In
Mandaeism
Mandaeism (Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ ; Arabic: المندائيّة ), sometimes also known as Nasoraeanism or Sabianism, is a Gnostic, monotheistic and ethnic religion. Its adherents, the Mandaeans, revere Adam, Abel, S ...
, Hibil ( myz, ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ) or Hibil Ziwa ( myz, ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ) is an
uthra
An uthra or ʿutra ( myz, ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡀ; plural: ʿutri) is a "divine messenger of the light" in Mandaeism. Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath translate it as "excellency". Jorunn J. Buckley defines them as "Lightworld beings, called 'utr ...
(angel or guardian) from the
World of Light
In Mandaeism, the World of Light or Lightworld ( myz, ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡍࡄࡅࡓࡀ, translit=alma ḏ-nhūra) is the primeval, transcendental world from which Tibil and the World of Darkness emerged.
Description
*The Great Life (''Hayyi Rabbi ...
. Hibil is considered to be the Mandaean equivalent of
Abel
Abel ''Hábel''; ar, هابيل, Hābīl is a Biblical figure in the Book of Genesis within Abrahamic religions. He was the younger brother of Cain, and the younger son of Adam and Eve, the first couple in Biblical history. He was a shepher ...
.
Prayers in the
Qolasta
The Qolastā, Qulasta, or Qolusta ( myz, ࡒࡅࡋࡀࡎࡕࡀ; mid, Qōlutā, script=Latn) is the canonical prayer book of the Mandaeans, a Gnostic ethnoreligious group from Iraq and Iran. The Mandaic word ''qolastā'' means "collection". The p ...
frequently contain the recurring formula "In the name of Hibil,
Šitil
In Mandaeism, Shitil or Sheetil (Šītil; myz, ࡔࡉࡕࡉࡋ) is an uthra (angel or guardian) from the World of Light. Shitil is considered to be the Mandaean equivalent of Seth.
Prayers in the Qolasta frequently contain the recurring formula ...
, and
Anuš" ( myz, ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡅࡔࡉࡕࡉࡋ ࡅࡀࡍࡅࡔ ).
Overview
According to
Mandaean
Mandaeans ( ar, المندائيون ), also known as Mandaean Sabians ( ) or simply as Sabians ( ), are an ethnoreligious group who are followers of Mandaeism. They believe that John the Baptist was the final and most important prophet. They ...
beliefs and scriptures including the
Qolastā, the
Book of John
The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...
and
Genzā Rabbā, Abel is cognate with the angelic
soteriological
Soteriology (; el, σωτηρία ' "salvation" from σωτήρ ' "savior, preserver" and λόγος ' "study" or "word") is the study of religious doctrines of salvation. Salvation theory occupies a place of special significance in many religio ...
figure Hibil
Ziwa
Ziwa is an archaeological site in Nyanga District, Zimbabwe, containing the remains of a vast late Iron Age agricultural settlement dated to the 15th century. Ziwa was declared a National Monument in 1946 and is currently under consideration fo ...
, ( myz, ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ, sometimes translated "Splendid Hibel"), who is spoken of as a son of
Hayyi
In Mandaeism, Hayyi Rabbi ( myz, ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ, translit=Hiia Rbia, lit=The Great Life), 'The Great Living God', is the supreme God from which all things emanate. He is also known as 'The First Life', since during the creation of th ...
or of
Manda d-Hayyi
In Mandaeism, Manda d-Hayyi or Manda ḏ-Hiia ( myz, ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ, lit=the 'Gnosis of Life', 'Knowledge of Life', or 'Knower of the Life') is an uthra (angel or guardian) sent by the Great Life ('' Hayyi Rabbi'', or the Transcen ...
,
and as a brother to
Anush (Enosh) and to
Sheetil (Seth),
who is the son of
Adam
Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
.
Elsewhere, Anush is spoken of as the son of Sheetil, and Sheetil as the son of Hibil, where Hibil came to Adam and Eve as a young boy when they were still virgins, but was called their son.
[ ote: this is book 10 in some other editions./ref> Hibil is an important ]lightworld
In Mandaeism, the World of Light or Lightworld ( myz, ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡍࡄࡅࡓࡀ, translit=alma ḏ-nhūra) is the primeval, transcendental world from which Tibil and the World of Darkness emerged.
