Niana

In Mandaeism, a ʿniana or eniana (plural form: ʿniania ࡏࡍࡉࡀࡍࡉࡀ) prayer is recited during rituals such as the masiqta and priest initiation ceremonies. There is a total of 26 ʿniana prayers. They form part of the Qolasta.

Etymology
ʿNiana literally means "response," since the prayers may have originally been recited in a call and response manner.

Manuscripts and translations
Jacques de Morgan's manuscript collection included a ʿniania manuscript dating back to 1833.

The prayers have been translated into English by E. S. Drower (1959). They have also been translated into German by Mark Lidzbarski (1920).

List of niana prayers
The ʿniana prayers are numbered from 78–103 in both Drower's and Lidzbarski's versions of the Qolasta.


 * Prayer 78
 * Prayer 79: prayer for the klila for the staff (margna)
 * Prayer 80
 * Prayer 81
 * Prayer 82: mambuha prayer

Masbuta prayers:
 * Prayer 83
 * Prayer 84
 * Prayer 85
 * Prayer 86
 * Prayer 87
 * Prayer 88
 * Prayer 89
 * Prayer 90

Masiqta prayers:
 * Prayer 91
 * Prayer 92
 * Prayer 93
 * Prayer 94
 * Prayer 95
 * Prayer 96
 * Prayer 97
 * Prayer 98
 * Prayer 99
 * Prayer 100
 * Prayer 101

Communion prayer:
 * Prayer 102

Concluding prayer:
 * Prayer 103

There are also two niana poems in Book 15 of the Right Ginza, which are chapters 15 and 16 of Book 15. These two poems contain the refrain "when the chosen/proven pure one went away" (kḏ azil bhira dakia ࡗ ࡀࡆࡉࡋ ࡁࡄࡉࡓࡀ ࡃࡀࡊࡉࡀ). This refrain is also found in prayers 205 and 233–256 of the Qolasta.