World of LightIn Mandaeism, the World of Light or Lightworld (ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡍࡄࡅࡓࡀ) is the primeval, transcendental world from which Tibil and the World of Darkness emerged. The Great Life (Hayyi Rabbi or Supreme God/Monad) is the ruler of the World of Light. Countless uthras dwell in škintas in the World of Light. (A škinta is a celestial dwelling where uthras, or benevolent celestial beings, live in the World of Light.) The World of Light is the source of the Great Yardna (Jordan River) of Life, also known as Piriawis.
YushaminIn Mandaeism, 'Yushamin' (ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ) and also known as the 'Second Life', is the primal uthra (angel or guardian) and a subservient emanation who was created by the Mandaean God 'The Great Life' (Hayyi Rabbi or 'The First Life'), hence beginning the creation of the material world. Yushamin is the father of Abatur. Jorunn J. Buckley identifies Yushamin as "both a Lightworld utra beyond reproach and the prototype of a priest who has made mistakes in ritual." The name may be derived from the divine name Yao plus šmayn "heaven").
Date palmPhoenix dactylifera, commonly known as the date palm, is a flowering-plant species in the palm family, Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit called dates. The species is widely cultivated across northern Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, and is naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. P. dactylifera is the type species of genus Phoenix, which contains 12–19 species of wild date palms. Date trees reach up to in height, growing singly or forming a clump with several stems from a single root system.
DemiurgeIn the Platonic, Neopythagorean, Middle Platonic, and Neoplatonic schools of philosophy, the demiurge (ˈdɛmi.ɜrdʒ) (sometimes spelled as demiurg) is an artisan-like figure responsible for fashioning and maintaining the physical universe. The Gnostics adopted the term demiurge. Although a fashioner, the demiurge is not necessarily the same as the creator figure in the monotheistic sense, because the demiurge itself and the material from which the demiurge fashions the universe are both considered consequences of something else.
RuhaIn Mandaeism, Rūha (ࡓࡅࡄࡀ; also known as Namrūs or Hiwat (Ewath; ࡏࡅࡀࡕ)) is the queen of the World of Darkness (alma ḏ-hšuka) or underworld. She rules the underworld together with her son Ur, the king of the World of Darkness, and her entourage of the seven planets and twelve constellations, who are also her offspring with Ur. Ruha is the daughter of Qin, the Mistress of Darkness in the first underworld. She is the ruler of the third maṭarta (watch-house or purgatory). She is associated with lust, uncleanness (i.
NasiriyahNasiriyah (ٱلنَّاصِرِيَّة; BGN: An Nāşirīyah; also spelled Nassiriya or Nasiriya) is a city in Iraq. It is on the lower Euphrates, about south-southeast of Baghdad, near the ruins of the ancient city of Ur. It is the capital of the Dhi Qar Governorate. Its population in 2003 was about 560,000, making it the fourth-largest city in Iraq. It had a diverse population of Muslims, Mandaeans and Jews in the early 20th century; today its inhabitants are predominantly Shia muslims.
Incantation bowlAn incantation bowl, also known as a demon bowl, devil-trap bowl, or magic bowl, is a form of early protective magic found in what is now Iraq and Iran. Produced in the Middle East during late antiquity from the sixth to eighth centuries, particularly in Upper Mesopotamia and Syria, the bowls were usually inscribed in a spiral, beginning from the rim and moving toward the center. Most are inscribed in Jewish Babylonian Aramaic. The bowls were buried face down and were meant to capture demons.
Adam KasiaAdam Kasia (ࡀࡃࡀࡌ ࡊࡀࡎࡉࡀ; also referred to using the portmanteau Adakas ࡀࡃࡀࡊࡀࡎ or Adakas Ziwa in the Ginza Rabba) means "the hidden Adam" in Mandaic. The hidden Adam is also called Adam Qadmaiia (ࡀࡃࡀࡌ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡉࡀ, "The First Adam"). In Mandaeism, it means the soul of the first man. Among the Mandaeans, Adam Kasia means the soul of every human. Adam Kasia shows many similarities with the Jewish idea of Adam Kadmon. Prayers in the Qolasta, such as the Asiet Malkia, also refer to Adam as "Adam the First Man" (Adam Gabra Qadmaiia).
Mandi (Mandaeism)A mandi, mashkhanna (ࡌࡀࡔࡊࡍࡀ maškna), or beth manda (beit manda, ࡁࡉࡕ ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀ bit manda, 'house of knowledge'; also bimanda) is a Mandaean building that serves as a community center and place of worship. A mandi is traditionally built on the banks of a yardna, or flowing river. Although mandis are traditionally "cult-huts" made of straw, bamboo, and mud that are built by the river, nowadays mandis can also be modern buildings that serve as community houses and local administrative centers.
ShitilIn Mandaeism, Shitil (ࡔࡉࡕࡉࡋ) is an uthra (angel or guardian) from the World of Light. Shitil is considered to be the Mandaean equivalent of Seth. Prayers in the Qolasta frequently contain the recurring formula, "In the name of Hibil, Šitil, and Anuš" (ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡅࡔࡉࡕࡉࡋ ࡅࡀࡍࡅࡔ ). According to the Mandaean scriptures, including the Qolastā, the Book of John and Genzā Rabbā, the angelic soteriological figure Shitil is a son of Adam Qadmayya ("the first Adam") who taught John the Baptist with his brothers Anush (Enosh) and Hibil Ziwa (Abel).
