Subject: The origin of Mandaean

Reference: A research in Mandai Sabian Religion

By: Masoud Forouzandeh

One of the problems in the historical investigation of the origin of Mandaeans is

the lack of historical documents narrated by the neighboring nations such as
Assyrian, Babylonian, Median, the Jews, Egyptians and more important the
nations dwelled in Harran. No clear source that describes the history of
Mandaeans is available but the mythical narratives of Mandai texts. The Jewish
and the Egyptian documents are few and weak. We don’t have any document
from Medias. It has not been directly pointed to the Mandaeans in Assyrian
inscriptions. Moreover it is the lack of formal documents under the reign of
Parthian, during which Mandaeans lived with the most tranquility.

In a comparative and synthetic investigation, it should proceed to 5 fundamental

subjects, which describes the root, origin and social evolution of a nation or a
sect.

1-Race

2-Land

3-Language

4-Religion

5-Government

The position of social organization and sort of it can be defined through

 combining the above mentioned elements:

1-Race:

According to the Mandaeans themselves, they are from Semitic race; however
they introduce themselves as the relatives of the First Adam and the 60
descended angels. Through the race division they are belonged to Sam - Ziva,
one of the 5 great angels of the higher heaven. Before dismissing from
Jerusalem (the 1st century A.D), Mandaeans were living in a Semitic - Jewish
sect and maybe beside them (in Jerusalem).

Three hypotheses are taken from Mandai texts to define Mandaeans race:

1-Mandaeans’ ancestor is not from the earth. The brilliant angels are the
ancestors of the first Mandaeans who have come to the earth in order to marry
and reproduce. 3 sons of the First Adam are Hibel, Shitel and Anosh, who have
been living among 60 angels - Mandai family (or 60 persons). Therefore the
Mandaeans race was created.

2-Mandaeans race is from the earth and ends to the First Adam. Three sons of
the First Adam are Hibel, Shitel and Anosh who are considered as the chiefs and
fathers of Mandai nations. According to this hypothesis, Mandaeans are the best
and the most selected race among the other nations. This idea is contrary to the
Jews' idea, those, who considered themselves as the selected people by Jehovah.

3-Mandaeans are a branch of the Jewish people who dismissed from Jerusalem in
order to follow John the Baptist and oppose the Jewish priests. According to this
hypothesis Mandaeans are before Semitic race but with a doubtfully identification.
Because it is not known that to which one of the 12 Jewish tribes they belong to.
The Mandai texts do not also point to this.

Perhaps they are one of the groups who left the Egypt together with the Jewish.
The idea that, the first Mandaeans were poor people who had lost their national
identification and had followed to John the Baptist, is more thinkable; however the
present Mandaeans strongly condemn this idea.

The point that the class identification of Mandaeans had remained unknown can
be related to their religious tendency; after the Jews returned to Babel, most of
them became familiar with other religions.

The present Mandaeans faces and bodies are close to the Semitic race. Their
swarthy faces, bluish - green eyes, cheeks form, long foreheads, and not too big
bodies, make them closer to the Semitic race.

2-Land:

According to the Mandai texts, Mandaeans lands are:

* Sarandib:

According to the Mandi texts, Sarandib is the place of the fall of the First Adam.
Based on the Islamic narratives, Sarandib is in the present India.

Sarandib Mountain is the place where the First Adam was grown up. There is no
more information about Sarandib, and circumstance of sons of Adam's growing.
It has not been even pointed to the descending place of the 60 heavenly angels
that were about to marry the sons of Adam. Sarandib is an unknown word for the
ancestor of the first Mandaeans that has yet remained anonymous. It is a vain
idea that India is a Mandaeans' mythical - ancient land. There is no pointing to
India, the Ganges and the Indus Rivers and the Indian ancient cities in Mandai
texts. Unlike a little similarity between Mandai and Indian rites, there is no other
similarity between them. The Mandaeans’ mythical stories have pointed to the
lands such as Madai, Egypt and Harran more than every other thing.

** Egypt:

According to the Mandaeans mythical stories and the scroll Harran Koveitha,
Mandaeans have come from Egypt to Jerusalem. It is yet unknown that how
long they stayed in Egypt, what was their method to live and how was their
relationship with the Jews. One of the Mandaeans’ ceremonies is Ashorieh,
which is to honor the Mandaeans immigration to Egypt. This ceremony shows
the Mandaeans’ dependence to Egypt symbolically.

