The contents date to both pre-Islamic and Islamic periods. Little is known about the redactors or authors of the texts. esoteric texts, exclusively for priests.ĭrower (1953) recognizes six main groups of Mandaean literature. Mandaean texts typically have colophons giving detailed information about the scribes who had transcribed them, as well as dates, lineages, and other historical information. Many scrolls contain symbolic descriptions of rituals, such as various types of masiqta and masbuta rituals. Others consist of prayers such as rahmia ࡓࡀࡄࡌࡉࡀ ('devotions'), ʿniania ࡏࡍࡉࡀࡍࡉࡀ ('responses'), and rušuma ࡓࡅࡔࡅࡌࡀ (' 'signing' prayers'). Some scrolls are talismans ( zrazta ࡆࡓࡀࡆࡕࡀ), amulets ( qmaha ࡒࡌࡀࡄࡀ), or exorcisms ( pašar ࡐࡀࡔࡀࡓ or pišra ࡐࡉࡔࡓࡀ), all subtypes of phylacteries. The illustrations, usually labeled with lengthy written explanations, typically contain abstract geometric drawings of uthras that are reminiscent of cubism or prehistoric rock art. Mandaean religious texts can be written in book or codex form ( draša ࡃࡓࡀࡔࡀ or sidra ࡎࡉࡃࡓࡀ) or as scrolls ( diwan ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ, šafta ࡔࡀࡐࡕࡀ, or šarḥ ࡔࡀࡓࡇ) that are often illustrated. These protected manuscripts are generally not touched by ordinary laypeople, although learned laymen ( yalufa) who demonstrate proper knowledge and respect for the manuscripts are usually granted access by priests, similar to the level of respect given to the Guru Granth Sahib in Sikhism. Mandaean sacred scriptures, such as the Ginza Rabba are traditionally kept in wooden chests wrapped in layers of white cotton and silk cloth. Mandaean copyists may transcribe texts as a meritorious deed for one's own forgiveness of sins, or they may be hired to copy a text for another person. Institutional libraries and private collections contain various Mandaean religious texts that are little known or even unknown to the international scholarly community.

Some, like the Ginza Rabba, are codices (bound books), while others, such as the various diwan (illustrated scrolls) are scrolls. Texts for Mandaean priests include The 1012 Questions, among others. Well-known texts include the Ginza Rabba (also known as the Sidra Rabbā) and the Qolastā.

This article contains a list of Mandaean texts ( Mandaean religious texts written in Classical Mandaic). Mandaean priests inspecting Mandaic manuscripts for photographing in Ahvaz, Iran.

Bodleian library manuscripts