Rishama

A rishama (rišama; riš-ama), rishamma, or rishema (ريشما; ) is a religious patriarch in Mandaeism. It is the highest rank out of all the Mandaean clergical ranks. The next ranks are the ganzibra and tarmida priests (see Mandaean priest).

In Iraq, the current rishama is Sattar Jabbar Hilo. In Australia, the Rishama and head of the Mandaean community is Salah Choheili.

Etymology
The Mandaic term rišama is derived from the words riš 'head' and ama 'people'. Although the term for the Mandaean daily minor ablution is also spelled the same in written Classical Mandaic (rišama), the word for 'minor ablution' is pronounced in Modern Mandaic as rešāmā, while 'head priest' is pronounced rišammā.

Pre-20th century

 * Zazai d-Gawazta bar Hawa, patriarch datable to around the year 270 CE and earliest known copyist of Alma Rišaia Zuṭa, Qolasta, The Thousand and Twelve Questions, The Baptism of Hibil Ziwa, Scroll of Exalted Kingship, and The Wedding of the Great Šišlam. The Ginza Rabba, however, predates Zazai's time.
 * Anush bar Danqa, the leader of the Mandaeans, who appeared before Muslim authorities at the beginning of the Muslim conquest of Persia
 * Yahya Bihram, who revived the entire Mandaean priesthood during the 1830s
 * Ram Zihrun, who revived the Mandaean priesthood during the 1830s together with his younger cousin Yahya Bihram

20th century

 * Dakhil Aidan, patriarch from 1917 to 1964 in Iraq
 * Abdullah bar Negm (d. 2009; son of Negm bar Zahroon), patriarch in Baghdad who later emigrated to the United Kingdom
 * Jabbar Choheili (d. 2014), rishama in Iran

21st century

 * Sattar Jabbar Hilow, the current Mandaean patriarch in Iraq
 * Salah Choheili, the current Mandaean patriarch in Australia