In describing their immigration from Egypt to Madai, Mandaeans reproach the

Jews and introduce them as the followers of goddess of the Sun - Urba or the
Sun. therefore they honor the Egypt and curse the Jews. In this myth, Roha is the
God of the Jews.

And Moses divides the sea into two parts with his magical stick, and makes his
followers pass the sea. Then Pharaoh comes toward the see to arrest Moses and
his followers but he drowns. On this occasion Mandaeans perform Ashorieh
ceremony in which Lufani, the dead food, is made so that the drowned people to
be forgiven.

According to the Mandai myths the Egypt contrary to the Pharaonic were
faithful to the Mandai religion.

Mandaeans have no more memories from the Egyptian civilization and culture,
rather than the above mentioned narratives.
*** Jerusalem:

Mandaeans another land is Jerusalem. A land with sorrowful memories for

Mandaeans who had to stay there as a weak group. Since the historical
documents are not available, it is yet unknown that if Mandaeans migrated from
Egypt to Jerusalem together with the Jews or they were a Jewish group before
the Yahya's appearance. It is however clear that Mandaeans have been living in
Jerusalem and their culture is similar to the Jewish one in race and literature.
Mandaeans history has no conformity with the Jewish one. Mandaeans believe
in prophets such as Ram and Rod Shorbai, Shorba Hibel, Sam and Noritha from
whom there is no report in Pentateuch.

Ram and Shorbai and Sam are men and Rod and Shorba Hibel and Noritha are
their wives. In Pentateuch it has also been pointed to the holy women as
missionary and religious leaders (like Deboreh). There are difference between
Mandaeans point of view and the Pentateuch narratives about the appearance
date of prophets. History is periodical; according to the Mandaeans each period
ends with a storm or fire which annihilates evildoers of the previous period, and
the new period begins with a new prophet. But according to the Pentateuch,
history is proceeding in a course. Annihilation and rebirth is not seen in the
Pentateuch philosophy. The Pentateuch's realism is more than Genza’s.
Pentateuch believes that no sin causes the annihilation of civilization both about
ethics and history, and it is in contrary to Genza.

Genza describes simply the presence of Mandaeans in Jerusalem as follows:

"…Then the world came to war and death.

…Rom and a woman named Rod remained. It had passed 30 eras from Adam's
era to Rom and Rod's…
10 periods after Rom and Rod, the world became ruined and caught fire…
Shorbai and Shorba Hibel survived… (They were the chiefs of Mandaeans). 15
periods after Shorbai and Shorba Hibel the world caught by a flood storm, and
Noah, the owner of the ship Koveila, and Sam, son of Noah, and Noreitha, wife
of Sam, survived. 6 periods after Noah, Jerusalem was built, then after 1000
years, Amir Solaiman, son of Davoud, was born and became the king of the
Jews. He becomes the great king of Jerusalem, and the Jinni and demons bow to
him… then Emshiah (Christ) becomes the prophet of the Jews… some worship
the sun and some worship the moon. Christ takes people to the desert with deceit
and deceived them with magic.

Since Mandaeans followed John the Baptist, the difference between Mandaeans
and the Jews increased and they are inevitably dismissed from Jerusalem. The
book Genza has no point to the Jews' exile by Sargen, Assyrian king, but it
points to the destruction of Jerusalem.

… Then Jerusalem is destroyed and the people come out from Jerusalem and
scatter in different places…

The scroll Harran Koveitha completes the Right Genza. It points to the
Mandaeans exit leading by 360 priests after 60 years, after John the Baptist, and
describes their migration under constraint. The Jews plunder them, therefore
they enter into Harran by the Euphrates River. Thereafter Mandaeans develop by
the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and toward south.

According to Pentateuch, Mandaeans' residence in the Jewish cities continued

for 1200 years.

Meanwhile Mandaeans never appeared as an independent nation, and had no

role in the ruling of the Jewish kings.
 

**** Madai Mountain:

Madai is the name of a land to which Mandaeans belong to, as they suppose.
Madai is probably the land of Iran that Mandaeans have honorably mentioned it.
According to the Mandai myths, Mandaeans had built Mandi in Madai and had
proceeded to worship and to do religious rites. Mentioning Shah Ardovan
(Parthian) as the Madai ruler shows that this region belongs to Iran.

