Shumhata

The Shumhata (Classical Mandaic: ࡔࡅࡌࡄࡀࡕࡀ, romanized: Šumhata, lit. 'Names') is one of the most commonly recited prayers in Mandaeism.^[1]

The Shumhata is numbered as Prayer 173 in E. S. Drower's version of the Qulasta,^[2] which was based on manuscript 53 of the Drower Collection (abbreviated DC 53).^[3]

The Shumhata prayer

Like the Asut Malkia, the Shumhata is a litany which lists following the names (in Drower's 1959 version).^[2] The Mandaic below in parentheses has been transliterated from Al-Mubaraki (2010).^[4]

Hayyi Rabbi and Manda d-Hayyi (šuma d̠-hiia u-šuma d̠-manda d̠-hiia madkar ʿlak)
aina (well-spring) (šuma d̠-aina rabtia kasita qadmaita madkar ʿlak)
sindirka (date palm or sandarac^[5] tree) (šuma d̠-sindirka rba qadmaia madkar ʿlak)
Šišlam Rba (šuma d̠-šišlam rba madkar ʿlak)
Ezlat Rabtia (šuma d̠-ʿzlat rabtia madkar ʿlak)
Yawar Rba (šuma d̠-iauar rba madkar ʿlak)
Simat Hiia (šuma d̠-simat hiia madkar ʿlak)
Yukabar Rba (šuma d̠-iukabar rba madkar ʿlak)
Mana and his counterpart (šuma d̠-mana u-dmuta madkar ʿlak)
Great Mystery, the mystic Word (šuma d̠-raza rba pugdama kasia madkar ʿlak)
S'haq Ziwa Rba Qadmaia (šuma d̠-shaq ziua rba qadmaia madkar ʿlak)
Sam Ziwa (šuma d̠-sam ziua dakia bukra habiba rba qadmaia madkar ʿlak)
Hayyi Rabbi and Manda d-Hayyi (second repetition) (šuma d̠-hiia u-šuma d̠-manda d̠-hiia madkar ʿlak)

Each of the names is preceded by "[the] name of" (Classical Mandaic: ࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡖ, romanized: šuma d̠-) and followed by the phrase "is pronounced upon thee" (Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡃࡊࡀࡓ ࡏࡋࡀࡊ, romanized: madkar ʿlak). This list of names, which is also repeated in the commentary of Prayer 18 of the Qulasta, is followed by a request to be protected from illnesses and misfortunes.^[6]

The King of Kings prayer

A similar litany prayer that comes after the Shumhata is the King of Kings (malka d̠-kulhun malkia) prayer, which is Prayer 176 of the Qulasta. The Mandaic text is from Al-Mubaraki (2010),^[4] and the English translation below is partially adapted from Gelbert and Lofts (2025).^[6]


Mandaic transliteration	English translation
ia malka d̠-kulhun malkia ia aba d̠-kulhun ʿutria ia adatan u-iadatan ia šilmai u-nidbai ʿutria naṭria d̠-iardna ia hibil ziua rba malka mparqatlan mn kul mhašabata bišata u-mparqatlan mn kul d̠-biš u-snia ia malka rama rba d̠-nhura qahbatan šapi[r]ut pagra u-trahmut liba u-maliut ʿda u-tarṣut aina ia hiia u-marai u-manda d̠-hiia mparqatlan u-mšauzbatlan u-mnaṭratlan ia malka rama rba d̠-nhura	O King of all Kings. O Father of all Uthras. O Adathan and Yadathan. O Shilmai and Nidbai, guardian uthras of the yardna. O Great Hibil Ziwa, the King, who protects us from evil machinations, and liberates us from all that is evil and hateful. O Great High King of the Light, give me integrity of the body, and compassion of the heart, and ability of the hand, and acuity of the eye. O Hayyi and my Lord and Manda d-Hayyi, free me, save me, and guard me. O Great High King of the Light.

References

^ Choheili, Shadan. Rishama and Barakha Rituals. Liverpool, NSW: Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi.
^ ^a ^b Drower, E. S. (1959). The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
^ Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2010). The great stem of souls: reconstructing Mandaean history. Piscataway, N.J: Gorgias Press. ISBN 978-1-59333-621-9.
^ ^a ^b Al-Mubaraki, Majid Fandi; Mubaraki, Brian (2010). Qulasta - 'niania & Qabina / Mandaean Liturgical Prayer Book (Responses & Marriage) (volume 2). Luddenham, New South Wales: Mandaean Research Centre. ISBN 9781876888152.
^ Gelbert, Carlos (2023). The Key to All the Mysteries of Ginza Rba. Sydney: Living Water Books. pp. 577–584. ISBN 9780648795414.
^ ^a ^b Gelbert, Carlos; Lofts, Mark J. (2025). The Qulasta. Edensor Park, NSW: Living Water Books. ISBN 978-0-6487954-3-8.

[1] Choheili, Shadan. Rishama and Barakha Rituals. Liverpool, NSW: Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi.

[Drower_1959-2] Drower, E. S. (1959). The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Leiden: E. J. Brill.

[Buckley2010-3] Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2010). The great stem of souls: reconstructing Mandaean history. Piscataway, N.J: Gorgias Press. ISBN 978-1-59333-621-9.

[Mubaraki_Vol_2-4] Al-Mubaraki, Majid Fandi; Mubaraki, Brian (2010). Qulasta - 'niania & Qabina / Mandaean Liturgical Prayer Book (Responses & Marriage) (volume 2). Luddenham, New South Wales: Mandaean Research Centre. ISBN 9781876888152.

[Key_Gelbert-5] Gelbert, Carlos (2023). The Key to All the Mysteries of Ginza Rba. Sydney: Living Water Books. pp. 577–584. ISBN 9780648795414.

[Qulasta2025-6] Gelbert, Carlos; Lofts, Mark J. (2025). The Qulasta. Edensor Park, NSW: Living Water Books. ISBN 978-0-6487954-3-8.

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The Shumhata prayer

The King of Kings prayer

See also

References