Shitil

In Mandaeism, Shitil (Classical Mandaic: ࡔࡉࡕࡉࡋ, romanized: Šitil) is an uthra (angel or guardian) from the World of Light. Shitil is considered to be the Mandaean equivalent of Seth.^[1]

Shitil
Other names	Sheetil
Abode	World of Light
Mantra	"In the name of Hibil, Šitil, and Anuš" (b-šumaihun ḏ-Hibil u-Šitil u-Anuš)
Parents	Adam and Eve
Equivalents
Jewish	Seth

Prayers in the Qulasta frequently contain the recurring formula, "In the name of Hibil, Šitil, and Anuš" (Classical Mandaic: ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡅࡔࡉࡕࡉࡋ ࡅࡀࡍࡅࡔ b-šumaihun ḏ-Hibil u-Šitil u-Anuš).^[2]

Overview

According to the Mandaean scriptures, including the Qulasta, the Book of John and Genzā Rabbā, the angelic soteriological figure Shitil^[3] is a son of Adam Qadmayya ("the first Adam") who taught John the Baptist with his brothers Anush (Enosh) and Hibil Ziwa (Abel).^[4] He is variously spoken of as a son of Adam,^[5] a brother^[6] or son^[7] of Hibil, and the brother^[6] or father^[7][8] of Anush. Sheetil is one of the revealers of Mandaeism, identified as the biblical Seth.^[9]

The Left Ginza mentions that Shitil was taken alive to the World of Light without a masiqta (death mass).^[2]

See also

• List of angels in theology
• Setheus

References

1. Aldihisi, Sabah (2008). The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba (PhD). University College London.
2. Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443.
3. Drower, E.S. (1932). The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran. Gorgias Press.com. ISBN 1931956499.
4. "The Mandaic Book of John". Archived from the original on 2019-02-02. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
5. "Book One, 1st Glorification: The Return of Shitil, son of Adam to the World of Light". Ginza Rabba. Vol. Left Volume. Translated by Al-Saadi, Qais; Al-Saadi, Hamed (2nd ed.). Germany: Drabsha. 2019. pp. 1–9.
6. "Book Five: The Descent of the Savior". Ginza Rabba. Vol. Right Volume. Translated by Al-Saadi, Qais; Al-Saadi, Hamed (2nd ed.). Germany: Drabsha. 2019. pp. 70–83.
7. "Book Twelve: The Second Illumination". Ginza Rabba. Vol. Right Volume. Translated by Al-Saadi, Qais; Al-Saadi, Hamed (2nd ed.). Germany: Drabsha. 2019. pp. 130–135. [Note: this is book 10 in some other editions.]
8. Häberl, Charles (2022). The Book of Kings and the Explanations of This World: A Universal History from the Late Sasanian Empire. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. p. 9. doi:10.3828/9781800856271 (inactive 1 November 2024). ISBN 978-1-80085-627-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)
9. Drower, E. S. (Ethel Stefana) (1937). The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran [microform]; their cults, customs, magic, legends, and folklore. Internet Archive. Oxford : The Clarendon press.