The Iranian Children of Adam
 A study on the Iranian Sabaean Mandaean community
 Iman Amirteimour
MA Thesis in Middle East Studies at the Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages University of Oslo: Faculty of Humanities Spring 2017
https://www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/handle/10852/57957/Masters--thesis-by-Iman-Amirteimour.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Summary
This dissertation investigates about the current status of the Iranian Sabaean Mandaean
community, which is a relatively anonymous ethno-religious tribe. They claim to be direct
off-springs of the first human creature who is Prophet Adam, and the initial monotheist faith
that is Mandaeism. However, regularly scholars of religions’ history locate the advent of their
faith in the same historical context as the rise of Judaism.
The main settlements of Sabaean Mandaeans have always been in Mesopotamia, and their
current homelands are in Iraq, and Iran. The Sabaeans are mentioned in Quran as monotheist People of the Book, however there has always been a disagreement in the Islamic jurisprudence that whether the Mandaean community is identical with Quranic Sabaeans or not. Due to such suspicion, Mandaeism is not recognized as a distinct faith in the Iranian constitution; the issue which has affected the Iranian Mandaeans’ social rights in a negative manner.
In the current dissertation, I elaborate about the historical origins of the Mandaeism as a
monotheist faith and contextualize it among other big religious traditions like Judaism, and
Christianity. I also write about the essentials of the Mandaean faith and discuss the vital role
of ritual practices in the perpetuation of the orthodox Mandaeism. Next, I explain the
unrivaled role of the Iranian Mandaean priesthood in maintaining the Mandaean community
as an independent faith community. Moreover, I point to the socio-political activism of the
Mandaean priesthood to build constructive ties with the officials in the Iranian state and with
the reformist, democratic forces who regard Sabaean Mandaean as a legitimate minority with granted social rights. I also explain how the Mandaean priesthood attempts to maintain a traditional version of the Mandaen community and fight the unconventional interpretations
regarding the orthodox manner of performing rituals, and other religious commands.
Further, I analyze the actual circumstances of the contemporary Iranian Mandaean community and their ongoing challenges. The strong wave of the emigration among the Iranian Mandaens and the rise of new interpretations, demands among the Mandaean laypeople and youth have subjected them into fundamental challenges which have the potential to transform the Iranian Mandaean society from its intact and original constitution. 



This dissertation investigates about the current status of the Iranian Sabaean Mandaean community, which is a relatively anonymous ethno-religious tribe. They claim to be direct off-springs of the first human creature who is Prophet Adam, and the initial monotheist faith that is Mandaeism. However, regularly scholars of religions’ history locate the advent of their faith in the same historical context as the rise of Judaism. The main settlements of Sabaean Mandaeans have always been in Mesopotamia, and their current homelands are in Iraq, and Iran. The Sabaeans are mentioned in Quran as monotheist People of the Book, however there has always been a disagreement in the Islamic jurisprudence that whether the Mandaean community is identical with Quranic Sabaeans or not. Due to such suspicion, Mandaeism is not recognized as a distinct faith in the Iranian constitution; the issue which has affected the Iranian Mandaeans’ social rights in a negative manner. In the current dissertation, I elaborate about the historical origins of the Mandaeism as a monotheist faith and contextualize it among other big religious traditions like Judaism, and Christianity. I also write about the essentials of the Mandaean faith and discuss the vital role of ritual practices in the perpetuation of the orthodox Mandaeism. Next, I explain the unrivaled role of the Iranian Mandaean priesthood in maintaining the Mandaean community as an independent faith community. Moreover, I point to the socio-political activism of the Mandaean priesthood to build constructive ties with the officials in the Iranian state and with the reformist, democratic forces who regard Sabaean Mandaean as a legitimate minority with granted social rights. I also explain how the Mandaean priesthood attempts to maintain a traditional version of the Mandaen community and fight the unconventional interpretations regarding the orthodox manner of performing rituals, and other religious commands. Further, I analyze the actual circumstances of the contemporary Iranian Mandaean community and their ongoing challenges. The strong wave of the emigration among the Iranian Mandaens and the rise of new interpretations, demands among the Mandaean laypeople and youth have subjected them into fundamental challenges which have the potential to transform the Iranian Mandaean society from its intact and original constitution.