Bshuma
Mandaean religious formula
In Mandaeism, the bshuma (Classical Mandaic: ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀ, romanized: b-šuma, lit. 'in the name [of]') is a religious formula that is often written at the beginnings of chapters in Mandaean texts and prayers. The Islamic equivalent is the basmala.
The full form of the bshuma is "In the name of Hayyi Rabbi" (Classical Mandaic: ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ, romanized: b-šumaihun ḏ-hiia rbia, lit. 'In the names of the Great Life'; Modern Mandaic pronunciation: [bɪʃˈmeihon əd ˈhejji ˈrɑbbi]; Arabic: باسم الحي العظيم, bism al-Ḥayy al-ʿAẓīm).
A simpler version is ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ (b-šuma ḏ-hiia; Modern Mandaic pronunciation: [ˈbɪʃmɑtˁ hejji], or bišmi-ṭ-heyyī), which literally translates to "In the name of Life."
01Related formulas
At the ends of Mandaean prayers and texts, the following formulas are often recited to conclude the prayer or text.
- "And Hayyi is victorious" (Classical Mandaic: ࡅࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡊࡉࡍ, romanized: u-hiia zakin)
- "And praise be to Hayyi" (Classical Mandaic: ࡅࡌࡔࡀࡁࡉࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ, romanized: u-mšabin hiia)
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Bshuma”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi 007.jpg by Akamanda, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi 006.jpg by Akamanda, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1399070314123556121284004 گلباران مزار شهدای صابئین مندایی.jpg by Mehdi Pedramkhop, CC BY 4.0
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