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The Qulasta,[1] also spelled Qolastā in older sources[2] (Classical Mandaic: ࡒࡅࡋࡀࡎࡕࡀ, romanized: Qulasta; Modern Mandaic: Qōlutā), is a compilation of Mandaean prayers. The Mandaic word qolastā means "collection".[3]
The prayerbook is a collection of Mandaic prayers regarding baptisms (masbuta) and other sacred rituals involved in the ascension of the soul (masiqta).[4] In Mandaic, individual prayers are generally called buta (plural form: bawata), although some prayers also known as qaiamta, šrita (loosing or deconsecration prayers), and other Mandaic designations.[5] There is no standardized version of the Qulasta; different versions can contain varying numbers of prayers, and ordering of the prayers can also vary. The most commonly Qulasta versions are those of E. S. Drower (1959 English translation) and Mark Lidzbarski (1905 German translation).[3][2]
Eric Segelberg (1958) contains a detailed study of many of the first 90 Qulasta prayers (many of which are known in Mandaic as buta) as used in Mandaean rituals.[5]
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The Qulasta, and two other key texts to Mandaic literature, the Mandaean Book of John and the Ginza Rabba, may have been compiled together.[4] However, their date of authorship is heavily debated, some believing it to be during the second and third centuries,[6] and others believing it to be conceived during the first century.[7] A study of the colophons of this text would appear to push back a date to the third century at the latest.[8]
In the first colophon of the Qulasta (directly after prayer 74), Nukraya, son of Šitil, a scribe from the earliest part of the Islamic period, wrote that he copied the text while consulting at least seven manuscripts (ṭupsia). One of them belonged to "a library in a house of 'a People of the Book' (anašia ḏ-ktiba), while another originated from "a town of Byzantines" (i.e., Byzantine Christians), indicating that Mandaean liturgical texts were being kept in non-Mandaean libraries at the start of the Islamic period.[1]: 175
In 1949, Torgny Säve-Söderbergh argued that at many passages in the Manichaean Psalms of Thomas were paraphrases or even word-by-word translations of Mandaean prayers in the Qulasta. Säve-Söderbergh also argued that the Manichaean psalms had borrowed from Mandaean sources rather than vice versa. As a result, much of the Qulasta can be dated to before the 3rd century, i.e. before Mani's lifetime.[9]
However, some scholars such as Kevin van Bladel believe that the material shared with the Psalms of Thomas may only be the use of a common source (perhaps Elkesaite funerary hymns), and that the text as a whole may date considerably later.[10]: 76–78 The present form of the text must post-date the early Muslim conquests at minimum, given the references made in the Qulasta to the advancement of the Arab armies.[10]: 8–9
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In 1867, Julius Euting published a printed Mandaic version of the Qolasta.[11][12][13]
The Qulasta has been translated into English by E. S. Drower in 1959 and by Mark Lidzbarski into German in 1920.[2] Lidzbarski's translation was based on two manuscripts, including Ms. Syr. F. 2 (R) held at the Bodleian Library, which he called "Roll F."[1]
E. S. Drower's version of the Qulasta contains 414 prayers (338 prayers if excluding duplicated prayers), which was based on manuscript 53 of the Drower Collection (abbreviated DC 53). The fragmentary DC 3, which is an incomplete codex of the Qulasta, was also consulted by Drower.[3] DC 53 was copied in 1802 by the ganzibra Adam Yuhana, the father of Yahia Bihram, in Huwaiza, Khuzistan. The manuscript was purchased by Drower in 1954.[1]
Carlos Gelbert has also translated the 103 prayers from Lidzbarki's Mandäische Liturgien into Arabic.[14] A typesetted Mandaic version has also been published in 1998 by Majid Fandi Al-Mubaraki.[15][16][17]
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Mandäische Liturgien (Lidzbarski 1920)
Part 1 of Mark Lidzbarski's Liturgien (1920) (commonly abbreviated ML in Mandaic studies), titled the Qolastā, has only 103 prayers. Part 2 includes 4 books from the "Oxford Collection," with 60, 33, 20, and 20 prayers respectively for books 1-4. All of the prayers have the original Mandaic transcribed in Hebrew letters side-by-side with their respective German translations.[2]
- Mandäische Liturgien (1920) contents
- Part 1: Qolastā
- Part 2: Oxford Collection
- Book 1: 60 rahma devotional prayers, corresponding to CP 106–160, 165–169 in Drower (1959)
- Book 2: 33 marriage (qabin) prayers. The first 20 prayers correspond to CP 180–199 in Drower (1959).
- Book 3: 19 prayers
- Book 4: 20 drabsha (banner) prayers, corresponding to CP 330–347 in Drower (1959) except for prayer 20
CP 104–105, 161–164, 170–179, 200–329, and 348–414 in Drower (1959) are not found in Lidzbarski (1920).