The Parvan White Mountain, where John the Baptist was grown up, is in Madai
and the flowing water originates from it. The geographical determination of
Madai is so difficult. Madai is a mountainous land, where the White Mountain
of Parvan is and probably the Turkish nations were adjacent to it. The people of
Madai were not generally Nasorean (pious), and only Mandaeans dwelled there
and the high - ranking priests were proceeding to the Mandai religious rites. The
word "nation" can not be understood for Mandaeas from the mythical stories
related to Madai. There is not any kind of relationship between the word Mandai
and Madai.

The influence of Iranian thought in Mandaeans thought in the case of light and
darkness, is more or less accepted by the present researchers. Amadai is the
Mandaeans temporary residence with which Mandaeans became familiar under
the reign of Parthian between the 1st and the 3rd century. It is a land with
temperate water and warm spring, which is in the eastern parts of Mesopotamia
and Zagros Mountains. From this point of view Mandi means a place, hut and
place of worship. If Manda means a place, "Manda ed Haii" would be "House of
living" which is in contrary to Mandaeans mythical principals. The word Mandi
means a hut in which ceremonies are performed and it is an adverb of place,
whereas Manda means wisdom, intellect and knowledge. Mandai also means
"men of knowledge" (noun of agency). In some parts of Enyani and Sidra ed
Neshmatha, Mana is translated as intellect, nature and canal in the front of
abstract and without suffix. However no Ganzebra and no high - ranking priest
will accept Manda as an adverb of place. The relationship between "Amadai"
and "Manda" and "Mandai" is considerable but is not scientific to do researches
of Mandaism.

Perhaps the acquaintance of Mandaeans with Madai- Iran- is referred to the

older time. In the 8th century B.C, Shalmansar, the Assyrian king, took a big part
of the Jews into Madian land, in an attack to Israel. There is a probability that
the acquaintance of Mandaeans with Madai land and even with fire, the white
cloths of priests and Zoroastrian culture has a root in this historical event that
happened about 800 years before John the Baptist’s birth. But the problem
which is in Mandaeans narrative in the scroll Harran Koveitha is that Madai
mountain and Madai land, which are introduced as Ardovan (the entitle of
Parthian king) the Iranian peaceable king. The gap between these two events is
about 1000 years. This theory that Mandaeans are of the ancient Iranians is
rejected because of linguistic and religious reasons. We can only find the sun -
worship thought and some Iranian words among them. There is not any other
thing from Iranian thought and culture in Mandai texts.

The honoring of the two Iranian kings, Ardovan and Bahram shows the great
respecting of Iranian kings by Mandaeans. Ardovan is supposed as Mandaeans
leader and is introduced as a powerful chief in the scroll Harran Koveitha.
Bahram is the First Bahram, the Sasanian king, who hung up Mani. Mandaean's
baptism is done in the name of Malka Bahram rabba, the powerful guard angel
and witness of baptism. Bahram or Vahram, which means victory, is the sign of
 victory and the guard of victory in Mazdisnaei literature. For this reason one of
the Sasanian major furnace was named Bahram. Astronomically, Bahram is the
fifth heaven of the seven heavens. Ram, which means peace and eternal rest in
Avesta, is changed as Rama rabba Kabira, the powerful angel of the higher
world, in Mandai texts. The following words are all the signs of Mandaeans
peaceful coexistence in Iranian lands, used by their choice:

1.                     Ed Darafsha: banner

2.                     Margena: stick of priest made of olive.

3.                     Pandama: the cloth net of mouth

4.                     Taqha: crown

5.                     Hamyana: belt

6.                     Yawar: friend, helper

7.                     Ginza: treasure

8.                     Ginz - Vrra: Ganzebra

9.                     Mana: vessel, cup, vine

10.                  Div: demon (devil)

11.                  Malka: angel, master, head

12.                  Bahram: Bahram.

Other cultural signs of Iranian civilization influenced in Mandaeans are:

 
A: Thought and Cosmology:

1-The conflict of Ahura Mazda and Ahriman → the conflict of Mana rabba kabira
and Ruha.

