Dakhil Aidan
Iraqi Mandaean religious leader and chief priest from 1917–1964
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Biography
Dakhil Aidan was born on April 14, 1881, in the city of Amarah in Maysan Governorate, southern Iraq. He belonged to the Manduia lineage, a long line of Mandaean religious leaders. He was a fluent speaker of the Arabic and Mandaic languages. His father, Sheikh Aidan (also known as Adam, son of Mhatam Yuhana), died in Nasiriyah when he was 12 years old. In 1904, he became a tarmida (junior priest) in Nasiriyah at the age of 23. In 1917, he was appointed as Ganzibra (head priest) of the Mandaean community. Dakhil Aidan also became a member of the Nasiriyah municipal council in 1920. His malwasha (Mandaean baptismal name) was Mhatam Zihrun, son of Adam (Mhatam Zihrun bar Adam).
Dakhil Aidan was also a copyist. In 1898 and also in 1935, he copied the Ginza Rabba. The 1898 Ginza is currently used by the Mandaean community in Australia, while the 1935 Ginza was given to Lamea Abbas Amara in San Diego, United States.
Ganzibra Dakhil Aidan died on June 24, 1964, at his home in the Al-Dora suburb of Baghdad.
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Family
Dakhil Aidan's sister's daughter was the poet Lamea Abbas Amara, who spent much of her life in San Diego, United States. When he was near his death in June 1964, he bequeathed some of his manuscripts to Lamea Abbas Amara.
His father was Sheikh Aidan (baptismal name: Adam bar Mhatam Yuhana), Classical Mandaic: ࡀࡃࡀࡌ ࡁࡓ ࡌࡄࡀࡕࡀࡌ ࡉࡅࡄࡀࡍࡀ), known for copying the Ginza Rabba in 1886. His paternal grandfather was Mhatam Yuhana (also known as Sheikh Damouk).