Who are the Sabians mentioned in Surat Al-Baqarah, is their religion divinely revealed, who is their prophet, and do they exist in the present time?
"The views of the Salaf regarding the Sabaeans varied; some considered them People of the Book, while others described their religion as a mixture of faiths like Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, or that they worship angels alongside monotheism and believe in the influence of stars. For this reason, scholars issued a declaring them disbelievers.
The only surviving group among them today is the Mandaeans. They venerate planets and stars, face the North Pole in their prayers, and practice baptism.
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah classified them into two types: Hanif Sabians (monotheists) and polytheistic Sabians (who worship angels and celestial spiritual beings).
Thus, they comprise several schools of thought and sects, claiming to follow prophets like Noah or John (the Baptist), or are a mixture of religions.
As for their current locations, they are spread across Iraq (especially along the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and in the Marshlands) and in Iran (along the banks of the Karun River and in coastal cities)."
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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