Lidzbarski's Mandäische Liturgien differs substantially from Drower's Canonical Prayerbook, since different manuscripts had been consulted.[2]
Canonical Prayerbook (Drower 1959)
The 414 prayers in E. S. Drower's 1959 Canonical Prayerbook (commonly abbreviated CP in Mandaic studies) are categorized into the following sections.[3]
Mandaeans typically refer to their canonical prayers as being part of the sections listed below (for example, the Book of Souls), rather than as part of the "Qulasta" (since Qulasta simply means 'Collection').
| Prayer numbers | Section |
|---|---|
| 1–31 | Book of Souls (Sidra ḏ-Nišmata) (Baptism Liturgy) |
| 32–72 | Book of Souls (Sidra ḏ-Nišmata) (Masiqta Liturgy) |
| 73–74 | The Letter (ʿngirta) prayers |
| 75–77 | Hymns of praise |
| 78–103 | The Responses (ʿniania) |
| 104 | Rušma (Daily ablution prayer) |
| 105 | Salutation of Kings (Asiet malkia) |
| 106–169 | Rahmia (Daily devotional prayers) |
| 170 | Ṭab ṭaba lṭabia (the full Commemoration prayer for the dead, and living) |
| 171–172 | Hymns of praise etc. |
| 173 | Šumhata (The "Names") |
| 174–176 | Hymns of praise etc. |
| 177 | Little New Year's Feast prayer |
| 178 | Prayer for "honoring" the crown |
| 179–232 | Hymns for marriage (hadaiata) |
| 233–256 | Kḏ azil Bhira Dakia (When the proven, pure one went) (prayer series, for a new priest) |
| 257–304 | Hymns for marriage and a new priest (repeated) |
| 305–329 | Coronation prayers and hymns (including two for myrtle) |
| 330–347 | Drabša (Banner) prayers and hymns |
| 348–374 | Zidqa Brika (Blessed Oblation) prayers and hymns |
| 375–381 | Blessings on the chief celebrant after Blessed Oblation |
| 382–409 | Myrtle prayers and hymns |
| 410 | Prayer of Yahia |
| 411–414 | Miscellaneous hymns |
There are 8 colophons in DC 53, which means that the manuscript had originally consisted of at least 8 separate texts. As a result, Buckley (2010) provides the following outline for Drower's Canonical Prayerbook (CP) based on the DC 53 colophons:[1]
- Part 1, the Book of Souls (also called the Book of Gadana): CP 1–74, dates to the 3rd century
- CP 1–31: the baptismal liturgy
- CP 32–72: the masiqta prayers
- CP 73–74: the 2 "Letter" (‛ngirta) prayers
- Part 2: CP 75–77: 3 long prayers of praise
- Part 3: CP 78–103: the "responses" (‛nianas)
- Part 4: CP 104–169
- CP 104: a rušuma, i.e., "signing" prayer
- CP 105: "The Healing of Kings"
- CP 106–164: the rahmas, "devotions," prayed 3 times a day
- CP 165–169: "The Fruits of Ether"
- Part 5: CP 170–199
- Part 6: CP 200–284
- CP 200–255
- CP 205–256: priest initiation prayers
- CP 257–284
- Part 7: CP 285–304 (duplicates of other prayers)
- Part 8: CP 305–329: priest initiation prayers
- Remaining part (no colophon): CP 330–414
- CP 330–347: drabša prayers
- CP 348–374: zidqa brikha prayers
- CP 375–381: prayers after zidqa brikha
- CP 382–385: myrtle (klila) prayers
- CP 386–409: duplicates of CP 305–329 (with CP 329 ordered first, then from CP 305 onwards)
- CP 410: prayer of Yahya
- CP 411–414: miscellaneous prayers
Qulasta (Al-Mubaraki 2010)
Majid Fandi Al-Mubaraki has published a two-volume set of Qulasta prayers containing the printed Mandaic text of the prayers. It was originally published in 1998 and 1999, and republished in 2010 as an electronic CD-ROM version. Volume 1 corresponds to Part 1 of Lidzbarski (1920), and Volume 2 partially corresponds to Part 2 (the "Oxford Collection") of Lidzbarski (1920).[18][19] The contents are as follows, with Drower's CP numbers provided as well. The prayers in Al-Mubaraki's Qulasta correspond to prayers 1-259 and 410 in Drower (1959). Note that a zhara (lit. 'warning') is a name insertion used by the person reciting the prayer.
