Qibirad

Qibirad
𐤲𐤦𐤡𐤦𐤭𐤠𐤯 (Salmurian Language)

Standard of the Salmurian faithful
Total population
~54,000,000
Founder
TBA
Regions with significant populations
Salmuria	~54,000,000
Languages
Salmurian

Qibirad is the official religion of Salmuria which is governed by a Qibirad theocracy. It is also the largest Salmuric religion.

History

foundation

It is unclear exactly when in Salmuria's history the Qibirad faith first developed and the faith itself does not recognize any major prophets for having founded the faith. Most scholars believe that the religion formed naturally after the Naciwas migrations out of earlier Naciwas religion and contact with the already existing folk beliefs on the island.

establishment of the Ciwas system

TBA

Followers

Wasšin

It is considered that joining the Qibirad is to be a personal choice and many followers of the faith remain uninitiated or wasšin who while still typically following the religion, in terms of practice and belief never take the process of becoming svarya and walwalwi to become actual clergy.

The wasšin are considered to be the common people within the Qibirad faith and the common people within Salmurian society and any member of the wasšin may take the step to become a svarya regardless of Gujθ or gender.

Svarya and Walwalwi

Technically anyone can become a Svarya by taking an oath before a Qibirad priest at a Habira, even if they are not a wasšin. Being a svarya, however, is technically considered only a temporary and transitional role to becoming a walwalwi which requires roughly a year of study and a pilgrimage to each Ciwšval along with a site in the Temple Reserve. At this point one would be ritually bathed to represent purity, lashed to represent the burden, and sat in a ritual feast to represent the glory and honor of becoming a Walwalwi.

Walwalwi due to their dedication and knowledge of the faith are very well respected within Qibirad society and are expected to quickly find roles within the Qibirad clergy, either as a priest, religious teacher, etc. To become a member of the Qibirad clergy also requires one to undergo the process of becoming walwalwi.

Beliefs

Ciwas

There are 3 Ciwas, Idulula, Enkoth, and Salmus who are considered living reincarnated gods filling aspects of the Divna of Salmuria, Kuvala.

Divnas

"Ciwš" and "Divna" both mean "god" in Salmurian but unlike ciwš which implies a physical god, divna refers to a spiritual disconnected spiritual national god, according to Qibirad philosophy Kuvala is the Divni of Salmuria, and other nations and religions have their own but Kuvala was specifically the "Great Mother" of Salmuria and the other divnaɲ cannot overpower her, nor extort any influence in her domain.

Savtrjo

[WIP Qibirad "saints" essentially]

Ambiguity of Creation

In Qibirad texts the Earth has always existed, and the only things that were ever divinely created were people who were birthed from their divna as a nation, therefore, the people and nations owe allegiance to their divna.

Religious Practices

Habira

The center of Qibirad religious life is typically the Habira (Salmurian word for temple) where the Uτẽnamu and Aslailas are typically performed. Habiras are also used for organizing local religious events and charity.

Worship

The Qibirad traditionally have 2 types of regular prayer to the Qibirad gods, these are the Uτẽnamu (𐤰𐤴𐤶𐤫𐤠𐤪𐤰), and the Aslailas (𐤠𐤮𐤩𐤠𐤦𐤩𐤠𐤮).

The Uτẽnamu literally translates to "the prescribed and sanctified love" which is conducted on Fridays in which worshippers first utter 2 prayers for each of the 3 living Ciwas facing the holy city of each Ciwš. Then then it is customary to say 2 more prayers in honor of Kuvala and one's ancestors.

The second primary regular prayer of the Qibirad is the Aslailas (𐤠𐤮𐤩𐤠𐤦𐤩𐤠𐤮) literally translated as "act of sovereign conveyance". This prayer is only said by the anointed priests in the Qibirad on behalf of their community and is said once each Wednesday. The contents of the Aslailas ceremony is secret with its rituals only known to the priests of the Qibirad.

Funeral Rites

To a follower of the Qibirad the most important thing in death would be the liberation of one's spirit from the body to either protect their family or to ascend into the stars. The Qibirad religion traditionally cremates their dead with the exception of the so called Afariakta burials where one would instead place their dead at the top of small stone towers so that local carrion birds may feast on the deceased's body so that their physical form may return to nature feeding the animals while their spirit would ascend having done a great act of charity.

