This article contains a list of historical and active Mandaean priests, all of whom have the ranks of Rishama, Ganzibra or Tarmida.
Mandaean priestly families include the Manduia (Manduwi), Kupašia (Khaffagi), Kuhailia (Choheili), and Durakia (Dorragi) families, all of which can be traced back to the mid-1400s.
List of Mandaean priests Active As of 2023, Australia has the largest number of active Mandaean priests, all of whom reside in the Western Sydney region. Most of the following list of currently active Mandaean priests is based on Buckley (2023) and from The Worlds of Mandaean Priests website curated by Christine Robins, Yuhana Nashmi et al. Note that this is a partial, incomplete list.
Rishamma Sattar Jabbar Hilow, Iraq Rishamma Salah Choheili, Australia Rishamma Professor Brikha Nasoraia, Australia Ganzibra Najah Choheili, Iran Ganzibra Khaldoon Majid Abdullah, Australia Ganzibra Waleed Khashan, Australia (also known as Walid Abdul Razzak or Walid Ebadfardzadeh) Ganzibra Salwan Alkhamas (or Salwan Shakir Khamas), Sweden Ganzibra Salam Ghaiad, Sweden Ganzibra Taleb Dorragi, Iran Ganzibra Fawzi Masboob, United States Tarmida Bassam Fadhil al-Haider, United States Tarmida Asaad Muttar al-Othmani, Australia Tarmida Thamir Shamkhi, Australia Tarmida Sahi Bashikh, Australia Tarmida Peyam Jizan, Australia Tarmida Saleem al-Zuhairi, Australia Tarmida Yuhana Nashmi, Australia Tarmida Qais Edan (Qais Aidan), Sweden Tarmida Rafid Al-Sabti, Netherlands Tarmida Behram Khafajy (Bihram Khaffagi), Iran Tarmida Sam Zahrooni, Iran
Historical This list of historical Mandaean priests, along with the accompanying notes, is primarily adapted from Buckley (2010). The majority of the names are from colophons ( ) in Mandaean texts that provide detailed information about the scribes who had transcribed them. Note that written Mandaic br means "son of," while written Mandaic pt means "daughter."
Priest Other names Notes Years Sh. Abdullah Khaffagi of Ahwaz Sam Yuhana br Bihram Sh. Abdullah br Sh. Negm rishama; emigrated to the United Kingdom Adam br Mhatam Yuhana, Manduia Sh. ‛Idan Adam br Ram Gadana Adam br Yahia Papia Adam br Sarwan Ruzbia/Ruzba Adam br Sam, Ram Ziwa Adam Abu‛l Faraš br Bihram Šitil "head of the people" Adam Bahran/Bihram br Zakia Mašhadia older brother of Yahia Sam br Hibil Zihrun Adam Bayan br Šadan Zarzuia brother of Sarwan Bulbul br Adam Bayan Adam Yuhana br Yahia Anuš, Šu‛ilia, Busa‛id Adam Yuhana br Sam, Kamisia, Riš Draz father of Yahia Bihram Adam Paraš br Zihrun, ‛Ubadia and Baṭahaiia Adam (Sabur) br Ninia Adam Zakia br BrHiia Adam Zihrun br Bihram Šitlan Adam Zihrun br Sam, Manduia Sh. Abdullah ganzibra in Baghdad; initiator of Jabbar Choheili in 1948; father of Abdul Jabbar Abdullah Adam Zihrun br Yahia Yuhana Bihdad Adam Zihrun br Yahia Bihram, Manduia Adam Zihrun br Mhatam, Ram Ziwa Adam Zihrun br Zakia Šitil, Quṭana yalufa Anhar pt Sam Bihram Anhar Kumraita ganzibra; in Qulasta prayer 170 Anuš br Naṭar Anuš br Buran in Qulasta prayer 170 Anuš Bihdad br Yahia (Sam) Adam Anuš br Danqa Anuš Ma‛ilia/Mu’ilia