Rishama

A rishama (rišama; riš-ama), rishamma, or rishema (Classical Mandaic: ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡌࡀ, lit. ''head/leader of the people''; Modern Mandaic: rišammā; Arabic: ريش امّة; Persian: ریشا اد اما) is a religious patriarch in Mandaeism. It is the highest rank out of all the Mandaean clergical ranks. The next ranks are the ganzibra and tarmida priests (see Mandaean priest).

In Iraq, the current rishama is Sattar Jabbar Hilow. In Australia, there are two rishamas, namely Salah Choheili and Brikha Nasoraia.

Etymology

The Mandaic term rišama is derived from the words riš 'head' and ama 'people'. Although the term for the Mandaean daily minor ablution is also spelled the same in written Classical Mandaic (rišama), the word for 'minor ablution' is pronounced in Modern Mandaic as rešāmā, while 'head priest' is pronounced rišammā.

Notable rishama or patriarchs

Pre-20th century

Zazai d-Gawazta bar Hawa, patriarch datable to around the year 270 CE and earliest known copyist of Alma Rišaia Zuṭa, Qulasta, The Thousand and Twelve Questions, The Baptism of Hibil Ziwa, Scroll of Exalted Kingship, and The Wedding of the Great Šišlam. The Ginza Rabba, however, predates Zazai's time.^: 157
Anush bar Danqa, the leader of the Mandaeans, who appeared before Muslim authorities at the beginning of the Muslim conquest of Persia
Yahya Bihram, who revived the entire Mandaean priesthood during the 1830s
Ram Zihrun, who revived the Mandaean priesthood during the 1830s together with his younger cousin Yahya Bihram

20th and 21st centuries

Iraq

Dakhil Aidan (1881–1964), patriarch from 1917 to 1964 in Iraq
Abdullah bar Sam (died 1981), patriarch from 1964 to 1981 in Baghdad
Abdullah bar Negm (died 2009; son of Negm bar Zahroon), patriarch from 1981 to 1999 in Baghdad; he emigrated to the United Kingdom in 2000
Sattar Jabbar Hilow (born 1956), the current Mandaean patriarch in Baghdad since 2000

Iran

Jabbar Choheili (1923–2014), rishama in Ahvaz

Australia

Salah Choheili (born 1952), an Iranian-Australian priest who has been a rishama in Sydney since 2010
Brikha Nasoraia (born 1964), an Iraqi-Australian priest who has been a rishama in Sydney since 2024

Incumbent rishamas
Rishama Sattar Jabbar Hilow (Iraq)
Rishama Salah Choheili (Australia)
Rishama Brikha Nasoraia (Australia)

References

1 2 Häberl, Charles (2022). The Book of Kings and the Explanations of This World: A Universal History from the Late Sasanian Empire. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. p. 219. ISBN 978-1-80085-627-1.
↑ "His Holiness Sattar Jabbar Hilo – Global Imams Council". Global Imams Council. Archived from the original on 2021-10-17. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
↑ Al-Saadi, Qais Mughashghash; Al-Saadi, Hamed Mughashghash (2012). Ginza Rabba: The Great Treasure. An equivalent translation of the Mandaean Holy Book. Drabsha.
↑ "Leader of the world's Mandaeans asks for help". Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker e.V. (GfbV). Retrieved 2021-09-21.
↑ "برئاسة الريش امة ستار جبار حلو، كجةجي يلتقي وفد من طائفة الصابئة المندائيين". cese.iq. 2014. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
↑ "الريشما ستار جبار حلو رئيس ديانة الصابئة المندائيين". Mandaean Library مكتبة موسوعة العيون المعرفية (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-09-21.
↑ "Harmony Day - Liverpool signs declaration on cultural and religious harmony". Liverpool City Champion. 25 March 2019. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
↑ Amirteimour, Iman (2017). The Iranian Children of Adam: A study on the Iranian Sabaean Mandaean community (PDF) (M.A. thesis). University of Oslo.
↑ Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people (PDF). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-10-11. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
↑ Gündüz, Şinasi. "The problems of the nature and date of Mandaean sources". Retrieved 21 November 2021.
↑ "Rishamma Salah Choheili: July 2016, Chapter 1". The Worlds of Mandaean Priests. 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2021-11-09.

External links

The Worlds of Mandaean Priests

[Häberl_2022-1] 1 2 Häberl, Charles (2022). The Book of Kings and the Explanations of This World: A Universal History from the Late Sasanian Empire. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. p. 219. ISBN 978-1-80085-627-1.

[Global_Imams_Council-2] "His Holiness Sattar Jabbar Hilo – Global Imams Council". Global Imams Council. Archived from the original on 2021-10-17. Retrieved 2021-09-21.

[GR_Saadi-3] Al-Saadi, Qais Mughashghash; Al-Saadi, Hamed Mughashghash (2012). Ginza Rabba: The Great Treasure. An equivalent translation of the Mandaean Holy Book. Drabsha.

[Gesellschaft_für_bedrohte_Völker_e.V._(GfbV)-4] "Leader of the world's Mandaeans asks for help". Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker e.V. (GfbV). Retrieved 2021-09-21.

[cese.iq-5] "برئاسة الريش امة ستار جبار حلو، كجةجي يلتقي وفد من طائفة الصابئة المندائيين". cese.iq. 2014. Retrieved 2021-09-21.

[Mandaean_Library-6] "الريشما ستار جبار حلو رئيس ديانة الصابئة المندائيين". Mandaean Library مكتبة موسوعة العيون المعرفية (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-09-21.

[7] "Harmony Day - Liverpool signs declaration on cultural and religious harmony". Liverpool City Champion. 25 March 2019. Archived from the original on 5 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2021.

[8] Amirteimour, Iman (2017). The Iranian Children of Adam: A study on the Iranian Sabaean Mandaean community (PDF) (M.A. thesis). University of Oslo.

[Buckley_2002-9] Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people (PDF). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-10-11. Retrieved 2021-11-21.

[10] Gündüz, Şinasi. "The problems of the nature and date of Mandaean sources". Retrieved 21 November 2021.

[11] "Rishamma Salah Choheili: July 2016, Chapter 1". The Worlds of Mandaean Priests. 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2021-11-09.