2-Emsha Sepandan → Malakhis: Brilliant angels

3-The importance of truth and honesty → Emshoni Kushta: the real world and the
real acts, the good behavior.

4-Divan: Malakhis: the darkness angels and Ruha: the darkness world and lie.

5-The periodical history by the appearance of Soshians→ the periodical history by

the appearance of Shitel(: Sheith).

6-To bless water: Anahita → to bless water (Yardena).

B: Social Culture:

1-The aversion of mourning and lamentation in both religions.

2-Wearing a white cloth and seven pieces of cotton clothes by the priests in the
ceremonies, in both religions.

3-Making fire by the river in Mandaean's baptism.

4-Fastening of Pandama (the cloth net of mouth) by priests and Tarmidas.

5-Having a religious - national Drapsha (banner) in both religions

6-Not using jewels by the priests of both religions.

7-Reading the five prayers in both religions.

8-Inter - marriages in both religions, not marry the persons of other religions.

9-Equalization of both men and women in both religions, both in social ceremony
and religious one.

10-Honoring the first marriage and aversion of polygamy.

*****Harran:

Harran is in the south of present Turkey and at a distance of 25 kilometers from

Eurfeh. For religious freedom and the existence of Babylonian and Greek schools
and the conflict between Iranian and Roman Empire on the vast region of Ragheh,
Mandaeans have been living there as migrants in exile for 300 years of the second
century AD. During this period they continued their migration by the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers toward the south Mesopotamia. Since their obedience of the local
governments, Mandaeans could dwell in the cities by the Tigris and Euphrates and
their branches.

Harran is never introduced as the major or the promised land.

The scroll Harran Koveitha (internal Harran) has proceeded to the circumstance of
migration. This scroll has probably completed in the 3rd - 4th AD and some has been
added to it till the presence of Islam.

Mandaeans in Harran were in the conflict with Kaldanian views and their star -
worship thoughts. The first books of the Right Genza were repeatedly cursing the
star - worship symbols and introducing them satanic and mortal. These curses
decreased very soon and the main patterns of Harranian's astronomical thought
were gradually entered into Mandai texts. Mandaeans were always as tribes (and
not concentrated groups). They were not willing to marry the other nations.

Therefore their crowd growth was always in fluctuation. In this way the concepts
of land ownership, setting and government never appeared and the memory of
living in Harran did not cause the appearance of the promised land theory.

Conclusion:

A: Mandaeans are much interested in Madai (Iran)

B: Egypt is the second after Madai

C: the relationship between race and land: Mandaeans belonged to Jerusalem.

Egypt can not be the origin of Mandaeans.

3-Language:

One of the major ways to determine the origins of Mandaeans is the linguistic
inspection. The language of every nation shows the geographical origins and racial
- tribal concerns. In this inspection we are so debtors to the efforts of Rudolf
Macuch, the German late linguist.

Aramaic language and character developed at least from the 5 th century B.C, in
Mesopotamia. Parthian and Achaemenid government benefited from this language
for their official relations. Since the Achaemenid government dominated in
Palestine and Syria, the Jews became familiar with this language and could read
the verses of Pentateuch from 535 A.H to 333 A.H; therefore the Aramaic language
and character became common among the Jews of Palestine.
Aramaic language had different dialects for its geographical development, its kind
of usage and its combination with other languages. Therefore Mandai was
appeared in the form of Eastern Aramaic. Mandai language is an Aramic dialect
(the Babylonian Talmud) and is more related to eastern Mesopotamia.

Mandaeans religious words and items belonged to the Palestinian area in which the
western Aramaic is current. A big part of other Mandaeans religious words and
items belonged to the eastern Mesopotamia. Their colloquial, mythical and praising
languages are completely in the form of eastern Aramaic.

Yardena is a western Aramaic word, which is used by Mandaeans in the form of

eastern Aramaic.

Yardena is of Mandai main words, which describes Mandaeans' baptism. Yardena

means river in all books and scrolls. However Mandaeans lived by the Tigris and
Euphrates at least more than 1800 years, they did not use Euphrates instead of
Yardena.

The next word is Manda. Manda belonged to the western Aramaic (in Palestine
and Syria). Manda means wisdom, knowledge and science.

Manda ed Haii means "knowledge of life".

