Qin (Mandaeism)

In Mandaeism, Qin (also transliterated as Qīn, Keen, Qeen, and phonetically sometimes as Kheen) refers to the primordial, unfathomable Light-Being or Life Force that is the source of all creation. It is essentially the highest and most abstract aspect of the Great Life (Hayyi Rabbi), beyond direct comprehension and often associated with the First Life.

Qin represents the ultimate, pure, and unmanifested potentiality from which the manifested universe and all beings emanate. It is considered the essence of the divine, existing before the emergence of any form or attribute. It is a hidden and transcendent reality, the very basis of existence itself.

The term is often used in Mandaean scriptures and prayers to invoke the power and blessings of the ultimate source. While the Great Life (Hayyi Rabbi) is more commonly addressed in ritual and prayer, Qin remains the foundational principle underpinning all existence. Its unmanifest nature makes it a concept best approached through contemplation and mystical understanding rather than direct description. It is more accurately described as the wellspring of all existence rather than a distinct entity within the Mandaean cosmological framework.

The role of Qin is frequently discussed in esoteric interpretations of Mandaean scripture, where it serves as the key to understanding the deepest mysteries of the Mandaean faith and the ultimate destiny of the human soul.