Persecution of Mandaeans in Iraq
2002 report
Presented by the Mandaean Human Rights
group
The Mandaeans are a religious sect of great antiquity
that still exists in limited numbers in the border territories
of southern Iraq and Iran. Neither
Christian, Moslem, Jewish nor Zoroasterism, the Mandaean
religion contains a variety of ancient elements that
attest to their antiquity Adherents
to the faith can be found in the cities and villages
in the lands of the lower Euphrates, the lower Tigris,
the rivers that surround the Shatt-al-Arab, and in the
adjacent Iranian Province of Khuzistan (once called Arabistan). The
population of the Mandaeans has decreased due directly
to the influx of diseases and persecution. In the modern
times, the population has always remained in the low
tens of thousands. Today
the Mandaeans’ number ranges between 50.000 and
70,000, using a conservative guess. (There is no census
to give an accurate account). It is estimated that Iran
has a population of 5,000 to 10,000 Mandaeans and Iraq’s
population is in the 50,000 to 60,000 range.
The Mandaeans have been able to maintain their religious
codes, language, culture, and sacred scriptures, despite
overwhelming odds at various times in history. The Mandaeans
have always sought to live near a river, for this an
essential part of their daily rituals.
The Mandaeans must perform baptism in naturally running
waters as these are considered sacred and holy. They
are still allowed to baptize in public, but are being
increasingly limited to certain areas. In the past decades,
Mandaeans have reluctantly moved their baptisms to indoor
pools due to harassment.
Whereas the Mandaeans have existed possibly back to
the time of the Pharaohs, there has been very little
written information regarding these people, prior to
the 20th century. Their
religion has remained a mystery, hidden from outsiders
for fear of persecution. With more and more books, recordings,
articles, photos, the Internet and translations of sacred
documents being made available to the non-Mandaean community,
information on the Mandaeans will become more commonplace
knowledge. At the present time, information on the Mandaeans
is really limited to a small population of scholars.
The 20 th century has opened the door to a vast wealth
of anthropological information, yet on the other hand
to certain destruction of the people. Ever since there
have been Islamic influence, the Mandaeans have become
closed mouth concerning all religious activities. In
fact, the Mandaeans are so fearful of persecution that
even in today's world many Mandaeans will give conflicting
stories regarding themselves or their culture. When confronted
on what their religion is, a Mandaean will say that it
is similar to your religion.
“If oppressed (persecuted) then say, “We
belong to you… But do not confess him in your
hearts or deny the voice of your master, the High King
of Light…”
The Mandaeans have always tried to appease the Moslems
in order to establish a low profile. This is the only
reason why today the Mandaeans still exist within the
rigid Islamic walls. Over the centuries the Mandaeans
have found it more and more difficult to separate themselves
from Islamic influence. This is especially apparent in
the 20 th century. Mandaean culture and language has
become more and more Arabianized or Persianized due to
pressures from outside. As the Mandaeans became exposed
to western society modernization which flooded into the
areas by the 1950 to 1960’s their religion took
a turn for the worst. Mandaeans,
like all cultures, wanted the advantages of education,
good jobs, descent housing and security for their children.
In order to achieve these goals the Mandaeans were forced
to deny certain Mandaean mandates. For instance as Mandaean
children attended schools they are required to cut their
hair, this is in direct violation to Mandaean rules.
Since the sons of priests are barred from the priesthood
if they cut their hair, this forced act has dwindled
the pool of acceptable applicants.
“Government schools insist that boys cut their
hair: whereas the ritual rule forbade Mandaean men to
touch hair with scissors or razor. This rule applied
especially to the priesthood, and the fact that boys
of priestly family now attend school, has helped to deplete
the ranks of the priesthood.”
With the Mandaeans becoming surround by Moslem neighbors
as well as working and buying in Moslem business, the
Mandaeans have recently taken to blending into the surrounding
culture. This has been achieved this camouflage by employing
a variety of cosmetic techniques. Such as naming children
with Moslem associated names rather than traditional
Mandaic names, learning the basic Moslem customs, religious
customs, and rituals so that one may pass in time of
harassment, and finally wearing lay clothes similar to
the average Moslem. These
techniques do not defile or pollute the religion since
they are not covered by Mandaic codes. Thus
if the time comes when extermination is enviable, there
will be those who can escape and survive. Thus assuring
the continuance of the Mandaean religion. This fear of
eventual extermination has evolved from the increased
Islamic pressure in recent decades, especially since
the Islamic revolution in Iran and its influence on the
Muslims in Iraq.