This word shows Manai cosmology and is the sign of the most excellent brilliant
being in the higher world. Manda ed Haii is the direct creature of Haii who was
descended to Yahya (John) and trained him. He has been Yahya's guide in all the
stages of life. Manda ed Haii is contemporary to Yahya and baptism, and these
three belonged to Palestine and Syria.

The other word is Nasorae, which means "protector of religious laws and
instructions". It has been used in Palestine and Syria in the form of western
Aramaic and has no relationship with Nasereh City, hometown of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Naseri means that Jews come from Nasereh but in Mandai religion, Nasorae
means the priests who are the protector of religious instructions and performer of
baptism.

Satana, which means devil, is one of the keywords that show the relationship
between Mandaeans and the Jewish religion or Jerusalem. In the 1st and 3rd verses
of the right Genza, satana is mentioned as the symbol of pollution and deviation
and it is gradually replaced by Ruha. It is perhaps because of the migration from
the Jewish - sitter area to Kaldani - sitter area.

Conclusion:

About the linguistic origin of Mandai religion it can be said that:

1-Mandai language was appeared in the form of eastern Aramaic, but the older
words of the ancient Aramaic belonged to Palestine and Syria can be seen in it.

2-The fundamental words of Mandai texts such as Manda ed Haii, Yadena, Nasorae
and Mana rabba Kabira, which are the signs of Mandai cosmology, belonged to
Palestine region.

3-A strong literary relation is between Mandai texts and Hebrew and then Iranian
culture and thoughts.

4-Perhaps Mandaeans are of the Jews who have been interested in this language for
its spreading under the reign of Acheamenid. But if we accept this idea, we would
confront with a conflict. Mandaeans curse the Jews in their books and by speaking.
They insist that they belong to Adam and Eve and the prophets’ children. This idea
does not belong to the present Mandaeans.
We should admit that there is a disagreement between historical documents and the
narratives of the century to the 7 th century and Mandai texts about the origins of
Mandaeans.

4-Religion:

One way to determine the Mandaeans geographical situation and their origin is the
comparative inspection of different religions.

In southern and northern Mesopotamia and also the eastern side of Meditaranian
Sea (Syria and Palestine) there were different religions and schools from 3 years
B.C. Some of them were stable and some had been changed and solved in other
religions.

Iran and Greece were in the eastern and western parts of Mesopotamia. The first
believed in Mithraism and Zorvanism and then Zoroastrian religion and the second
believed in the ideology of Helenian polytheism in the frame of Humerian ancient
myths. Inside the Mesopotamia, there were some civilizations as Soomer, Akdo,
Assyria and Babel, all with polytheism ideology.

The most basic similarities between Mandai and the other neighboring religions
and schools:

1-One of the oldest Iranian beliefs about creating and creator is belief in someone
called Zorvan, who bears two sons called Urmad and Ahriman. The two good and
bad sons are the deputies of the darkness and the brilliant worlds. They are twins
that are created from Zorvan who is a bisexual being. In Mandaeans’ religion Haii
is the highest rank of life. Life is created in the light and darkness by his
forgiveness. Ayer is as the first and pure air and without darkness and light
particles created by Haii. It is better to say that Ayer is a part of Haii, which is
created to create the first world. Combining the two elements of light and darkness,
two different spaces of Ahuraei and Ahrimani are created. Light and darkness fight
with each other leading by their kings and light captures the darkness.

According to this point of view, Mandaeans religious philosophy is similar to the

ancient Iranian thought. It is while Jehovah, the Jewish God, can not do what
Mandai Haii can do.

2-The conflict between the light and the darkness and sometimes their cooperation
shows that life belongs to two worlds; and only with their combination, material is
created. The Zoroastrian Ahura and Ahriman, who are the symbols of Iranian older
thought, are not seen in Mandai thought. In Mandai religion the essence of life is in
hiding. Therefore the eternal essence of life is both in hiding and with a higher
rank. The external part of life has duality. Light is in the heavenly north and
darkness is in the south. Material is in the middle part of the world (material is
created by the combination of the light and the darkness). The intensity of the
conflict between light and darkness in Zoroastrian religion is rarely seen in other
religions and rites.