Description
*The Great Life (''Hayyi Rabbi ...
being (uthra
An uthra or ʿutra ( myz, ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡀ; plural: ʿutri) is a "divine messenger of the light" in Mandaeism. Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath translate it as "excellency". Jorunn J. Buckley defines them as "Lightworld beings, called 'utr ...
) who conquered the World of Darkness
''World of Darkness'' is a series of tabletop role-playing games, originally created by Mark Rein-Hagen for White Wolf Publishing. It began as an annual line of five games in 1991–1995, with '' Vampire: The Masquerade'', '' Werewolf: The Apoca ...
. As Yawar Hibil, he is one of multiple figures known as Yawar ( myz, ࡉࡀࡅࡀࡓ, lit=Helper), being so named by and after his father.
In the ''Diwan Abatur
The ''Diwan Abatur'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ ࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡓ; "Scroll of Abatur") is a Mandaean religious text. It is a large illustrated scroll that is over 20 ft. long.
A similar illustrated Mandaean scroll is the '' Diwan Nahrawata'' ( ...
'', Hibil tells the uthra Abatur
Abatur ( myz, ࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡓ, sometimes called Abathur; Yawar, myz, ࡉࡀࡅࡀࡓ; and the Ancient of Days) is an Uthra and the second of three subservient emanations created by the Mandaean God ''Hayyi Rabbi'' ( myz, ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁ ...
to go and reside in the boundary between the World of Light
In Mandaeism, the World of Light or Lightworld ( myz, ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡍࡄࡅࡓࡀ, translit=alma ḏ-nhūra) is the primeval, transcendental world from which Tibil and the World of Darkness emerged.
Description
*The Great Life (''Hayyi Rabbi ...
and the World of Darkness
''World of Darkness'' is a series of tabletop role-playing games, originally created by Mark Rein-Hagen for White Wolf Publishing. It began as an annual line of five games in 1991–1995, with '' Vampire: The Masquerade'', '' Werewolf: The Apoca ...
, and weigh for purity those souls which have passed through all the purgatories and wish to return to the light.
Descent to the World of Darkness
Hibil's soteriological descent
Descent may refer to:
As a noun Genealogy and inheritance
* Common descent, concept in evolutionary biology
* Kinship, one of the major concepts of cultural anthropology
**Pedigree chart or family tree
** Ancestry
** Lineal descendant
**Heritag ...
to the World of Darkness
''World of Darkness'' is a series of tabletop role-playing games, originally created by Mark Rein-Hagen for White Wolf Publishing. It began as an annual line of five games in 1991–1995, with '' Vampire: The Masquerade'', '' Werewolf: The Apoca ...
and his baptisms
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation and Adoption ...
before and after are detailed in book 5 of the Right Volume of 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 ...
'', and also in a separate text named ''Diwan Masbuta d-Hibil Ziwa
''The Baptism of Hibil Ziwa'' or ''Diwan Maṣbuta ḏ-Hibil Ziwa'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡑࡁࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ, "Scroll of the Baptism of Hibil Ziwa") is a Mandaean illustrated scroll. It describes the soteriolog ...
'' ("The Scroll of the Baptism of Hibil Ziwa"). Hibil battles and defeats Krun
Krun (; myz, ࡊࡓࡅࡍ) or Akrun () is a Mandaean lord of the underworld. According to Mandaean cosmology, he dwells in the lowest depths of creation, supporting the entirety of the physical world.
In mythology
Krun is the greatest of the f ...
and seals the abodes of the rulers of darkness. Some versions of this account have parallels with the Hymn of the Pearl
The Hymn of the Pearl (also Hymn of the Soul, Hymn of the Robe of Glory or Hymn of Judas Thomas the Apostle) is a passage of the apocryphal ''Acts of Thomas''. In that work, originally written in Syriac, the Apostle Thomas sings the hymn while p ...
included in the Acts of Thomas
''Acts of Thomas'' is an early 3rd-century text, one of the New Testament apocrypha within the Acts of the Apostles subgenre. References to the work by Epiphanius of Salamis show that it was in circulation in the 4th century. The complete ver ...
.
