Warning of newly forged Mandaean texts
It is regrettable that certain religious institutions, possessing universities and offering scholarships are dedicating their efforts to discrediting competing religions. This is precisely what has transpired with us, the Mandaeans. A university professor specializing in Mandaeism from Tel Aviv University authored forged Mandaean texts and presented them to a friend from the Mandaean clergyman under the pretense of having discovered them during his research.
Subsequently, the Mandaean clergyman enlisted another colleague within the religious establishment, and they began attempting to secure funding for the publication and promotion of these texts. These texts have no authorship and no original manuscripts, and have only been written digitally, they were further modified and changed by those clergymen to fit their needs. However, upon examination by the global community of clergy, it was determined that all of these texts were forgeries, bearing no relation whatsoever to the Mandaean philosophy and its teachings. Rather, they were created to distort the Mandaean religion and undermine the credibility of its original texts, which have preserved their authenticity for many thousands of years.
Consequently, the Mandaean institution has issued a statement with the unanimous agreement of all clergy, declaring the non-recognition of these texts and confirming their fraudulent nature.
Tarmetha. Sinan Al Jader
Statement from Mandaean Clergy Worldwide Regarding the Invalidation of newly Forged Mandaean texts
In the name of the Great Life
May healing be yours
“Brothers of the covenant endure, while brothers of the flesh perish”
Noble children of Light
…
We will not accept the detestable state of discord among clergy as a means to sow doubt about our faith and scriptures, nor as a passage to legitimize forgery and distortion in our Mandaean books and law. Therefore, we must combat all distortion and forgery, and expose every forger and charlatan who attempts to harm our treasures and constants.
From the standpoint of our religious and legal responsibilities, as prescribed by the teachings of our luminous religion, we declare before you that what (Sheikh) Sahi Bashkh and his collaborators have done in fabricating forged religious teachings (“Diwan Aswatha”) and much of what came in the (“Book of the Children of Life”) is reckless work, a transgression of boundaries, a violation of the Kushta covenant, and has nothing to do with our customs or our tolerant Mandaean law.
Therefore, the leadership of the community and the spiritual councils worldwide have decided the following:
. 1Nullify the book called (“Sidra ad Aswatha”) written in the Mandaic language and destroy it due to its deliberate forgery with premeditation that has absolutely no connection to Mandaeism. We consider this act as intentional forgery to destabilize the Mandaean community and tear apart its authenticity.
(Sheikh) Sahi Bashkh must publicly acknowledge, within three days of this statement, his commission of that grave error. He must pledge before the Great Life and the Mandaeans to withdraw the publications attributed to him, destroy them, apologize for that mistake and oversight, and commit to not repeating it. Otherwise, our decision will be to permanently cease dealing with him as a Mandaean clergyman
…
. 1Rishama Sattar Jabbar Hilo, Head of the Sabian Mandaean Community in Iraq and the World, and the Spiritual Council in Iraq
. 2Rishama Salah Al-Ganzibra Jabbouri, Head of the Community in Australia and the Supreme Spiritual Council in Australia
. 3Ganzibra Najah Al-Ganzibra Jabbouri, Head of the Community in Iran and the Spiritual Council in Iran
. 4Ganzibra Salwan Shaker, Head of the Community in Sweden and Finland and the Spiritual Council in Sweden and Finland
. 5Ganzibra Professor Haitham Mahdi Saeed, Head of the Nasoraean Council in Australia and the Nasoraean Council in Australia
. 6Ganzibra Dr. Essam Khalaf Ghadhban, Head of the Community in Denmark
. 7Ganzibra Abdul Salam Jabbar / Iraq
. 8Ganzibra Salam Ghiyadh / Sweden – with reservations on paragraphs 1-3 of the statement
. 9Ganzibra Waleed Abdul Razzaq Al-Abadi / Australia
. 10Ganzibra Asaad Matar Al-Othmani / Australia
. 11Rabbi Rafid Al-Rishama Abdullah / On behalf of the clergy in the Netherlands