From the 2nd century to the 7th, there were two Christian and Zoroastrian powerful
religions in the eastern and the western Mesopotamia. Combining these two
religions, Gnostic groups were appeared. All of these Gnostic groups believed in
light and its manifestation in human, the human mythical guidance and sending the
darkness out from the body.

Belief in the salty and sweet ocean, their connection to create world and also the
connection of the heaven and the earth (Oranous and Gaya) to create beings, were
in the Greek, Sumerian and Babylonian thoughts in the ancient past; but no one of
them were manifested in Mandai religion. The combination of salty water and
sweet one in Mandai text is the symbol of the light and the darkness combination,
and has no historical and religious relations with the above-mentioned
civilizations. The darkness world in Mandai religion called Ruha is in the south or
under the middle classes. It is a world full of ugly and malodorous beings that riots
in the world. The geographical position of Ruha is similar to that of the other
civilizations and rites. Hades whit the meaning of darkness world presents in the
Greek Heleni culture.

The darkness world is the place of the dead 's sprits. All of the symbols of the
darkness world in Greece, Egypt, Sumer and Babel are in the south, under the earth
or on the bottom of the river, which are similar to their Mandai sense. But the
Mandai darkness world (Ruha) has more efficiency than the others. And has an
ominous role in all of the earthy rites.

Mandaeans are repeatedly being frightened of Ruha, the whole of the brilliant
world is to capture it so as not to injure the brilliant world. In this case the darkness
world is more similar to Zoroastrian religious rite and philosophy. Leviathan with
many heads dwelled in the waters, (is suppressed by Jehovah), is perhaps the reflex
of the Ogarity myth of Baal and Yam - nahar. Baal is the God of thunder and Yam -
nahar is the God of rivers. Baal and Yam - nahar are always fighting with each
other. However there are some apparent similarities between the Ogarity myth of
Baal and Yam - nahar and the Hebrew myth of Leviathan and the darkness world
of Ruha in Mandai religion, they do not have any ethical and recognizable
efficiencies as Ruha in Mandai. Moreover none of them describes the two bases of
life as clear as Mandai religion.

Only some parts of Kaldanian's astronomical thought (Babylonian contemporary to

Mandaeans) was in conformity with Mandaeans religious philosophy.

3- Baptism with water and blessing the water:

Every civilization, religion and school has proceeded to bless the water. In the
ancient Greece, the waters and the seas were sanctifying. Kimbarha (German
nation) sacrificed for the flowing river.

Mandaeans interpret water as the source of life, rejuvenation and the element of
soul's purification from sins and the creator of tree of life and something in which
the light dwells. Therefore the real waters are in the upper world in the other side
of the heavens and the earthy waters are the followings of the upper waters. Their
baptism in the flowing water is related to restoration to life, revival of the internal
force and connection to the upper world. Indians sanctify the water. They interpret
water as healing, and the element of soul's purification.

The relationship between Mandai religion and Indian rite is weak, because of the
geographical distance and no historical evidence showing the Indians migration to
Mesopotamia and vice versa. In the ancient Iran, water was sanctifying with God,
Anahita. Baptism and washing in the water in order to purify the soul have never
been a common tradition among Iranians. In spite of many adaptations from
Iranian thoughts, Mandaeans did not adapt anything from this subject.

Baptism is fashionable among Asnais and baptism is equal to internal repentance

and entering into a new promise. Therefore they are so similar to the teachings of
John the Baptist and the teachings of the Christian new promise rather than the
Jews.

Yet we have no evidence available to show that John was of this group, or was
influenced by their teachings or even his prophecy was on a predetermined
program (by Asnais).

The Asnais baptism and more important their revival of life, purification of life and
their internal repentance beside their other religious rites are their common beliefs
with Mandaeans. If we accept this relationship between Asnais and Mandaeans,
then Mandaeans geographical region would be the Palestine region. According to
the Genza and the Gospel narratives, John baptized Jesus Christ. Therefore baptism
belonged to the Christians rather than the followers of John.

The Egyptian believed in baptizing the ominous objects. The Nile River was so
important for them but it was never the source of light, purification and honor. The
similarity of astronomical culture between the Egyptian and Mandaeans is valuable
to inspect. Mandaeans month is 30 days to which is added 5 days of Panjeh eve
and this is similar to the Egyptian tradition (without calling eve for that added 5
days).