br Anuš Bihdad (the elder) Anuš Ma‛ilia br Bihdad Zakia (the younger) Anuš Šaiar br Nṣab Badriiah pt Šuraš book owner Bayan br Yahia Diqnana Bayan Hibil br Brik Yawar Bayan Hibil ‛Qaiam br Zindana Bainai br Zakia and Haiuna Baktiar br Adam Mhatam, Kuhailia Baktiar Bulbul br Ram Ziwa, Ram Ziwa clan Baktiar Tilidia (and his unnamed mother) Banan/Bahram br Brik Yawar Bayan Bhira br Šitil Bibia Mudalal pt Adam Yuhana, Sa‛dan, Kamisia survivor of 1831 cholera; wife of Ram Zihrun br Sam Bihram, Kupašia; sister of Yahia Bihram br Adam Yuhana Bihdad br Zihrun ethnarch; grandson of ‛Qaiam br Zindana (Yahia) Bihram br Adam Zarzuia Bihram br Ram Zihrun (Bihram) Bayan br Adam Šupartaiia Bihram Bayan br Yahia Baz Bihram BrHiia br Adam Zakia, Kuhailia (the elder) one of the earliest known ancestors of the Kuhailia clan, including Brikha Nasoraia Bihram BrHiia br (Adam) Baktiar, Kuhailia (the younger) nephew of Bihram BrHiia, above Bihram Sam br Yahia Yuhana, Dihdaria Sam Bihram a ganzibra, exiled in 1818, Qurna Bihram Šitil br Yahia Yuhana, Sumaqa Bihram Zakia br Bayan Šupartaiia BrHiia br Yuhana Brik Yawar br Bihdad Brik Manda (Šitil) br Sku/Ska Hiia Dihdar ‛Id br Adam Bihram Dihdar Mhatam Bulbul br Sam Bihram, ‛Asikir Dihdar Zihrun br Sam Sakara/‛Asikir "head of the people" ‛Qaiam br Zindana ‛Uda br Yuhana Sh. Farraj br Sh. Sam Adam br Sam Faruk br Marspindu Abuzdaqad Haiašum br Sku Hiia Sh. Haithem Sam br Sam Yuhana Haiuna pt Tihwia and Yahia ethnarch; in Qulasta prayer 170 Harmuzdukt/Hurmuzdukt Hawa pt Daiia ganzibra; in Qulasta prayer 170 Hawa pt Nukraya Hawa pt Yahia/Yuhana editor Hawa Mahnuš pt Yahia (Hida) Hawa Simat pt Adam Hibil BrHiia br Sam Nangara from Gazania Sh. Jabbar Tawoosie Mhatam Yuhana br Tawoos from Ahwaz Sh. Kumait Kiria pt Salim, Quṭana Mamania pt Hibil Mamul Dihgan pt ‛sta Bihram Mariuaria pt Adam Šapur Marspindu Abuzdaqad Mhatam br Yahia Bihram, Kamisia, Riš Draz Mhatam br Yahia Bayan, Dihdaria Mhatam Bayan br Dihdar Zihrun, Ša‛puria "father of kings" Mhatam Yuhana br Yahia Sam, Manduia Sh. Damouk great-grandfather of Lamia Abbas Amara Mhatam Yuhana br Adam Yuhana, Sabur Sh. Šukar br Sh. Fulad Mhatam Zihrun br Baktiar/Yahia BrHiia, Kuhailia husband of Yasmin Mudalal; uncle of Bihram BrHiia the elder Mhatam Zihrun br Bahran/Bihram Mušarah Mhatam Zihrun br Adam, Manduia Sh. Dakhil/Dukhayl Miriai pt Simat Mudalal pt Dihdar Salim Mula Abd‛l Šik a fighter for the Mandaeans Sh. Negm/Nejm Adam Negm br Zakia Zihrun; Sh. Negm, son of Sh. Zahroon Nṣab br Maškna Nṣab br Bihram Nukraya br Šitil Papa br Guda Qinta pt Zihrun Adam aunt of Yahia Yuhana br Zihrun Adam, Dihdaria Qiqel Ram br Adam, Manduia ganzibra in Huwaiza Ram Bayan br Sam Daudania Ram Baktiar br Bihram Šadan, Quṭana Ram Yuhana br Ram, Dihdaria, Sabur Ram Yuhana br Yahia Zihrun, Manduia Ram Yuhana br Yahia Baktiar, Kuhailia Ram Kuhailia ganzibra in Huwaiza Ram Ṣilai br Daimir Ram Zihrun br Sam Bihram, Kupašia survivor of 1831 cholera; cousin of Yahia Bihram; husband of Bibia Mudalal; grandfather of Sh. Abdullah Khaffagi Ram Zihrun Bihdad great-grandson