The sacrifices of Harranian Sabians (1)

Text
al-Nadīm, Fihrist 9.1:
They have offerings with slaughtering which they offer to the planets. Some of them say that if the offering is made in the name of the Creator it is an indication that it is bad, because according to them this is turning to the Great Power, who leaves what is beneath (Him) to those (whom) He has formed for mediating in the management of things. The things which they sacrifice for the offerings are the males of cattle, sheep, goats, and other four-legged beasts which do not have teeth in both of the two jaws, with the exeption of camel. They (also sacrifice) birds which do not have talons, with the exeption of the pigeon. Their method of slaughter is by cutting the jugular veins and the wind-pipe, the tadhkīyah being simultaneous with the slaughter, with no interval intervening. Most of their sacrificial victims are cocks. The offering is not eaten, but burned. He (who makes the sacrifice) does not enter the sanctuaries that day (when the sacrifice is made). There are four times of offering during the month: the conjunction, the opposite position, the seventeenth, and the twenty-eighth (days).

Source (list of abbreviations)
al-Nadīm, Fihrist 9.1

Bibliography

Amar Annus

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