Although Iraq is considered a secular state, most of
the laws are Islamic laws or inspired by the Quran (the
Islamic Holy Book). The government is mainly Sunni Muslim
and the ruling family is from one clan. The majority
of the public is Muslim, about 55-60% of whom are of
the Shiaat faith. The Mandaeans are the Sabians as written
by Mohammed in the Koran.:
"Those who believe, and the Jews, and the Christians,
and the Sabeans, whoever believes in God and the Last
Day and does good, they shall have their reward from
their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall
they grieve."
"Those who believe and the Jews and the Sabaeans [Sabians] and this Christians— whoever
believes in God and the last day and does good they shall have no fear, nor shall
they grieve."
"Those who believe and those how are the Jews and the Sabeans and the Christians
and the Magians [Zoroastrians] and those who set up gods (with God)-- God will
decide between them on the day of resurrection for God is a Witness over all
things."
The Mandaeans are suppose to be dealt with as a “people
of the book”, this protection is not always honored.
Certain powers have begun to deny them this status .
The interpretation of the above mentioned Verse was never
clear or consistent by all Muslim faiths. For example,
Alkuee (A Shiaat’s Islamic leader) in 1979 recognized
the Mandaeans as People of the Book , however other Shiaat’s leader in did not.
The overwhelming increase in Islamic fundamentalism had
a major effect on the basis of the Iraqi society. Many
previously accepted ways of life were changed, including
the symbiosis among different Iraqi religious groups.
Several radical Islamic groups, as well as the general
public in Iraq, have taken a more antagonistic approach
towards the Mandaean. Government
issued textbooks (e.g. eighth grade religion textbook,
page 146) and Muslim sermons label Mandaeans as Worshippers
of the Stars, denying them the privilege they may enjoy
as the “People of the Book”, tolerated by
the Muslims. This has put them in great danger (see below).
Second factor that affected the Iraqi society over the
last several decades is the brutal dictatorship. The
main concern of the dictatorship is survival whatever
the costs are. Religious minorities who represent no
threat are disregarded or used. Some of the religious
leaders, including Mandaeans, are used by either force
or intimidation to serve the regime’s propose.
They become informants against their own people and tools
for the government’s propaganda. Those mandaeans
who show any sign of refusal of this way of life end
up brutally punished. Interference of the authorities
in religious matters and decisions, led lots of the Mandaean
priests to leave Iraq in the past few years, including
highest priest ranks. The
absence of free thinking deny the Mandaeans and other
sects any form of free expression of their beliefs.
A third factor that is affecting Iraq and the Mandaeans
now is the imposition of sanctions. This led to the destruction
of the Iraq’s economic and moral infrastructure.
The misery caused a surge of new ideas, including the
belief among the people that God was punishing them for
the presence of atheists among them. Mandaeans are being
pressed against their will to convert to Islam, either
by taking advantage of their poverty, or by threatening
their lives. This campaign, led by Muslim clergymen,
has succeeded since 1996 in the conversion into Islam
of several families in the cities of Falouja, Rumadi
and Emmara. In
addition, corruption and crime have risen to an astonishing
degree, targeting the weaker parts of the society who
have no protection from major tribes or high-ranking
party members and army officials. The minorities, especially
the Mandaeans, are the easiest prey (see App. B). The
Mandaeans refuse to carry weapons, believing that both
the killer and the killed will suffer in the afterlife.
Their main form of self-defense is pacifism, escape,
and avoidance of conflict. Throughout their history,
Mandaeans have tried to remain in areas near running
water and elude friction with their neighbors as much
as possible. They
can only protect themselves by paying off those who are
threatening them. However, due to the continuing sanctions
and economic hardship, many Mandaeans have been unable
to make these payments. The Mandaeans, being a humble
people devoted to pacifism, have never played a major
part in the field of politics. In
no way have they been a warlike people and their whole
history, as well as their literature, shows that they
were able to offer only a weak resistance, at the very
best, to persecution and attacks upon their religion. This
even held true when faced with certain death.
‘The rish amma replied, "We do not obey a
Sultan. We give our obedience to God, and we cannot obey
the will of any man, or be under his hand.'
The envoy said, 'If you do not accept, we shall fire
our cannon upon you and kill you!'
The rish 'ammo replied, 'Let your cannon be fired!