One of the similarities between Mandaeans (who claim the temporary dwelling in
Egypt) and the Egyptian culture is the "heavenly Nile" that is equal to the
"heavenly Yardena". Mandaeans called any flowing water as Yardena and have
placed a heavenly Yardena in the brilliant world symbolically. Their apparent
efficiency is similar but their principles is different.

The heavenly Nile is not the place of angels and the light particles and not the
source of purification and power of God. It is not the abode of the pious souls in
the real world of the higher world.

The Egyptian 's real world in which human 's destiny is in hiding is nothing but the
star relations.

The constellations can predict the human's destiny as their connections with the
boundless world in which human's souls can be seen. Perhaps Mandaeans became
familiar with the stars for the first time in Egypt. But whatever it is, the name and
the words used for the 12 stars and the 7 planets are Kaldanian and Greek, and the
Nabati - Egyptian words are not seen among them.

4- The star - worship and the followers of managers (the organization of the
angels):

One of the accusation on Mandai Şabians in Islamic texts is their star -

worshipping. Shahrestani (died in 548 A.H) has spent his most efforts to this
problem. He believes that Harrani Şabians are the followers of Hermes (Edris the
prophet) and Aghazimoon (Sheith the prophet). According to Shahrestani, Şabei
thought has grown in Egypt and many people have followed that, but Pharaoh
exited from Sabians religion after announcing his superiority.

Shahrestani introduces the Egypt as the geographical and historical origin of

Harrani Sabians. According to Shahrestani, Şabians consist of 3 sects:

1-Followers of priests (angels)

2-Followers of figures and persons

3-Harnanieh

Followers of persons believes that since the 7 heavenly stars can not be seen, the
idols related to them and their deputy on the earth should be praised. And therefore
they are idolatry.

Followers of figures are those who improvised relations, instructions and houses
for the 7 heavenly stars. They have made a temple for each one of the stars and
have proceeded to slaughter and bow down for the rites. Therefore good and bad
influences of the stars and prediction grown up on the base of star relations. They
believe in God Almighty but reject the mediation of the prophets. They believe in
mediation role of the priests and figures.

According to Shahrestani, Harnanieh are a group of Şabians, who say the creator is
worshiped, unit and many. He is unit in the essence and is many in the heavenly
and the earthy persons.

Shahrestani introduces Harrani Şabians as sum of these 3 sects. From his point of
view Harrani Şabians believe that:

1-The creator (God) is both one and many.

2- He is many as he can create many persons and figures. Although he changes to

many, his unity does not change.

3- Heavenly stars and bodies, which are the world managers, are as fathers and
ancestors, and the elements are as mothers.

4-The world ancestors (fathers) marry the elements (mothers) and the fruits
(children) are created.

5-The repetition of appearance occurs after 36425 years.

6-The world is the place, where the Resurrection happens. Each man receives his
reward and punishment in this world.

Shahrestani describes the theory of "followers of priests" as well. This theory is

similar to the Gnostic views and thoughts. He puts all of the sects and religions
who does not believe in God and his prophets, but in astronomical thoughts and the
stars mediation in the frame of "followers of priests (angels). He puts the Indian,
the Egyptian and some of the ancient Iranians and Greece in this position.
Mandaeans believe in the world of angels. The world of angels is the mediator
between God Almighty, i.e. Haii and the human. Five Mandai great angels are
second after Haii.

The mass of Mandaeans is so interested in the world of angels. They worship

Manda ed Haii, Sam Ziva, Marei rabutha eleitha, Shishlam rabba and Abathar
rabba rather than Haii. But in Mandai texts Haii is God Almighty. Three brilliant
worlds are his great throne. These worlds are full of brilliant angels building the
earthy world and other worlds as the skillful workers. 5 great angels are
supervising over the other angles. The angles are building world, caring the pure
souls of Mandaeans and the rivers… Humans receive the grace of God by these
mediators. In its Zoroastrian form, the angelic mediators Ahura Mazda and the
earthy human are doing these acts. The Mandai world of angles is closer to the
Zoroastrian culture, but is not very different from the Harranians' theory of
"followers of priests". According to Shahrestani, the differences between Harrani
"followers of priests" and Mandai "organization of angles" are as follows:

1-The Mandai "organization of angles" is created from pure air and light in one
hand and bad air and darkness in the other hand while followers of priests are
formed only from rational abstract soul.

