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Rishama
Brikha H. S. Nasoraia
Rishama Brikha H. S. Nasoraia
بريخا هيثم سعيد ناصورايا
	Brikha Nasoraia in 2016
Born	Haithem Mahdi Saed; 1964; Iraq
Other names	Brikha Hathem Saed Naṣoraia
Occupation(s)	Scholar and Mandaean priest
Title	Rishama
Spouse	Nadia al-Faris
Children	3
Parent(s)	Mahdi Saed (father); Layla (mother)
Academic background
Alma mater	University of Sydney (Ph.D.)
Thesis	A critical edition with translation and analytical study of Diuan Qadaha Rba D-Dmuth Kušṭa (the Scroll of the Great Creation of the Image/Likeness of Truth) (2005)
Academic work
Discipline	Religious studies
Institutions	University of Sydney; Mardin Artuklu University
Main interests	Mandaeism
Notable works	The Mandaean gnostic religion (2021); The Mandaean Rivers Scroll (Diwan Nahrawatha) (2021)

Rishama Brikha H. S. Nasoraia^[1] (full name: Brikha Haithem Saed Naṣoraia;^[2] Arabic: بريخا هيثم سعيد ناصورايا; born 1964 in Iraq^[3]) is an Iraqi-Australian Mandaean priest and scholar based in Sydney, Australia. He is affiliated with the University of Sydney and Mardin Artuklu University.^[4] He is currently a Professor of Comparative Semitics, Literature and Art History.

Early life and education

Brikha Nasoraia was born in Iraq to Mahdi Saed (father; Arabic: مهدي سعید) and Layla (mother).^[5]^: xii His baptismal name is Sam bar Sam Yuhana.^[6]^: 351 He belongs to the Kuhailia (Choheili) family^[7] and can thus trace his ancestry back to Adam Zakia, the father of Bihram Bar-Hiia, who lived around 1500 A.D.^[6]^: 118

He was initiated into the Mandaean priesthood by Sheikh Abdullah, son of Sheikh Negm, of Baghdad.^[6]^: 118 He was ordained as a ganzibra (Mandaean high priest) and later emigrated to Sydney, Australia, where he initially served with Ganzibra Salah Choheili.^[7] In 2005, he obtained a Ph.D. degree from the University of Sydney, where he wrote his doctoral dissertation on the translation and analysis of the Dmut Kušṭa scroll.^[8]^[9] After graduating from the University of Sydney, he later took the name Brikha Naṣoraia, which means "Blessed Naṣoraean" in Mandaic.

Career

As a ganzibra (head priest),^[10] he is currently the President of the Mandaean Spiritual Council (or the Mandaean Nasoraean Supreme Council^[10]) of Australia^[11] and is also the President of the International Mandaean Nasoraean Supreme Council (or Nasoraean Mandaean Association^[4]).^[8]^[1]

Nasoraia lectures at the University of Sydney and also at Mardin Artuklu University in Mardin, Turkey.^[12]

Brikha Nasoraia's research interests include archaeology (particularly Mandaic lead rolls and incantation bowls), philosophy of religion, and translation of Mandaic manuscripts.^[10] In 1998, together with Majid Fandi Al-Mubaraki and his son Brian Mubaraki, he published a full printed version of the Ginza Rabba in typesetted Mandaic.^[13] He has participated in excavations at archaeological sites such as Harran.^[5]

He is fluent in English, Arabic, and Aramaic.^[14] Nasoraia is also an artist who produces oil paintings featuring Mandaean religious themes.^[5]

In late July of 2024, Nasoraia was ordained as a Rishama. His ordination was attended by Rishama Sattar Jabbar Hilow and other Mandaean leaders.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

He is married to Nadia al-Faris,^[15] with whom he has three children.^[14]

Selected publications

Below is a partial list of publications by Brikha Nasoraia.^[16]

Note that in earlier works, he is cited as Haithem Saed Naṣoraia. Brikha (which means "blessed" in Mandaic) is a title that was later added to his name as cited in academic literature, Haithem is his given name, Mahdi is his father's name, and Saed is his grandfather's name. Naṣoraia is used to denote that he is a Nasoraean, i.e. a Mandaean priest. (See also Mandaean name.) As a result, he is also known as Sheikh (Rbai) Haithem Mahdi Saeed (Arabic: شيخ هيثم مهدي سعيد).^[6]^: 345

Books

Al-Mubaraki, Majid Fandi; Rbai Haithem Mahdi Saeed; Brian Mubaraki (eds). 1998. Ginza Rba. Sydney, N.S.W., Australia. ISBN 0-646-35222-9.
Nasoraia, Brikha H.S. (2021). The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought. New Delhi: Sterling. ISBN 978-81-950824-1-4. OCLC 1272858968.
Nasoraia, Brikha (2022). Masbuta: The Mandaean Baptism (forthcoming). Belgium: Brepols Publishers.
Nasoraia, Brikha (2022). The Mandaean Rivers Scroll (Diwan Nahrawatha): an analysis. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-367-33544-1. OCLC 1295213206. (e-book: ISBN 978-0-367-33545-8^[17])

