CHAPTER EIGHT

THE MYSTERIES OF THE SABIANS ACCORDING TO MUSLIM SOURCES

INTRODUCTION

Two different approaches to Harranian belief have thus far present­ ed themselves in the Muslim sources: the search for evidence of the survival of an ancient Mesopotamian paganism, however concealed it may be beneath later accretions, and an esoteric interpretation of Harranian doctrines which attempts to place them within the con­ text of a Hermetic outlook. The extent to which these two ap­ proaches might have found a common ground can be considered by an examination of the accounts found in the Catalog, Mascudi's The Golden Meadows, the anonymous The Aim of the Sage, the Epistles of the Brethren of Purity of various ceremonies purportedly performed by the Harranians, and which may loosely be categorized as mystery rites. These texts are not without enormous difficulties, for although each can be interpreted to reflect in one form or another the welter of religious and intellectual traditions to which had been witness, the rituals described contain much material whose meaning is obscure. Furthermore, in comparing the documents, we are hampered by the widely differing nature of our texts. Finally, in the case of the Epistles, we must once again keep in mind the extent to which the Brethren's own outlook may have shaped their report of Harranian practices.

THE CATALOG OF IBN AL-NADIM

The Catalog contains two different references to the performance of a "mystery," although their connection to each other is not entirely clear. First, the calendar ofWahb ibn Ibral).im makes frequent men­ tion of the celebration of the "Mystery (al-sirr) to the North (Shamal)." In addition, Ibn al-Nadim appends to his account of the Harranians what seem to be the legomena and dromena of a mystery cult whose rites take place in the "House of the Bughadharis" (Bay! 192 CHAPTER EIGHT al-Bughadhariyin), although the to whom these devotions are ad­ dressed is not directly named. The source of this last text is unknown, for Ibn al-Nadim merely says that they had come into his possession, translated, (presumably from Syriac) into in a "corrupt and wretched style. " 1 Nevertheless, the points of agree­ ment between this text and the "Mystery to the North" described by Wahb ibn Ibrahim are sufficient at least to indicate a common focus of worship.

The ''Mystery to the North '' "They have adopted one direction for prayer, which they have fixed towards the North Pole in its course. The intelligent thus seek to in­ quire for wisdom." So states Sarakhsi, as cited by Ibn al-Nadim, in his account of Sabian doctrine;2 and, in fact, one of the most ob­ scure references in the Catalog's calendar is that which joins the celebration of the birthday of "the Lord who is the Moon" with the performance of the "Mystery to the North" on the 24th day of II Kanun. In addition, in the months of I:Iaziran and Aylul, this mys­ tery is celebrated on the 27th and 28th. Although the moon is not mentioned in these two months, we have already noted that the end of the month was traditionally devoted to the Moon god; elsewhere, however, in the calendar, the ''Mystery to the North'' is several times joined to the worship of the Sun. Wahb ibn Ibrahim reports the following festivals in honor of Sham ash, all of which are connected to the celebration of the M ys­ tery to the North. We may compare them with what is marked on the same date in the calendar of I:Iashimi recorded in the Chronology of Biruni. 1. Catalog: On the 15th ofNisan they celebrate the Mystery to the North with offerings, sun worship, sacrifical slaughter, burnt offerings, eating and drinking. Chronology: On this day they celebrate the mysteries of al-Simak (a star in the constellation Virgo). 2. Catalog: On the first of Ayyar, they make the offering of the mystery of the North, worship the Sun, smell the rose, eat, and drink. On the second day, they hold a feast for Ibn al-Salm (Son of the Idol).

1 Fliigel, 326-27; Dodge, Fihrist, 769-73. 2 Fliigel, 318; Dodge, Fihrist, 746.