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Azdarin is a monotheistic, quasi-shamanistic religion based on the teachings of the seeress Amsalech. Azdarin teaches that the supreme deity, Gedayo's, nature is the primordial water of the world and is therefore alien to the corporeal and material experiences of mankind yet molding them as the tides mold the earth. Through death, all men will be cast into the spiritual oceans of Gedayo and to survive they must practice the tashbith, the clinging on to truth. The spirits of those who do not practice the tashbith will be destroyed completely or wash ashore again to be reborn. The scriptures are called the Layansaa, literally “the unforgettable”, because the truths which are taught in Azdarin are the only things which can be carried into the next life to protect man’s fragile souls from the immense depths of Gedayo’s existence. Those who cling to the truth, the adherents of Azdarin, call themselves “those who hold to the holy truths”, but are more often called Yen or Azdarists. The Yen believe that Azdarin has been revealed to many people throughout history and has always been an available truth to all mankind, though it was only accepted during the time of the Prophet Mubashir. Azdarin was recorded during the reign of Mubashir by his priestess, Amsalech. It was originally a form of ceremonial godship centered around the person of Mubashir, whose status as Prophet constituted a permanent and formalized tabanaa, which developed into a more complex religious tradition as the Almurid Caliphate rapidly expanded. The two primary denominations of Azdarin are the Sahb and the ‘Iifae, which fundamentally disagree on the nature of Gedayo and therefore their ceremonial relationship with water. The Sahb believe that the oceanic presence of Gedayo, and therefore the mundane presence of water, pulls spiritual energy into itself. The Sahb, who are also called Zaytiin, use oil instead of water in rituals, especially those involving the forehead, since using water might suck out the soul and weaken the adherents. They hold that the process of mesida'ami, or drowning, must be resisted since immersion in Gedayo has been preordained. Alternatively, the ‘Iifae, who are also called the Manque, believe that water pushes against the soiled spirits of the world and that the objective of Azdarin is to be immersed in Gedayo after countless deaths and rebirths according to the fidelity with which an adherent observes and pursues tashbith. The ‘Iifae are the larger denomination, mostly living in coastal communities around the world. (See more...)
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