Brakha
Prayer in Mandaeism
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Daily prayer in Mandaeism, called brakha ࡁࡓࡀࡊࡀ in Mandaic (cognate with Hebrew berakhah and Arabic barakah) or occasionally birukta (birukhta),[1] consists of set prayers that are recited three times per day.[2] Mandaeans stand facing north while reciting daily prayers.[3] Unlike in Islam and Eastern Christianity, prostration is not practiced.
Mandaean priests recite rahma prayers[4][5] three times every day, while laypeople also recite the Rushuma (signing prayer) and Asut Malkia ("Healing of Kings") daily.[2] When priests lead laypeople during prayers, laypeople repeat each word or phrase of a prayer after the priest, similar to certain parts of Roman Catholic masses.
In Mandaic, the generic term for an individual prayer is buta ࡁࡅࡕࡀ (plural form: bawata ࡁࡀࡅࡀࡕࡀ).[6]
Prayer times
The three prayer times in Mandaeism are:[7][4][8]
- dawn (sunrise) (corresponding to the Fajr prayer in Islam and Shacharit in Judaism; mentioned in Book 8 of the Right Ginza as rahmia ḏ-miṣṭipra = ࡓࡀࡄࡌࡉࡀ ࡖࡌࡉࡎࡈࡉࡐࡓࡀ)
- noontime (the "seventh hour") (corresponding to the Zuhr prayer in Islam and Mincha in Judaism; mentioned in Book 8 of the Right Ginza as rahmia ḏ-šuba šaiia = ࡓࡀࡄࡌࡉࡀ ࡖࡔࡅࡁࡀ ࡔࡀࡉࡉࡀ)
- evening (sunset) (corresponding to the Maghrib prayer in Islam and Maariv in Judaism; mentioned in Book 8 of the Right Ginza as rahmia ḏ-l-paina = ࡓࡀࡄࡌࡉࡀ ࡖࡋࡐࡀࡉࡍࡀ)
Traditionally, the prayers are performed while wearing the rasta (robe), burzinqa (turban), and himiana (belt).[7]
Opening rahma prayer
Before each of the daily prayers, the following opening rahma (daily devotional prayer; recorded multiple times as prayers 108 (morning prayer), 109 (noontime prayer), and 112 (evening prayer) in E. S. Drower's 1959 Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans[4]) is recited.
| Mandaic transliteration (Lidzbarski 1920[5]) |
English translation (Gelbert & Lofts 2025[9]) |
|---|---|
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