serves as the head of the Mandaean Council of Ahvaz.[9][10]
The council has a 13-member board of directors. Mandaeans in Ahvaz and nearby towns nominate and vote for candidates to represent them in the board of directors.[11]
The council's responsibilities include teaching Mandaean language, culture, and religion, as well as resolving internal disputes within the Mandaean community.[7]
In the late 1990s, the Mandaean Council of Ahvaz, under the leadership ofMhatam Yuhana, commissioned and supervised a new Mandaic transcription of theGinza Rabba, the primary sacred scripture ofMandaeism. It was published as a printed book in 2004.[12]Carlos Gelbert's translation of theGinza Rabba is primarily based on this version.[3]
The council has also published theNiania [fa] prayerbook, translated by Sheikh Salem Choheili (Persian:شیخ سالم چحیلی) with an introduction by Masoud Forouzandeh (or Moussad Frouzandeh;[13]: 6 Persian:مسعود فروزنده).[14]
