Dakhil Aidan

Rishama
Dakhil Aidan
Rishama Dakhil Aidan
دخيل عيدان
Title	Rishama
Personal
Born	April 14, 1881; Amarah, Iraq
Died	June 24, 1964 (aged 83); Dora, Baghdad, Iraq
Religion	Mandaeism
Citizenship	Iraqi
Other names	Mhatam Zihrun bar Adam
Occupation	Patriarch of the Mandaeans

Sheikh (Rabbi)^[1] Ganzibra Dakhil Aidan (also spelled Dakheel Edan or Dakhil Idan,^[2] Arabic: دخيل عيدان; Mandaean baptismal name: Mhatam Zihrun bar Adam; Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡄࡀࡕࡀࡌ ࡆࡉࡄࡓࡅࡍ ࡓࡁ ࡀࡃࡀࡌ; born April 14, 1881, died June 24, 1964) was the Iraqi patriarch and international head of the Mandaean religion from 1917, until his death in 1964.^[3] The mandi (beth manda) in Liverpool, Sydney, Australia is named in his honor (Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi).^[4]

Biography

Dakhil Aidan was born on April 14, 1881, in the city of Amarah in Maysan Governorate, southern Iraq. He belonged to the Manduia lineage, a long line of Mandaean religious leaders.^[2] He was a fluent speaker of the Arabic and Mandaic languages. His father, Sheikh Aidan (also known as Adam, son of Mhatam Yuhana^[2]), died in Nasiriyah when he was 12 years old. In 1904, he became a tarmida (junior priest) in Nasiriyah at the age of 23. In 1917, he was appointed as Ganzibra (head-priest) of the Mandaean community. Dakhil Aidan also became a member of the Nasiriyah municipal council in 1920.^[3] His malwasha (Mandaean baptismal name) was Mhatam Zihrun, son of Adam (Mhatam Zihrun bar Adam).^[2]

Dakhil Aidan was also a copyist. In 1898 and also in 1935, he copied the Ginza Rabba. The 1898 Ginza is currently used by the Mandaean community in Australia, while the 1935 Ginza was given to Lamea Abbas Amara in San Diego, United States.^[2]

Ganzibra Dakhil Aidan died on June 24, 1964, at his home in the Al-Dora suburb of Baghdad.^[3]

Family

Dakhil Aidan's sister's daughter was the poet Lamea Abbas Amara, who lived much of her life in San Diego, United States. When he was near his death in June 1964, he bequeathed some of his manuscripts to Lamea Abbas Amara.^[2]

His father was Sheikh Aidan (baptismal name: Adam bar Mhatam Yuhana), Classical Mandaic: ࡀࡃࡀࡌ ࡁࡓ ࡌࡄࡀࡕࡀࡌ ࡉࡅࡄࡀࡍࡀ), known for copying the Ginza Rabba in 1886.^[5]^: 54 His paternal grandfather was Mhatam Yuhana (also known as Sheikh Damouk).^[2]

References

^ "Open discussion with the Sabaeans Mandaeans", YouTube-Holy Spirit University of Kaslik - USEK, 27 November 2017, retrieved 27 October 2021
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2010). The great stem of souls: reconstructing Mandaean history. Piscataway, N.J: Gorgias Press. ISBN 978-1-59333-621-9.
^ ^a ^b ^c "الشيخ دخيل الشيخ عيدان". mandaeans.org. 2008-10-07. Archived from the original on 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
^ Robins, Ian (July 2016). "Album: The Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi, Liverpool, Sydney". The Worlds of Mandaean Priests. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
^ Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2023). 1800 Years of Encounters with Mandaeans. Gorgias Mandaean Studies. Vol. 5. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press. ISBN 978-1-4632-4132-2. ISSN 1935-441X.