Choheili or Chohaili (; , Al-Kuhaili or Al-Kuhailia; ) is an Iranian and Iraqi Mandaean surname or family name. The Choheili (Kuhailia) family has produced many

Mandaean priest A Mandaean priest or ''Tarmida'' () refers to an ordained religious leader in Mandaeism. Overview All priests must undergo lengthy ordination ceremonies, beginning with tarmida initiation. Mandaean religious leaders and copyists of religious text ...

s. Notable people with the surname include: *

Jabbar Choheili Sheikh (''Rabbi'') Ganzibra Jabbar Choheili (, also known as Sheikh Jabbar Ṭawūsī Al-Kuhaili, ; born 1923, died December 27, 2014) was an Iranian Mandaean priest, the head of the Mandaean Council of Ahvaz, which presides over the Mandaea ...

(1923–2014), Mandaean priest from Iran *

Salah Choheili Rishama Salah Choheili (; also known as Ganzibra Ṣalah Jabbar Ṭawus Choheili; Salah Al-Kuhaili; born 1952, Ahvaz, Iran) is an Iranian Mandaean priest in Australia. He is the head priest of Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi in Liverpool, New South Wales, ...

(born 1952), Mandaean priest in Australia *

Najah Choheili Ganzibra Najah Choheili () is an Iranian Mandaean priest who currently serves as the head of the Mandaean community in Iran. Biography Najah Choheili was born in Ahvaz, Iran into the Kuhailia (Persian pronunciation: ''Choheili'') family. His fa ...

, Mandaean priest in Iran *

Salem Choheili Šganda Salem Choheili (; born 1935 in Ahvaz, Iran) is an Iranian Mandaean scribe, teacher, and author. He is also a shganda and ''yalufa'' (learned Mandaean layman) and is one of the leaders of the Mandaean Council of Ahvaz. Salem Choheili is ...

(born 1935), a

shganda In Mandaeism, a shganda (''šganda''; ), shkanda (), or ashganda (''ʔšganda'')Drower, E. S. 1960. ''The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis''. Oxford: Clarendon Press. is a ritual assistant who helps priests with ritual duties. In the Man ...

and ''yalufa'' (learned Mandaean layman) in

Ahvaz Ahvaz (; ) is a city in the Central District of Ahvaz County, Khuzestan province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is home to Persians, Arabs and other groups such as Qashqai and Kurds. Languages spok ...

, Iran Mandaean priest and professor

Brikha Nasoraia Rishama Brikha H. S. Nasoraia (full name: Brikha Haithem Saed Naṣoraia; ; born 1964 in Iraq) is an Iraqi-Australian Mandaean priest and scholar based in Sydney, Australia. He is affiliated with the University of Sydney and Mardin Artuklu Univ ...

also belongs to the Choheili family. Ganzibra

Taleb Doraji Ganzibra Taleb Doraji (also spelled Taleb Doragi, Taleb Dorragi, or Talib Durašia (); born 1937 in Ahvaz, Iran) is an Iranian Mandaean priest and goldsmith from Ahvaz, Khuzestan. He became a tarmida in 1998 and later attained the rank of ganzi ...

is also connected to the Choheili family. Members of the Choheili family can trace their ancestry back to Adam Zakia, the father of Bihram Bar-Hiia, who lived around 1500 A.D. 19th-century Mandaean priest

Yahya Bihram Yahya Bihram (also spelled Yahia Bihram; ) was a 19th-century Mandaean priest. Although initially a learned layman (''yalufa''), he became known for reviving the Mandaean priesthood after a cholera epidemic had killed all living Mandaean priest ...

's uncle Yahya Yuhana, of the Kuhailia (Choheili) clan, was a prominent copyist and

ganzibra A ganzibra (singular form in , plural form in , literally 'treasurer' in Mandaic; ) is a high priest in Mandaeism. Tarmidas, or junior priests, rank below the ganzibras.Drower, E. S. 1960. ''The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis''. Oxfor ...

In Mandaean colophons

Kuhailia scribes from the 15th to 17th centuries who are mentioned in the colophons of

Mandaean texts This article contains a list of Mandaic manuscripts, which are almost entirely Mandaeism, Mandaean religious texts written in Classical Mandaic language, Mandaic. Well-known Mandaean texts include the ''Ginza Rabba'' (also known as the ''Sidra ...

include: *Baktiar br Adam Mhatam, Kuhailia *Bihram BrHiia br Adam Zakia, Kuhailia (the elder, ; one of the earliest known ancestors of the Kuhailia clan *Bihram BrHiia br (Adam) Baktiar, Kuhailia (the younger; nephew of Bihram BrHiia, above) *Mhatam Zihrun br Baktiar/Yahia BrHiia, Kuhailia (husband of Yasmin Mudalal; uncle of Bihram BrHiia the elder) *Ram Kuhailia () *Ram Yuhana br Yahia Baktiar, Kuhailia () *Yahia Yuhana br Ram, Kuhailia (brother of Zakia Zihrun; ) *Zakia Zihrun br Ram Kuhailia (brother of Yahia Yuhana br Ram; ) *Yahia br Adam Kuhailia

Neo-Mandaic

Most prominent members of the Choheili family (including Rishama

and

), along with their family members, are fluent native speakers of

Neo-Mandaic Neo-Mandaic, also known as Modern Mandaic, sometimes called the "''ratna''" ( "jargon"), is the modern reflex of the Mandaic language, the liturgical language of the Mandaean religious community of Iraq and Iran. Although severely endangere ...

References

{{surname Persian-language surnames Iranian Mandaeans Mandaean priests Priestly families Mandaean families

In Mandaean colophons

Neo-Mandaic

See also

References