Sheikh (''Rabbi'')

Ganzibra A ganzibra (singular form in myz, ࡂࡀࡍࡆࡉࡁࡓࡀ, plural form in myz, ࡂࡀࡍࡆࡉࡁࡓࡉࡀ , literally 'treasurer' in Mandaic; fa, گنزورا) is a high priest in Mandaeism. Tarmidas, or junior priests, rank below the ganzib ...

Dakhil Aidan (also spelled Dakheel Edan or Dakhil Idan) ( ar, دخيل عيدان; born April 14, 1881, died June 24, 1964) was the patriarch and international head of the Mandaean religion from 1917, until his death in 1964. The mandi (beth manda) in Liverpool, Sydney, Australia is named in his honor (Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi).

Biography

Dakhil Aidan was born on April 14, 1881 in the city of

Amarah Amarah ( ar, ٱلْعَمَارَة, al-ʿAmārah), also spelled Amara, is a city in south-eastern Iraq, located on a low ridge next to the Tigris River waterway south of Baghdad about 50 km (31 mi) from the border with Iran. It lies at the ...

Maysan Governorate , image_map = Maysan in Iraq.svg , mapsize = 200px , settlement_type = Governorate , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_t ...

, southern

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

. He belonged to the Manduia lineage, a long line of Mandaean religious leaders. He was a fluent speaker of the Arabic and Mandaic languages. His father, Sheikh Aidan (also known as Adam, son of Mhatam Yuhana), died in

Nasiriyah Nasiriyah ( ar, ٱلنَّاصِرِيَّة; BGN: ''An Nāşirīyah''; also spelled ''Nassiriya'' or ''Nasiriya'') is a city in Iraq. It is on the lower Euphrates, about south-southeast of Baghdad, near the ruins of the ancient city of Ur. ...

when he was 12 years old. In 1904, he became a '' tarmida'' (junior priest) in

at the age of 23. In 1917, he was appointed as ''

'' (head-priest) of the Mandaean community. Dakhil Aidan also became a member of the

municipal council in 1920. His ''malwasha'' ( Mandaean baptismal name) was Mhatam Zihrun, son of Adam (Mhatam Zihrun bar Adam). Dakhil Aidan was also a copyist. In 1898 and also in 1935, he copied the ''

Ginza Rabba The Ginza Rabba ( myz, ࡂࡉࡍࡆࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ, translit=Ginzā Rbā, lit=Great Treasury), Ginza Rba, or Sidra Rabba ( myz, ࡎࡉࡃࡓࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ, translit=Sidrā Rbā, lit=Great Book), and formerly the Codex Nasaraeus, is the longest ...

''. 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. Ganzibra Dakhil Aidan died on June 24, 1964 at his home in the Al-Dora suburb of

Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesipho ...

Family

Dakhil Aidan's sister's daughter was the poet Lamea Abbas Amara, who lived much of her life in

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...

, United States. When he was near his death in June 1964, he bequeathed some of his manuscripts to Lamea Abbas Amara. His father was Sheikh Aidan (

baptismal name A Christian name, sometimes referred to as a baptismal name, is a religious personal name given on the occasion of a Christian baptism, though now most often assigned by parents at birth. In English-speaking cultures, a person's Christian nam ...

: Adam bar Mhatam Yuhana), while his paternal grandfather was Mhatam Yuhana (also known as Sheikh Damouk).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aidan, Dakhil 1881 deaths 1964 deaths Mandaean priests Iraqi Mandaeans Iraqi religious leaders People from Amarah People from Nasiriyah Iraqi scribes

Biography

Family

See also

References