We shall overthrow you, but not in battle. The Sultan
has soldiers and cannon and we have nothing--no cannon
and no firearms. “
Mandaean men, women and even children are forced to
carry weapons or serve in the military or armed regime
militia, both major sins in the religion. When faced
with persecution the Mandaeans simply moved rather than
be faced with any confrontation. In
centuries past the ability to move from one area to another
was fairly simple for a small group of people. In recent
times, however, the Mandaeans are not able to move at
will away from persecution and therefore have had to
blend in to the surrounding Islamic society or immigrate
to countries where religious freedom is honored and protected.
The Mandaeans celebrate life and fertility, whereas
killing, even for food, is a sin. For this reason the
Mandaean community consumes very little meat. All slaughtered
animals must be in perfect condition, be of the male
gender, be classified a 'clean' animal, and the meat
must be purified before being consumed. Since
even an animal's life is held as sacred, a man's life
must be held in great esteem. To engage in any type of
blood sited is to pollute the soul and thus condemn the
soul. Killing, for war or even protection, cannot be
tolerated.
"The powers on high, who hate killing and the shedding
of blood, saw, for war and killing are forbidden amongst
the children of light”.
There is no distinction made in Mandaic law between
a man who is murdered and one who falls in battle. In
the burial rites, any man who dies without the rasta,
a religious dress that must be worn upon the time of
death, or is murdered, his soul is committed to purgatory.
“The soul of one who departeth (the body) in black
clothes is beleaguered and prisoned and powerless.”
“A soul which died a ‘polluted death’ such
as in childbirth, or by fire, accident, attack by a wild
beast, or under conditions considered ritually impure
becomes the portion of the darkness and is doomed to
the matarata unless the relatives of the deceased pay
money for a redeeming masiqtas. With out either Letter
or masiqta a departed soul has little chance of escaping
torment in the future life, and must long sojourn in
what are practically purgatories. To die naked or wearing
ordinary dress is to die in state of impurity, hence
every year during the five intercalary days (Parwanaiia,
Panja) the five days of light, many persons commissions
the Blessed Oblation known as Ahaba d-Mania (Giving of
Garments). A proxy acts the part of the deceased who
died improperly clothed…”
The only way that the soul may be released is through
strict religious rites carried out by members of the
family and seven Mandaic priests. Whereas it is possible
to perform the rites, the problem comes in trying to
find seven priests within the religious community. Before
the recent developments between Iraq and Iran, Mandaean
priests were able to cross the border in order to perform
weddings, funerals, and concentration of priests. Most
religious ceremonies require more than one priest. Even
if Mandaic priests were allowed to cross the Iran - Iraq
borders to perform religious rites; there still would
not be enough in number to help perform the many, various
ceremonies. A priest is established through bloodlines,
purity to the religion, and years of instruction. In
conclusion, if any Mandaean serves in a war, kills, and
or is killed, his soul is surely condemned to purgatory.
There is no other solution the law is rigid.
“Those who are the believers (Moslems) cannot
be equals” for it is written in the Quran that
those who are believers will go to paradise, those who
are unbelievers (non-Moslems) shall go to purgatory. Throughout
the Quran the ideas that unbelievers shall die in sin
and shall be punished. This concept has been passed on
into the schools. Mandaean parents have reported their
children coming home from school terrified they are going
to hell.
“Sa'ir - One of the seven ranks of Hell. According
to tradition Sa'ir is the blazing inferno in which Sabaeans
will burn.
Conclusion
Although the Iraqi government officially recognizes
the Mandaeans as a minority, they are neither treated
equally nor protected. The protection they receive depends
on the loyalty they show to the government, which may
mean sacrificing their religious beliefs, for instance,
drafting Mandaean men in the army and Mandaean women
and youths in armed militias. The Mandaeans are seeking
safe refuge all over the world. Leaving their homeland
is the only choice for those who refuse to give up their
beliefs and religion. This is threatening the continuation
of the only surviving Gnostic religion on earth, which
survived for more than two thousand years. The Mandaeans
as a small minority as they are, are becoming still smaller
all over the world. This is a loss to the human culture
and civilization. The responsibility of this loss will
lay in the conscious of our present civilization forever.
As President Clinton declared on Religious Freedom Day,
January 16, 1998,
"We must continue to proclaim the fundamental right
of all peoples to believe and worship according to their
own conscience, to affirm their beliefs openly and freely,
and to practice their faith without fear of intimidation."
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28:16
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2:26
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