- Sidra ḏ-Nišmata (Book of Souls) (Volume 1)
- Ktaba ḏ-Eniania (Book of Responses) (Volume 2, Part 1)
- rušuma: 104
- asut malkia: 105
- rahmia: 106–118
- rahmia ḏ-iumia (daily rahmia prayers): 119–164
- iuma ḏ-habšaba (Sunday): 119–124
- iuma ḏ-trin habšaba (Monday): 125–130
- iuma ḏ-tlata habšaba (Tuesday): 131–136
- iuma ḏ-arba habšaba (Wednesday): 137–142
- iuma ḏ-hamša habšaba (Thursday): 143–148
- iuma ḏ-rhaṭia (Friday): 149–154
- iuma ḏ-šapta (Saturday): 155–162
- iuma ḏ-habšaba (Sunday): 163–164
- abatar bauata ḏ-iumia (after the daily prayers)
- 165–169
- zhara
- 170–174
- 2, 4, 6 (šrita (loosing or deconscrating) prayers)
- 178
- 410
- 175–177
- Ktaba ḏ-Qabin (Book of Marriage) (Volume 2, Part 2)
- bauata ḏ-qabin: 179–232
- kḏ azil bhira dakia: 233–256
- zharia ḏ-hušbania ḏ-iumua (zharia for reckoning of days)
- Sunday to Saturday zharia
- zhara ḏ-nasakia (zhara of scribes)
- 257–259
- zhara
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One of the most important prayers is prayer 170, called the Ṭabahatan ("Our Ancestors"). As a commemoration prayer with a long list of names, the prayer starts with the line ṭab ṭaba lṭabia ("Good is the Good for the Good"). A different version of this prayer is found in DC 42, Šarḥ ḏ-Ṭabahata ("The Scroll of Ṭabahata" [Parents]), which is used during Parwanaya rituals.[1]
In Mandaean rituals, many prayers are frequently recited in sets. Common sets of prayers listed in ritual texts such as the Scroll of Exalted Kingship, The Coronation of the Great Shishlam,[20] the Alma Rišaia texts,[21] and Zihrun Raza Kasia[22] are given below. Drower's and Lidzbarki's numberings are equivalent for these prayers, since the first 103 prayers are nearly identical in both versions.
- 1, 3, 5, 19 ("four prayers for the crown": masbuta prayers for the turban and baptismal wreath)
- 22–24 (oil prayers)
- 25–28 (sealing peayers, or haṭamta)
- 32–34 (masiqta prayers)
- 9, 35 (prayers of radiance) (sometimes swapped as 35, 9)
- 59–60 (masiqta prayers for the pihta and mambuha)
- 71–72 (masiqta prayers for the souls)
- 75–77 (long praise prayers)
- 91–99 (ʿniania: masiqta response hymns)
- 101–103 (ʿniania: masiqta response hymns)
The "loosening prayers" are known as širiata.[20]
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Many of the prayers in the Qulasta have recurring formulas such as:[3]
- The bšuma: "In the name of Hayyi Rabbi" (Classical Mandaic: ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ b-šumaihun ḏ-hiia rbia; or sometimes more simply as ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ b-šuma ḏ-hiia), at the beginnings of prayers
- "And Hayyi is victorious" (Classical Mandaic: ࡅࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡊࡉࡍ u-hiia zakin), at the ends of prayers
- "And praise be to Hayyi" (Classical Mandaic: ࡅࡌࡔࡀࡁࡉࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ u-mšabin hiia), at the ends of prayers
- "In the name of Hibil, Šitil, and Anuš" (Classical Mandaic: ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡅࡔࡉࡕࡉࡋ ࡅࡀࡍࡅࡔ b-šumaihun ḏ-Hibil u-Šitil u-Anuš)[20]
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Several of the prayers in Drower's Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans (CP), mostly ʿniania ("responses") and masiqta prayers, correspond to hymns in Book 3 of the Left Ginza (GL 3):[1][23]
Prayer 66 also corresponds with Psalms of Thomas 6.[9]
Some marriage hymns (hadaiata) in the Canonical Prayerbook also correspond to some hymns in Book 12 of the Right Ginza (GR 12):[23]
- CP 179 = GR 12.2
- CP 214 = GR 12.4
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Various esoteric texts used in priestly initiation ceremonies frequently refer to prayers in the Qulasta. These include:[1]
- The Thousand and Twelve Questions
- Scroll of Exalted Kingship
- The Coronation of the Great Shishlam
- Alma Rišaia Rba
- Alma Rišaia Zuṭa
- Zihrun Raza Kasia
- Scroll of the Ancestors
- The Wedding of the Great Shishlam (for wedding ceremonies)
Many passages in these texts are essentially priestly commentaries on both the practical ritual applications and esoteric symbolism of specific prayers in the Qulasta.
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