Cremation practices

According to Qibirad beliefs in order for the soul to fully ascend to the stars and achieve the full enlightenment it is necessary for the soul to fully shed the now dead not pure body. According to this belief the correct way to fully purify the soul is through full cremation until there is only ash left which is traditionally stored in an urn and kept in a family mausoleum or underground tomb where these spirits are venerated by living family members with offerings or asked for advice and aid. The largest collection of these mausoleums and tombs are in Draval, Salmuria which is considered a holy place and the gateway between the mortal world and the world beyond where departed souls reside.

Ancestor Reverence

Religious reverence for one's ancestors is considered a core tenet of Qibirad with annual pilgrimages to the tombs of one's ancestors being an important religious festival. Throughout the year it is also common for followers of Qibirad to make pilgrimages to their family tombs to seek the advice of their ancestors.

Other Religious Concepts

Koθẽnšfa

The concept of Koθẽnšfa (𐤨𐤬𐤣𐤶𐤫𐤳𐤱𐤠) is the idea that one can escape the coils of the mortal realm by realizing the ultimate truths of life and humanity. It is believed that to achieve Koθẽnšfa is to join the realm of the gods. In Qibirad belief there were only 3 people have only ever Koθẽnšfa and those were the original Idulula, Enkoth, and Salmus and with the truth of Koθẽnšfa they became the Ciwas of Salmuria through their eternal manifested reincarnation.

Biraru

Biraru (𐤡𐤦𐤭𐤠𐤭𐤰) is the sacred Qibirad concept of the rights of guests and sanctuary. A host is expected to bring and allow no harm to their guest and protect their guests who requested sanctuary at the cost of their own life and fortune.

Religious Organizations

Due to the theocratic nature of Salmuria most Qibirad Religious organizations are also governmental and most government organizations in Salmuria have a religious aspect to them.

Daulavka

The Daulavka (𐤯𐤠𐤰𐤩𐤠𐤥𐤨𐤠) are perhaps the most famous or infamous Qibirad religious organization due to its secrecy and more so to its purpose. Much of Salmurian law comes from old Qibirad religious law which stipulates a system of fines, agreements, and sanctioned execution to keep stability and order among the faithful. The Daulavka, for their part are the only organization permitted to carry out sanctioned execution making them a legal and accepted organization of religious assassins.

Aktavad

The Aktavad (𐤠𐤨𐤯𐤠𐤥𐤠𐤯) in comparison are a much more pacifist organization sworn to a life of total pacifism known to wear face coverings in order to not even accidently kill a gnat ending their vow. The main task of the Aktavad is to maintain Qibirad temples and notably the Draval. They are also responsible for mourning and remembering those unfortunate deceased who have no living kin to mourn for them. Some members of the Aktavad, also profess believe in Aruweism, a sect of Qibirad which professes that ancestor reverence is the holiest aspect of the faith but recognizes the spiritual leadership of the Ciwas and is more recognized and accepted by the Salmurian theocracy than other Qibirad offshoots.

Nãrênau

The Nãrênau (𐤫𐤵𐤭𐤶𐤫𐤠𐤰) is a highly privileged priestly order dedicated directly to Kuvala and they carry to responsibility to discover the new Ciwas incarnates. During ancient times the order was male only with only the most devout Qibirad followers joining with ritual self-castration mid sexual pleasure. Soon women would be permitted to join the order and around this time the order would obtain the sole right to discover the next Ciwas incarnates after the deposition of the ancient Line of Omfal. Women, having only to swear an oath to remain virgins until death quickly outnumbered the male members of the order and by the 12th century CE the order had become exclusively female with devout Male Walwalwi opting to join other religious orders. The modern order, exclusively female order wear orange robes with royal blue ribbons adorning the necks and arms. The everyday duties of the order include maintaining holy fires in each of the 3 capitals as well as nightly ritual libations of red wine onto an alter before the fire brazier.

Laajavka

The Laajavka (𐤩𐤠𐤠𐤧𐤠𐤥𐤨𐤠) acts as the enforcers and intelligence of the Qibirad faith and Salmurian state divided into several branches. The Laajavka is part gendarmerie, part internal investigative service, and personal defenders to the Ciwas themselves.