Tabahatan

The Ṭabahatan (Classical Mandaic: ࡈࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡀࡍ, lit. 'Our Ancestors',¹ Modern Mandaic pronunciation: [tˤabaˈhatan]), also known as the Abahatan Qadmaiia,² is one of the most commonly recited prayers in Mandaeism, in which the reciter asks for the forgiveness of sins. As a commemoration prayer with a long list of names, the prayer starts with the line ṭab ṭaba l-ṭabia (Classical Mandaic: ࡈࡀࡁ ࡈࡀࡁࡀ ࡋࡈࡀࡁࡉࡀ, lit. 'Good is the Good for the Good'). A different version of this prayer is found in DC 42, Šarḥ ḏ-Ṭabahata ("The Scroll of Ṭabahata" [Parents]), which is used during Parwanaya rituals.¹

The Ṭabahatan prayer is numbered as Prayer 170 in E. S. Drower's version of the Qulasta, which was based on manuscript 53 of the Drower Collection (abbreviated DC 53).³ The Šal Šulta (Prayer 171) directly follows the Ṭabahatan prayer.⁴

Prayer

Drower (1959) version

Drower's (1959) version of the Tabahatan lists the following uthras and ancestors. Each name is followed by the phrase šabiq haṭaiia nihuilia ('forgiveness of sins be there for him'; singular) or šabiq haṭaiia nihuilun ('forgiveness of sins be there for them'; plural).³ Note that different versions of the Tabahatan may contain lists of names that vary significantly; for example, Salem Choheili recites a significantly different version.⁵

"Our forefathers":

Yušamin, son of Dmut-Hiia
Abatur, son of Bihrat
Habšaba and Kana-d-Zidqa
the 24 ʿuthras, sons of light
Ptahil, son of Zahriel
Adam, son of Qin and Eve, his wife
Šitil, son of Adam
Ram and Rud
Šurbai and Šarhabiel
Sam, son of Noah, and Nuraita his wife
Yahia-Yuhana, son of ʿNišbai, and Qinta, and Anhar, his wife
those 360 priests who went forth from Jerusalem
our good fathers
me, Adam-Zihrun, son of Mahnuš

my father, Yahia-Bihram, son of Hawa-Mamania
my mother, Mahnuš, daughter of Simat
my teacher, Bihram, son of Mudalal
his wife, Anhar, daughter of Hawa
my children, Anhar, daughter of Anhar
my brothers (and sisters), Anhar, and Sam, and Mudalal, and Ram
Muhatam-Yuhana, and Adam-Yuhana, the sons of Mahnuš

"Mandaeans":

Ram, son of Šarat-Simat
Zihrun, son of Simat
Anhar, daughter of Simat
Simat, daughter of Hawa
Ram, son of Simat
Yasmin, daughter of Yasman
our good fathers
me, Adam-Zihrun, son of Mahnuš

"Priests":

my teacher, Bihram, son of Mudalal
Adam-Zihrun, son of Mamania
Yahia-Anuš, son of Maliha
Yahia-Ram-Zihrun, son of Hawa-Simat
Yahia-Zihrun, son of Mudalal
Sam-Bihram, son of Mudalal
our good forefathers
me, Adam-Zihrun, son of Mahnuš

"Ganzibria":

my teacher, Bihram, son of Mudalal
Yahia-Yuhana, son of Hawa-Simat
Zihrun, son of Simat
Sam-Bihram, son of Simat
Bihram-Šitil, son of Šarat
Zihrun, son of Maliha
Adam, son of Šadia-Maliha
Yahia-Bayan and Yahia-Bihram, sons of Hawa-Mamania
Ram-Yuhana, son of Mamania
Bayan-Zangia, son of Anhar-Simat
Sam-Saiwia,^a son of Šarat
Bihram, son of Madinat
Yahia, son of Anhar-Ziwa
Ram-Sindan and Šaria
Hawa, daughter of Daia
Anhar-Kumraita, daughter of Simat
Yahia-Ramuia, son of Ramuia
Sam-Bihram, son of Mudalal
Adam, son of Bihram (Bihrat?)-Dihgan
Adam-Br-Hiia, son of Simat
Brik-Yawar, son of Buran
Bihram Bisḥaq, son of Hawa
Šabur, son of Dukt
Mhatam and Šitil, sons of Haiuna
Anuš, son of Mihria-Zad
Šaiar-Ziwa and Šabur, son (sons?) of Kaizarʿil (them?)
Bhira, son of Kujasta
Zakia, son of Hawa
Ardaban-Malka-Baktiar, son of Simat
our good fathers
me, Adam-Zihrun, son of Mahnuš

"The ethnarchs (rishamas)":

my teacher, Bihram, son of Mudalal
Adam-Bul-Faraz, son of Hawa-Mamania
Anuš Muʿailia, son of Hawa-Zadia
Yahia-Adam, son of Zadia-Anuš, Hawa (?) (them?)
Bihdad, son of Šadia
Bainia, son of Haiuna
Haiuna, daughter of Tihwia
Ramuia, son of ʿQaimat
Šganda, son of Yasman
Zazai-d-Gawazta, son of Hawa

