Sahduta
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The sahduta (Classical Mandaic: ࡎࡀࡄࡃࡅࡕࡀ) is the creed of Mandaeism. Sahduta (pronunciation: sahdutha) means 'testimony' or 'evidence' in Mandaic (cognate with Hebrew שָׂהֲדוּתָא (sāhdutā) 'testimony'[1]) is the fundamental declaration of faith in Mandaeism. It is a testimony affirming the existence of God (Hiia, “Life”), their lord (Mara(i)), and the knowledge of life.[2] All three of these titles refer exclusively to Hayyi Rabbi[2] (not to be confused with Manda ḏ-Hayyi, an uthra in Mandaeism, as his name also translates to "knowledge of life").[3]
This statement is used in the preludes of many Mandaean manuscripts.[4] The first part of the daily morning brakha also contains the sahduta.
The sahduta
[edit]
The text of the sahduta is as follows.[3][2]
- ࡀࡊࡀ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡀࡊࡀ ࡌࡀࡓࡀࡉ ࡀࡊࡀ ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ
- aka hiia, aka marai, aka manda ḏ-hiia
- There is Life, there is my Lord, there is Knowledge of Life.
| Mandaic text | Mandaic transliteration | English translation | Pronunciation[5] |
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Analysis
[edit]Below are the meanings of each word in the sahduta.[6][3][7]
- ࡀࡊࡀ (aka) – there is, there exists
- ࡄࡉࡉࡀ (hiia) – Life, Living One
- ࡀࡊࡀ (aka) – there is, there exists
- ࡌࡀࡓࡀࡉ (marai) – the first-person possessive form of mara 'Lord'; marai means 'my Lord'
- ࡀࡊࡀ (aka) – there is, there exists
- ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀ (manda) – Knowledge, Gnosis
- ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ (ḏ-hiia) – The word of Life with the addition of adu (ࡖ), which is a particle meaning 'of' (or 'the', 'that')
Comparisons with other religions
[edit]In Judaism
[edit]The opening lines of the Jewish prayer Shema Yisrael can be read as a creedal statement of strict monotheism: "Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One" (Hebrew: שמע ישראל אדני אלהינו אדני אחד; transliterated Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad).[8][9][10]
This can be seen close to the Sahduta since the Mandaean creed also is in an opening of a longer daily prayer.
In Islam
[edit]The Shahada (Arabic: الشَّهَادَةُ aš-šahādatu; Arabic pronunciation: [aʃʃahaːdatʊ], 'the testimony'), also transliterated as Shahadah, is an Islamic oath and creed, and one of the Five Pillars of Islam and part of the Adhan. It reads: "I bear witness that there is no god but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God."
Among Abrahamic religions, the Shahada by its structure and use resembles the Sahduta most closely, as both are brief testimonies of faith affirming divine existence and knowledge.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon". cal.huc.edu.
- ^ a b c Nasoraia, Brikha H. S. (2021). Trompf, Garry (ed.). The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought. Studies in world religions. New Delhi: Sterling. ISBN 978-81-950824-1-4.
- ^ a b c Nhura dictionary.
- ^ Gelbert, Carlos (2011). Ginza Rba. Living Water Books. ISBN 9780958034630.
- ^ Drower, Ethel S. (2002). The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran: their cults, customs, magic, legends, and folklore. Gorgias reprint series (2. ed.). Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press. ISBN 978-1-931956-49-9.
- ^ Macuch, Rudolf (1965). Handbook of Classical and Modern Mandaic. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter, Inc. ISBN 978-3-11-081872-7.
- ^ Drower, E. S. (1960). The Thousand and Twelve Questions: A Mandaean Text Edited in Transliteration and Translation. Veröffentlichung / Deutsche Akademie der Wissenschaften, Institut Für Orientforschung Series (1st ed.). Berlin/Boston: Walter de Gruyter GmbH. ISBN 978-3-11-270701-2.
{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) - ^ "Shema - Judaism 101 (JewFAQ)". www.jewfaq.org. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
- ^ "The Shema". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
- ^ "The Opening of the Shema Prayer Explained". www.brandeis.edu. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
