Ptahil (deity)
Ptahil is the demiurge of Mandaeism. By devoted means, he is viewed as the creator of the material universe in the Ginza Rba, often holding an inherently malicious character, as the Mandaean religion has ties to Gnosticism in which the god of monotheistic religions is generally understood to be an evil spirit below some higher divinity. In some versions of the narrative, Ptahil originated from two older supreme beings referred to as Hibil Ziwa and Zahriel. Corresponding to dualistic notions, Hibil Ziwa, who is considered to be Ptahil's father, controls the worlds of light, whereas his mother, Zahriel rules over the realms of darkness. He is also seen as the son of Abatur. In the Mandaean texts stating this idea, Ptahil creates the cosmos under his order with the help of demons.