In response to an upset of the dualistic balance of the universe, Manda d-Hayyi
In Mandaeism, Manda d-Hayyi or Manda ḏ-Hiia ( myz, ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ, lit=the 'Gnosis of Life', 'Knowledge of Life', or 'Knower of the Life') is an uthra (angel or guardian) sent by the Great Life ('' Hayyi Rabbi'', or the Transcen ...
summons Hibil, whom the King of Light proceeds to baptise in 360,000 or 360 yardeni. In connection with this baptism, Hibil is bestowed with 360 robes of light, the Great Mystery, seven staves, and the name Yawar, amongst other attributes.
Hibil is dispatched to the World of Darkness
''World of Darkness'' is a series of tabletop role-playing games, originally created by Mark Rein-Hagen for White Wolf Publishing. It began as an annual line of five games in 1991–1995, with '' Vampire: The Masquerade'', '' Werewolf: The Apoca ...
and enters the world of Ruha
In Mandaeism, Rūha ( myz, ࡓࡅࡄࡀ, lit=spirit/breath; also known as Namrūs or Hiwat (Ewath; myz, ࡏࡅࡀࡕ)) is the queen of the World of Darkness (''alma ḏ-hšuka'') or underworld. She rules the underworld together with her son Ur ...
, lingering for many ages until the Great Mystery instructs him to descend further. He descends to the world of Zartai-Zartanai
In Mandaeism, Zartai-Zartanai ( myz, ࡆࡀࡓࡕࡀࡉ ࡅࡆࡀࡓࡕࡀࡍࡀࡉ) is a demons in Mandaeism, demon in the World of Darkness (Mandaeism), World of Darkness (''alma ḏ-hšuka'') or underworld. Hibil Ziwa encounters Zartai-Zartanai ...
, remaining there undetected for many ages while aiding the beings of light accompanying him with prayers and supplications, before descending through the worlds of Hag and Mag
In Mandaeism, Hag ( myz, ࡄࡀࡂ) and Mag ( myz, ࡌࡀࡂ) are a pair of demons that are usually mentioned together. Hag is a male demon, while Mag is a female demon. Hibil Ziwa encounters Hag and Mag during his descent to the World of Darkness ...
and of Gaf
GAF may refer to:
Military
* General of the Air Force, US
* Ghana Armed Forces
* Guardia alla Frontiera, Italy
Other uses
* Gaf, a Perso-Arabic letter
* Gaf (Mandaeism), a demon of the Mandaean underworld
* GAF Materials Corporation, an Amer ...
and Gafan, and confronting Shdum
In Mandaeism, Shdum (Šdum) ( myz, ࡔࡃࡅࡌ) or Ashdum (Ašdum) is a demon in the World of Darkness (''alma ḏ-hšuka'') or underworld. Hibil Ziwa encounters Shdum during his descent to the World of Darkness in Chapter 1 of Book 5 in the '' ...
over the disturbance in the world of light. Shdum directs Hibil further down to Giu, who directs Hibil further down to Giu's brother Krun
Krun (; myz, ࡊࡓࡅࡍ) or Akrun () is a Mandaean lord of the underworld. According to Mandaean cosmology, he dwells in the lowest depths of creation, supporting the entirety of the physical world.
In mythology
Krun is the greatest of the f ...
, whom Hibil battles. Krun surrenders and hands over seals to secure Hibil's passage through the World of Darkness.
Hibil ascends, sealing the abodes of Giu and Shdum, to the world of Qin Qin may refer to:
Dynasties and states
* Qin (state) (秦), a major state during the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China
* Qin dynasty (秦), founded by the Qin state in 221 BC and ended in 206 BC
* Daqin (大秦), ancient Chinese name for the Roman Emp ...
. According to the ''Diwan Masbuta d-Hibil Ziwa
''The Baptism of Hibil Ziwa'' or ''Diwan Maṣbuta ḏ-Hibil Ziwa'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡑࡁࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ, "Scroll of the Baptism of Hibil Ziwa") is a Mandaean illustrated scroll. It describes the soteriolog ...
'', Qin-Anatan is the consort of Gaf; according to the Right Ginza, Hibil assumes the appearance of Anathan
In Mandaeism, Anathan or Anatan ( myz, ࡀࡍࡀࡕࡀࡍ) is a demon in the World of Darkness (''alma ḏ-hšuka'') or underworld. He is the husband of Qin, a demoness who is the mother of Ruha and Zahreil
In Mandaeism, Zahreil or Zahrʿil ( my ...
