Sabians
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Sabian is a term that has been more or less inaccurately used to describe at least three religious groups (see Mandaeanism, Harranians or Sabeans, and Sabaeans). The term derives from the Arabic term "Sabi" (plural Sabiyah) meaning proselyte (i.e., one who has converted through Baptism but also reminiscent of a word meaning light) which was an appellation for a now obscure Arabic religious group. They are first mentioned in the Qur'an and later appear again in the writings of the Bahá'í Faith. Despite their clear documentation in traditions stemming from Islam, they have become yet another thing for western scholars to delight in puzzling and speculating over for decades resulting in various theories and information that has a way of producing some very heated arguments.
Sabian is one of three similar sounding words that refer to a religion or cultural group. These three words have been used interchangeably and one mistaken for the another in many literary references for centuries. The spelling "Sabian" usually refers to one of "people of the book" as mentioned in the Qur'an and it is also used by the Mandaeans as an appellation imposed by local Muslims. The second word is "Sabaean", which is a variation of the Sabian spelling. This word is also is used for the "people of the book" and this word is used to refer to the Harranians. The third word is "Sabeans", which are the people of ancient Saba in Yemen and have been thrown out by scholars on having any connection to the Sabians of the Qur'an.
The word Sabium comes from Subi or Sabi (plural Subba or Sabba), a colloquial word of Syriac or Mandaic origins and means to "immerse" or "plunge in". It may also be related to the Greek sebomenoi, a term for non-converted (and decidedly non-circumcised) Jewish adherents.
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Islamic reference
Marc Edmund Jones, founder of the Sabian Assembly, described them more or less accurately as "a Muslim group". They worship The Names (El-Esmea) as the stars. The whole debate on who the Sabians were is directly connected to the existence of the following verses from the Qur'an, the Holy Book of Islam. The Qur'an briefly announces the Sabians as people of the book and the Hadith provide further details as to who they were:
- "Those who believe, and the Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in God and the Last Day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve."
- "Those who believe and the Jews and the Sabians and this Christians—whoever believes in God and the last day and does good they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve."
- "Those who believe and those how are the Jews and the Sabians and the Christians and the Magians (Zoroastrians) and those who set up gods (with God)—God will decide between them on the day of resurrection for God is a Witness over all things."
The Sabians existed before Muhammad, who was said to have been Sabian and they are said to have read from a book called the Zaboor. Many Islamic writers from the period of about 650 AD onward gave further descriptions of who the Sabians were. They wrote that the Sabians were seen as baptists who had "long hair" and "white gowns". They had a monotheistic faith with religious literature and prophets. Under sharia, the Sabians form a protected religious group (along with Christians and Jews).
Many Islamic writers from the period of about 650 AD onward provide a meager description of the Sabians. The Sabians had a monotheistic faith with religious literature and prophets. Their theology resembled that of Judaism and Christianity yet were neither nor were they Magians. They lived in Iraq around Sawad, Kutha and Mosul and they "wash themselves with water".
Sabi-Harran connections
The Sabians were well known until the ninth century AD. Around this time, the Harranians claimed the name Sabian in order to avoid Islamic persecution. Long ago however, there may have existed some connection between the two groups, since Sabians allegedly had a base in Edessa. One should not confuse either of these groups with Sabaeans - a completely unrelated group.
After the conquests of Alexander, Harran came to be a center of intellectual and religious activity, which evolved into a philosophical tradition centered on Hermes Trismegistus. From the 1st century AD the Harranians were heavily influenced by the Christians and other religious groups, including those of the baptizing sects.
The Harranians then came under Islamic rule about 639 AD. At that time in history the Harranians were described as Nabataeans, pagans and Greek immigrants. The Harranians made several calculated moves and advanced into politics by making peace with the Muslims and forming ties with them. The Harranians, who worshipped the planets and the stars and sacrificed to these deities, successfully managed to have their religious practices validated in order to exist within the bounds of Islamic society. They soon came to be known as "Sabeaeans" and sought to supplant the former "Sabians" as the people of the book.
Sabi-Mandaean connections
Some scholars have suggested that the Mandaean religion originated with Sabeans, who came under the influence of early Sabian missionaries but preferred their own priesthood. In either case we find in the writings from about 900 AD onward that there are now two Sabians mentioned and are distinguished as the "ancient first or true Sabians", while the Harranians are called the "pseudo Sabians". Thus various religious groups with a connection to baptism (like the Mandaeans) have sought to have the label applied to themselves in the hopes of avoiding persecution. The word Sabian as indicated in the Qur'an seems to come from the root word Sabi'un and in studying the etymology of the word some scholars point to origins either in Syric or Mandaic. However. many scholars contend that the Sabians mentioned in the Qur'an are those we call today the Mandaeans.
The Mandaeans are called Subi (Sabian) by their Muslim neighbors in both Iraq and Iran. They fit the description, of the Sabians, as given by many Islamic and ancient writers. There has been considered study by scholars with the majority of scholars have determined that the Sabians of the Qur'an are the Mandaeans.
In the Bahá'í writings
The Sabians are mentioned in the literature of the Bahá'í Faith, although these references are brief, and mostly refer to the Sabians who claim to derive their religion from Seth and Idris. `Abdu'l-Bahá has one brief reference where he describes Seth as one of the "sons of Adam". Bahá'u'lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas quotes from the Qur'an 19:57-58 about Idris. In a second statement by Bahá'u'lláh he identifies Idris with Hermes. Bahá'u'lláh does not, however, specifically name Idris as the prophet of the Sabians.
New-Age Sabians
Today there are many new age groups, using the terms Sabeans, Sabaeans or Sabians in the titles of their sects, claiming existence based on many ancient practices ranging from of astrology and "spells" to the more mundane religious ideas.
Conclusion
Many writers, both ancient and modern, have confused the Sabaeans of Harran with the Sabians in the Qur'an with the Sabeans of Yemen due to centuries of old data that confused the separate religions. This confusion began about 100 years after the time of Muhammad and climaxed with the writings of Moses Maimonides. Scholars and researchers must be very careful in determining what data belong to what Sabian (aean, ean) group for their papers to be error-free.
The revitalization in the study of the Sabians has drawn many new researchers, scholars, and writers, resulting in a whole new generation of literature. Unfortunately many of those works are full of inaccurate data and flawed conclusions.
References
Die Ssabier und der Ssabismus by D. Chwolson
The City of the Moon God: Religious Traditions of Harran by Tamara Green
Knowledge of Life: The Origins and Early History of the Mandaeans and their Relations to the Sabians of the Qur'an and to the by Gunduz, Sinasi
Sabians Sabeans Sabaeans http://www.geocities.com/mandaeans/Sabians.html
Inner Haran http://leocaesius.blogspot.com/2004/05/as-i-noted-below-there-are-at-least.html
"International Standard Bible Encyclopedia".. "Entry for 'ARABIA'". Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor http://www.studylight.org/enc/isb/view.cgi?number=T660
Problems on the Muslim Understanding of the Mandaeans* Sinasi Gündüz http://www.dinlertarihi.com/dosyalar/makaleler/sinasigunduz/problems%20on%20the%20muslim.htm
53.13. Religious Dialogue: Sabaeanism http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:LeEVlf0sQ08J:bahailibrary.com/books/rg/rg.biblio15.html+mandaeans+bahai&hl=en
For various theories on the Sabians please see the following:
Johannite Tradition (http://www.antiqillum.com/texts/bg/Qadosh/qadosh000.htm)
Sabians, Sabeans, Sabaeans (http://www.geocities.com/mandaeans/Sabians.html)