Sabians

 Sabaeanism

The Qur'an mentions a religion that existed in the Middle East whose followers were known as Sabi'iin. The history of these people has not been deeply elaborated. In Arabic, they are no different from the Mandaeans  known as  المندائيون while the Sabeans are referred to as الصابئة. When the two names are combined in Arabic, they are also known as Mandaean Sabians (الصابئة المندائيون al-Ṣābiʾa al-Mandāʾiyyūn).

An ethnoreligious group, they believe John the Baptist to have been the last prophet, even though, John the Baptist who was the son of Zacharia or Zakaria was sent to foretell the coming of Jesus,  while Jesus son of Mary or Maryam was sent to foretell the coming of the Messenger of Allaah, Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, who is the last prophet.

"(He was told): "Zechariah, We bring you the good news of the birth of a son whose name shall be Yahya (John), one whose namesake We never created before." (It was said unto him): O Zachariah! Lo! We bring thee tidings of a son whose name is John; we have given the same name to none before (him)."

Maryam or Mary, Zakariah or Zakaria, John the Baptist or Yahya, and Isa or Jesus all hailed from the family of Imran. With the current population of Muslims estimated at 1.9 billion, the Sabean population stands at 70,000.

They are mentioned in the Qur'an in three chapters as mentioned below.

1. "Whether they are the ones who believe (in the Arabian Prophet), or whether they are Jews, Christians or Sabians – all who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and do righteous deeds–their reward is surely secure with their Lord; they need have no fear, nor shall they grieve (Al-Baqarah, 62).

2. Know well, none has an exclusive claim to the Truth.) For all those who believe in Allah and in the Last Day and do good deeds-be they either believers, Jews, Sabaeans or Christians-neither fear shall fall upon them, nor shall they have any reason to grieve (Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:67.)

3. "Indeed, the believers, Jews, Sabians, Christians, Magi, and the polytheists—Allah will judge between them ˹all˺ on Judgment Day. Surely Allah is a Witness over all things."

إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى آدَمَ وَنُوحًا وَآلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ

Indeed, God chose Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of Imran over the worlds. The above ayah is from Surah Al Imran verse 33.

We learn from other sources that the "Mandaeans believe that Jesus was one of John's disciples but he went off the rails and distorted John's legacy." They are reportedly among the first to start baptism. They do practice wudhu or ablution like Muslims.

They are briefly mentioned in the Qur'an even though they are neither Muslims, Christians or followers of Judaism. "The Quran briefly mentions the Sabians in three places, in Sūrat al-Baqara (2:62), in Sūrat al-Māʾida (5:69), and in Sūrat al-Ḥajj (22:17)."

Described Arabian polytheism in belief, since they are not monotheistic, they are described as: "a Syrian pagan of a Hauranitic group originally of star worshipers claiming toleration from the Muslim conquerors under the pretense of belonging to the Sabian group tolerated by the Koran and including scholars and astronomers noted under the caliphate."