Salem Choheili version

The sections for the names of Mandaeans (mandaiia), priests (tarmidia), and ganzibria from Salem Choheili's version differ from those of Drower (1959). The remaining sections are nearly identical. Below is the Mandaic transliteration for the sections that differ from Drower's (1959) version.⁶

Notes:

br = 'son of'
pt = 'daughter of'
bnia = 'sons'
u = 'and'

Mandaiia

Adam Iuhana br Mudalal
Mhatam Iuhana br Haua Simat
Baian br Šarat
Iahia br Mamania
Adam Zihrun u Adam u Baian bnia Mahnuš
Iahia Sam Haua Simat u Mhatam u Mahnuš bnia Mahnuš
Zihrun br Iasman
Mamania pt Maliha
Iasman pt Anhar
Adam Iuhana u Šarat Mamania u Sam Šaiar bnia Haua Simat
Anhar pt Bibia Mudalal

Tarmidia

Mhatam Iuhana br Bibia Mudalal
Iahia Zihrun br Mudalal
Sam Bihram br Mudalal
Iahia Anuš br Maliha
Iahia Ram Zihrun br Haua Simat
Iahia Zihrun br Šarat Simat
Bihram br Mudalal

Ganzibria

Ram Zihrun br Maliha
Iahia Iuhana br Haua Simat
Bihram br Bibia u Mudalal
Zakia Zihrun br Bibia Mudalal
Iahia Iuhana br Haua Simat
Adam br Šadia Maliha
Iahia Baian u Iahia Bihram bnia Haua Mamania
Ram Iuhana br Mamania
Baian Zakia br Anhar Simat
Sam Ziua br Šarat
Iahia Baian u Iahia Bihram bnia Haua Mamania
Ram Iahia br Mamania
Bihram br Mdinat
Iahia br Anhar Ziua Sindan u Šadia Šarat bnia Haua
Anuš br Buran
Haua pt Daia
Anhar Kumraita pt Simat
Iahia Ramuia br Ramuia
Sam Bihram br Mudalal
Adam Bihram br Dihgan
Adam br Hiia br Simat Hiia
Brik Iauar br Buran
Bihram Bu Shaq br Haua
Šabur br Dukt
Mhatam u Šitlan bnia Hiuna
Anuš br Mihrizar
Šaiar Ziua u Šabur br Kaizarˁiil
Hurmuzdukt br Haua Zadia
Bhira br Kušasta
Ardaban Malka Baktiar br Simat
Zakia br Haua

Notes

Written Sam-Ziwa, but pronounced Sam-Saiwia (Modern Mandaic pronunciation: [ˈsɑm seˈvi]⁵)

References

Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2010). The great stem of souls: reconstructing Mandaean history. Piscataway, N.J: Gorgias Press. ISBN 978-1-59333-621-9.
Gelbert, Carlos; Lofts, Mark J. (2025). The Qulasta. Edensor Park, NSW: Living Water Books. ISBN 978-0-6487954-3-8.
Drower, E. S. (1959). The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
Drower, E. S. (1960). The secret Adam: a study of Nasoraean gnosis. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Choheili, Salem (2024-03-06). "ࡈࡀࡁ ࡈࡀࡁࡀ ࡋࡈࡀࡁࡇ/طاڤ طاڤا لطاڤَه". Mandaic Ayna School. Retrieved 2026-07-11.
"ࡈࡀࡁ ࡈࡀࡁࡀ ࡋࡈࡀࡁࡇ/طاڤ طاڤا لطاڤَه". Mandaic Ayna School. 2026-07-09. Retrieved 2026-07-17.

External links

Ṭabahatan recited by Salem Choheili in Ahvaz, Iran

[6] Written Sam-Ziwa, but pronounced Sam-Saiwia (Modern Mandaic pronunciation: [ˈsɑm seˈvi]⁵)

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

[Qulasta2025-2] Gelbert, Carlos; Lofts, Mark J. (2025). The Qulasta. Edensor Park, NSW: Living Water Books. ISBN 978-0-6487954-3-8.

[Drower_1959-3] Drower, E. S. (1959). The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Leiden: E. J. Brill.

[Secret_Adam-4] Drower, E. S. (1960). The secret Adam: a study of Nasoraean gnosis. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

[ayna-5] Choheili, Salem (2024-03-06). "ࡈࡀࡁ ࡈࡀࡁࡀ ࡋࡈࡀࡁࡇ/طاڤ طاڤا لطاڤَه". Mandaic Ayna School. Retrieved 2026-07-11.

[7] "ࡈࡀࡁ ࡈࡀࡁࡀ ࡋࡈࡀࡁࡇ/طاڤ طاڤا لطاڤَه". Mandaic Ayna School. 2026-07-09. Retrieved 2026-07-17.

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