2-The Mandai "organization of angles" is from two kinds of positive and negative
(good and evil) and this is in contrary with the identity of "the followers of priests".

3-The Mandai darkness angles are seditious and sinner, while the followers of
priests are all builders and regulators.

Now we proceed to the similarities between Avestai texts and Mandai texts:

The book of Yasht consists of 21 Yashts. Yasht means to praise Izadan Forouhar
(Emsha Sepandan). Each Yasht is divided into some chapters. In the 59 th to 62nd
chapters, the numbers of the protective angels are 99/999.

The duties of the Zoroastrian "organization of angels" are protection against Kert
Sea (probably Mazandaran Sea), protection against thrones (the great bear star) and
more important protection against Zoroaster septiman sperm (which is in hiding in
Hamoon sea).

However Avestai texts present more real aspect of human life and nature. In
contrast Mandai texts have more tendency to the mental and mythical aspects of
nature, human and social events.

Abo Reihan Birooni writes in Ather- ol-Baqieh:

"…… as we said previously, the real Şabians are those captives were brought to
Babel from Bakht- ol-Nasr and remained there. There after they were interested in
that land and as they did not have any correct principal, they heard Magus worlds
in Babel. Şabians religion is a combination of Magian and Judaism, as this
occurred for the people brought from Babel to Syria and are called Samereh."

5-Government:

During their history of 2000 years, Mandaeans had no government. The most
important reason is their religious instructions. They have forbidden resorting to
force, sword and justice. The ruling of human on human is condemned.

In Mandaeans religious - political thought "man is not ruler of man", "man is not
leader of society", "man is not king of man". Man is just friend of man", "man is
helper for man". Man should not impose his thought, idea and act to the others.
The religious liberalism is so strong among the Mandaeans.

Contrary to the Islamic and Christian sects, in which the followers should follow
their leader, each Mandai can enjoy the religious instructions referring to the book
and rite of baptism.

According to Sam's teachings, in the book of Edrasha Yahya (Yahya's teachings),

political and judicial organization is forbidden.

Mandaeans were always followers of Achamenid, Sasani, Abbasides and Iranian

kings and governments.

Mandaeans interest in Achamenid government was perhaps because of the

religious freedom in that era. Mandai texts have appreciated king Ardovan
(Artapan or Artovan) rather than the others. King Ardovan is as Cyrus for the Jews.
From this point of view Mandaean texts have introduced their ideal government as
Achamenid government.

This is another reason for Mandaeans dependence to Iranian culture. It is while

Mandai texts have showed hatred toward the Jews, Babylonian and the Egyptian
government. Mandai texts have not mentioned anything from Ommayed Abbaside,
Ghaznavi, Saljoughi and al-e-Boyeh government. Only in the descriptions of the
right Genza belonged to the 11th and 12th centuries, is mentioned the kings of
Moshashaieh government in Khoozestan (Hoveizeh), which are not valuable for
this inspection.

The conclusion of the 4th chapter:

1-In the religious culture, Mandaeans are similar to the two eastern religions
(Magus, Judaism). But Mandaeans are neither Jewish nor Zoroastrian. The national
and evident tendency of this religion is the religious knowledge, visual perception,
self-purifying and rite performing. Religious law is less considered than rite.

2-The Mandai linguistic shows the Mandaeans interest in the region of Palestine.

3-The direction of Mandaeans immigration based on their narratives is as follows:

Egypt→ Jerusalem and Yardena (Jordan River) → a temporary residence in Babel

→ Jerusalem → beside the Euphrates River→ the southern Mesopotamia→
Khoozestan.

I believe that Mandaeans were captured by the Babylonian government together

with the Jews in 597 AH. Thereafter releasing the Babel by Cyrus in 530 AH,
caused the returning of Mandaeans to Jerusalem. For this reason Cyrus is praised
in the book of Qolesta, the verse 152, with the name of Arsaban.

4-Whether Mandaeans were originally the Jewish or not is a complicated problem.

Anger and curses of Mandaeans to the Jews are seen all over the Mandai texts. There
is an undeniable reality and that is Mandaeans have been living in Jerusalem and
Jordan River with the Jews for the centuries.