, who is the husband of Qin. Hibil asks Qin what they are made from, and Qin shows him the murky waters, which the Great Mystery informs him is utter bitterness and the sole constant of the World of Darkness. Hibil then ascends back to the world of Gaf and Gafan. In the ''Diwan Masbuta d-Hibil Ziwa'', Qin had also revealed the mysteries of the jewel, mirror and bitter herb (explained as supplying the strength of the World of Darkness) to Hibil in response to his questions, and he had secretly taken them, while in the Right Ginza, Hibil marries Zahreil
In Mandaeism, Zahreil or Zahrʿil ( myz, ࡆࡀࡄࡓࡏࡉࡋ) is the daughter of Qin, sister of Ruha, and mother of Ptahil. According to Book 5 of the '' Right Ginza'', during Hibil Ziwa's descent to the World of Darkness (''alma d-hšuka'') or ...
, the daughter of Qin, while undercover in the world of Gaf and Gafan, and she shows him the spring with the mirror (said to show the past and future), which he takes. In this version, Hibil is said not to have copulated with Zahreil, since his intention was to locate the mysteries rather than to get married, although some other accounts consider Ptahil
In Mandaeism, Ptahil ( myz, ࡐࡕࡀࡄࡉࡋ) also known as Ptahil-Uthra (uthra = angel or guardian), is the Fourth Life, the third of three emanations from the First Life, Hayyi Rabbi, after Yushamin and Abatur. Ptahil-Uthra alone does not con ...
a son of Hibil and Zahreil.
Hibil disguises himself as Gaf and appears to Ruha, who is pregnant with Ur. He leads her out of the world of Gaf and Gafan, sealing its gates, seals the gates of the world of Zartai-Zartanai, commands the Great Mystery to confound Ruha, and seals her in her world. The ''Diwan Masbuta d-Hibil Ziwa'' also mentions Hibil taking away dark waters and Ptahil.
Hibil offers prayers to the King of Light, who sends for Manda d-Hayyi
In Mandaeism, Manda d-Hayyi or Manda ḏ-Hiia ( myz, ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ, lit=the 'Gnosis of Life', 'Knowledge of Life', or 'Knower of the Life') is an uthra (angel or guardian) sent by the Great Life ('' Hayyi Rabbi'', or the Transcen ...
to send a Letter of Kushta
In Mandaeism, kushta or kušṭa ( myz, ࡊࡅࡔࡈࡀ, lit=truth) can have several meanings. Its original literal meaning is "truth" in the Mandaic language, and is thus typically used to refer to the Mandaean religious concept of truth. The sa ...
and phial of oil to Hibil, which are received, but Hibil and his companions remain detained by the powers of darkness, until a masiqta
The masiqta ( myz, ࡌࡀࡎࡉࡒࡕࡀ) is a mass or ritual practiced in the Mandaean religion in order to help guide the soul (''nišimta'') towards the World of Light in Mandaean cosmology. They are typically performed as funerary rites for ...
is performed, following which they ascend to the middle world. This alarms the guards, in response to which the Great Mana dispatches Yushamin
In Mandaeism, Yushamin ( myz, ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ) and also known as the 'Second Life', is the primal uthra (angel or guardian) and a subservient emanation who was created by the Mandaean God 'The Great Life' (''Hayyi Rabbi'' or 'The First Lif ...
, who interrogates Hibil's identity and permits him re-entry to the World of Light, upon which he is baptised 360 times again.
See also
*
*Dying-and-rising deity
A dying-and-rising, death-rebirth, or resurrection deity is a religious motif in which a god or goddess dies and is resurrected.Leeming, "Dying god" (2004)Miles 2009, 193 Examples of gods who die and later return to life are most often cited f ...
*Dehwa Hanina
In the Mandaean calendar, Dehwa Hanina ( myz, ࡃࡉࡄࡁࡀ ࡄࡍࡉࡍࡀ, translit=Dihba Hnina) or ''Dehwa Ṭurma'' (''Dihba ḏ-Ṭirma''), the Little Feast, is celebrated on the 18th day of Taura, which is the 4th month of the Mandaean ...
References
{{Authority control
Uthras
Hebrew Bible people in Mandaeism
Cain and Abel
Mandaean given names
Individual angels