Book chapters

Nasoraia, Brikha H. S. (3 October 2018). "The Mandaeans: writings, ritual, and art". The Gnostic World. Routledge. pp. 187–199. doi:10.4324/9781315561608-17. ISBN 978-1-315-56160-8. S2CID 189539082.
Shen, Haiyan; Nasoraia, Brikha H. S. (3 October 2018). "The discourse of truth in Chinese Tiantai Buddhism: "gnosis beyond gnosis"". The Gnostic World. Routledge. pp. 294–304. doi:10.4324/9781315561608-28. ISBN 978-1-315-56160-8. S2CID 171601222.

Journal articles

Nasoraia, B., Crangle, E. (2010). The Asuta wish: Adam Kasia and the Dynamics of Healing in Mandaean Contemplative Praxis. ARAM Periodical, 22, 349-390. doi:10.2143/ARAM.22.0.2131045
Crangle, E., Nasoraia, B. (2010). Soul Food: The Mandaean Laufani. ARAM Periodical, 22, 97-132.
Nasoraia, B., Trompf, G. (2011). Mandaean Macrohistory. ARAM Periodical, 22(2010), 391-425. doi:10.2143/ARAM.22.0.2131046
Trompf, G., Nasoraia, B. (2011). Reflecting on the 'Rivers Scroll'. ARAM Periodical, 22(2010), 61-86. doi:10.2143/ARAM.22.0.2131032
Nasoraia, Brikha H. S. (2013). "Mandaean Sacred Art: A Brief Study of Folio 6 of the Secret Mandaean Scroll Diwan Qadaha Rba d-Dmuth Kušţa (The Scroll of Great Creation of the Image of Truth)". The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society. 2 (4). Common Ground Research Networks: 33–45. doi:10.18848/2154-8633/cgp/v02i04/51025. ISSN 2154-8633.
Shen, Haiyan; Nasoraia, Brikha H. S. (17 June 2017). "On Tiantai Zhiyi's Theory of the Three Categories of Dharma". Fudan Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences. 11 (2). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 237–256. doi:10.1007/s40647-017-0183-x. ISSN 1674-0750. S2CID 256393493.

References

^ ^a ^b "Story of Compassion: Rabbi Brikha Nasoraia, Australia". Charter for Compassion. 14 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
^ Nasoraia, H. S. (2004). "Naṣiruta: Deep Knowledge and Extraordinary Priestcraft in Mandaean Religion". In Crangle, Edward F. (ed.). Esotericism and the Control of Knowledge. Sydney: The University of Sydney. pp. 306–360. ISSN 1444-5158.
^ "Ganzibra Brikha Nasoraia: July 2016, Chapter 1". The Worlds of Mandaean Priests. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
^ ^a ^b Nasoraia, Brikha (2022). The Mandaean Rivers Scroll (Diwan Nahrawatha): an analysis. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-367-33544-1. OCLC 1295213206.
^ ^a ^b ^c Nasoraia, Brikha H.S. (2021). The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought. New Delhi: Sterling. ISBN 978-81-950824-1-4. OCLC 1272858968.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d 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 Gelbert, Carlos (2017). "Colophon of Sheykh Salah". The Teachings of the Mandaean John the Baptist. Fairfield, NSW, Australia: Living Water Books. p. 175. ISBN 9780958034678. OCLC 1000148487. As for the other disciple, his name is Haithim (هيثم) Saaed with the surname Kuhailia.
^ ^a ^b "Ambassador for Peace Explains Baptism at Parliament of the World's Religions". Universal Peace Federation. 15 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
^ Nasoraia, Brikha (2005). A critical edition with translation and analytical study of Diuan Qadaha Rba D-Dmuth Kušṭa (the Scroll of the Great Creation of the Image/Likeness of Truth) (Ph.D. dissertation). Sydney: Dept. of Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies, University of Sydney. OCLC 225252988.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Pocket of faith". Telegram & Gazette. 3 September 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
^ "The Good Life and the Mandaeans (part 2)". ABC Radio. 10 October 2003. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
^ "Brikha Nasoraia". CGScholar. 3 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
^ Mubaraki, Majid Fandi; Rbai Haithem Mahdi Saeed; Brian Mubaraki (eds). 1998. Ginza Rba. Sydney, N.S.W., Australia.
^ ^a ^b "Sabilerin Ruhani Lideri Mardin'de Ders Verecek". Haberler (in Turkish). 17 October 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
^ "Nadia al-Faris, Chapter 1". The Worlds of Mandaean Priests. 22 February 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
^ "The University of Sydney" (PDF). Sydney Law School. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
^ Nasoraia, Brikha (9 August 2022). The Mandaean Rivers Scroll (Diwan Nahrawata). London: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9780367335458. ISBN 978-0-367-33545-8. S2CID 251485185.