### Claim That Mani Is Mentioned in the Quran

The claim that Mani—the founder of Manichaeism (c. 216–274 CE)—is explicitly mentioned in the Quran is unsubstantiated and widely regarded as false by scholars of Islamic studies and religious history. The Quran, compiled in the 7th century CE, does not reference Mani by name or describe him in any recognizable way. Manichaeism was a syncretic religion blending Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Gnostic elements, which spread across the Near East and Central Asia, but it had been suppressed under the Sassanid Empire by the time of Muhammad's prophethood. Islamic sources from later centuries, such as al-Biruni (11th century) and Ibn al-Nadim (10th century), discuss Mani and Manichaeism as a heretical or deviant sect, but these are historical and polemical accounts, not Quranic verses. Some fringe or speculative theories suggest indirect connections, such as the Quran's reference to "the seal of the prophets" (Quran 33:40), a title Muhammad uses for himself. Later Islamic writers attributed a similar self-claim to Mani (e.g., as the final prophet after Zoroaster, Buddha, and Jesus), possibly drawing from Manichaean texts or anti-Manichaean polemics. However, surviving Manichaean scriptures do not use this exact phrase, and the attribution likely stems from Islamic authors like al-Biruni projecting Quranic terminology onto Mani to critique him. No verse in the Quran aligns with Mani's biography, teachings (e.g., dualism of light and darkness), or role as a prophet. The word "Mani" (or variants like "man'" meaning "to prevent") appears in the Quran in unrelated contexts, such as one of the 99 names of Allah (Al-Mani', the Preventer) or discussions of human fluids (mani as semen in fiqh rulings), but these have no link to the prophet. In summary, the claim appears to originate from medieval Islamic historiography rather than the Quran itself, and it lacks textual or historical evidence. ### Is Mani the "Buddha of Light" to Asians? Yes, Mani was revered as the "Buddha of Light" (Chinese: 光明佛, Míngguāng Fó or 摩尼光佛, Móní Guāngfó) in Manichaean communities in East Asia, particularly in China, where the religion adapted to Buddhist terminology and imagery to appeal to local audiences. Manichaeism reached China via the Silk Road by the 7th century CE, during the Tang Dynasty, and thrived there until the 14th century, often syncretizing with Buddhism to survive persecution. Mani's teachings emphasized light as a divine, salvific force trapped in the material world, aligning conceptually with Buddhist notions of enlightenment and release from samsara (rebirth). Key evidence includes: - **Chinese Manichaean Texts**: The *Compendium of the Doctrines and Styles of the Teaching of Mani, the Buddha of Light* (a 10th-century Tang-era manuscript) explicitly titles Mani as such, portraying him with a life story mirroring Gautama Buddha's—born to noble parents, receiving divine revelations at ages 12 and 24, and founding a universal "Religion of Light." Mani is depicted as the final prophet, succeeding Buddha, Zoroaster, and Jesus. - **Iconography and Worship**: In Chinese Manichaean art, such as the 14th–15th-century *Diagram of the Universe* (a cosmological painting), Mani appears as a bearded Buddha figure on a lotus throne with a halo, distinct from traditional clean-shaven Buddhas. Surviving statues, like one at the Cao'an Temple in Fujian Province (dating to the Song or Yuan Dynasty), show Mani as the "Buddha of Light," sometimes with straight hair and a beard to reflect his Iranian origins. Rituals in texts like the *Xiapu Ritual Manual: Mani the Buddha of Light* (9th–11th century manuscripts from Fujian) blend Manichaean cosmology (e.g., liberation of light particles) with Buddhist repentance and worship practices. - **Adaptation Strategy**: To propagate in Buddhist-dominated China, Manichaeans translated their scriptures using Buddhist phraseology, calling prophets "Buddhas" (e.g., Jesus as "Buddha Jesus"). Mani's emphasis on vegetarianism, asceticism, and metempsychosis (soul transmigration) echoed Buddhist ideas, allowing Manichaeism to be subsumed into folk Buddhism. By the Ming Dynasty, it persisted covertly as a "Buddhist" sect. This title was specific to East Asian (primarily Chinese) Manichaeism and not used in the religion's Persian, Syriac, or Western origins. In Central Asia (e.g., among Uyghurs), Mani was more often called a "burxan" (Buddha-like sage) or divine messenger, but the full "Buddha of Light" epithet is a Chinese innovation. Today, remnants of this tradition survive in Fujian, where Manichaean elements are preserved in local rituals.