of Zindana Ram Ziwa br Bayan Hibil/Bihram Bihdad Ram Ziwa br Šaiar "bad priest" Ram Ziwa Baktiar br Bayan Zihrun an ancestor of the ethnarch Bihdad br Zihrun Ramuia br ‛Qaimat and Bayan Hibil Ruzba son of Hawa Šabur br Zazai Šad Manda br Sku Yawar Šadan br Brik Yawar Šadia Mamania pt Hibil Šaha pt Aziz Sakma, Wašia Šaiar (Ziwa) br Bayan Hibil Sam Adam br Zakia, Manduia initiator of his brothers Yahia Mhatam and Sam Yuhana Sam Bihdad br Bihram Gadana Sam Bihram br Bibia Mudalal Sam Bihram, Laiit, Diqnana Sam Šitlan br Ram Bayan, Ša‛puria Sam (Ziwa) br Bayan Hibil Sam Hibil br Adam erroneously: "maknušta" Sam Yuhana br Mhatam Bulbul, ‛Asikir Sam Yuhana br Yahia Adam, ‛Asikir Sam Yuhana br Sam Adam, Manduia brother of Yahia Mhatam br Sam Adam Sam Saiwia ganzibra; maternal grandson of Bainai br Haiuna Sarwan Baz "king of Naṣoraeans" Sarwan Bulbul br Adam Bayan, Zarzuia Šamiat pt Yahia Bayan, Manduia, ‛Kuma mother of Ram Yuhana br Yahia Zihrun Šarat Yasmin pt Zakia, Diqnana mother of Yahia Bihram br Adam Zarzuia; grandmother of Yasmin Mudalal pt Adam Bihram, Zarzuia Šganda br Yasmin and Yahia Yuhana ethnarch Simat pt Adam Yuhana, Zakia and Buhaiir Ska Manda Sku Hiia br ‛Idai Šlama pt Qidra Ṭabia br Zazai Yahia br Zihrun, Manduia ganzibra in Maqdam Yahia br Adam Kuhailia Yahia Adam br Baktiar Bulbul, Ram Ziwa Yahia Adam br Yuhana Šitlan, Riš Draz Yahia Adam, Baliq Hiwia Yahia Bihram br Adam Yuhana, Sa‛dan, Kamisia survivor of 1831 cholera Yahia Bihram br Adam, Manduia, ‛Kuma Yahia Bihram br Sam (Sarwan) Bihran, Zakia Yahia Halal Yahia Yuhana br Ram, Kuhailia brother of Zakia Zihrun Yahia Yuhana (Bihdad/Bihram) br Anuš Bihdad Yahia Yuhana br Adam Zihrun, Dihdaria uncle of Yahia Bihram br Adam Yuhana; nephew of Qinta; exiled 1818 with Sam Bihram and other ganzibras; initiator of eight novices Yahia Mhatam br Anuš, clan name Anuš "head of all Mandaeans," Huwaiza Yahia Mhatam br Sam Adam, Manduia, ‛Kuma brother of Sam Yuhana br Sam Adam Yahia (Ram Zihrun) br Zakia Zihrun brother of Sh. Negm Yahia Ram Zihrun br Mhatam, Sabur and Batahaiia grandson of Yahia Yuhana br Adam Zihrun, Dihdaria Yahia (Sam) Adam br Sam Saiwia brother/cousin of Bihdad br Zihrun, both of whom were ethnarchs. He is the maternal grandson of Bainai br Haiuna. Yahia Bayan/Bihram br Sam Bihram, Diquana, Laiit biologically of the Manduias, but initiated into the Diqnana clan and has three brothers who are priests Yahia Sam br Hibil Zihrun father-in-law of Dihdar Mhatam Bulbul Yahia Sam br Sarwan Yahia Šaiar br Adam Baktiar, Durakia Yahia Zakia br Brik Yawar Yahia Zihrun br Yahia Ram Zihrun Yasmin Bana pt Yahia Bihram Yasmin Mudalal pt Adam Bihram, Zarzuia wife of Mhatam Zihrun Yuhana br Zindana Yuhana Šitlan br Zakia Šitlan, Buhair Yuzaṭaq br Sasa Zakia Bayan br Yuhana/Yahia Bihram, Šapuria Zakia Šitlan br Sam Yuhana, Bakšia Zakia Zihrun br Ram Kuhailia brother of Yahia Yuhana br Ram Zazai of Gawazta br Naṭar Zihrun br Yahia Mhatam ‘Asikir Zihrun br Adam a rejected teacher Zihrun br Adam, Paraš and ‘Kuma
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