The Sabians of the Bahai Writings

ASUTA
The Journal for the Study and Research into the
Mandaean Culture, Religion, and Language.

Volume 5 Special Issue Online edition

Sabians,
Sabaeans, or Sabeans

The Sabaeans of the Bahai Writings

The Bahai religion, one of the youngest religions today, was founded by Bahá'u'lláh (Glory to God). (22) In Tehran (Iran) he was born as Mirzá Husayn 'Ali on November 12, 1817. (23)

His successor was his son ‘Abdu'l-Bahá who was named 'Abbás after his grandfather, 'Abdu'l- Bahá was born in Tihrán, Iran, on 23 May 1844. In 1873 'Abdu'l-Bahá married Munírih Khánum.

Figure #7
Shoghi Effendi

Of their nine children, four daughters lived to adulthood. His eldest daughter was the mother of Shoghi Effendi. (24) On 28 November 1921 'Abdu'l-Baha passed away at the age of seventy-seven after a short illness. He was able to consolidate the foundations of the Bahá'í Faith and greatly expanded its reach. (25)

His great grandson Shoghi Effendi (his mother was Díyá'íyyih Khánum, the eldest daughter of `Abdu'l-Bahá the son of Bahá'u'lláh ).(26)

Figure #6
'Abdu'l-Baha

The Sabians (Sabeans, Sabaeans) are mentioned in several Bahai writings. Though information on the Sabians is sparse there is enough detail to know exactly who they are referring to.

“As to the Sabeans, they do worship the names of the stars and claim that they got their religion from Seth and Idrís; they trace their origin to Sábí, son of Idrís and also believe in Yahyá, son of Zachariah [John, the Baptist]. They do expect the Manifestation of Jesus, Son of Mary. In the Presence of the Throne they are mentioned as the Sabeans.” (27)

“This Dispensation [Bahá'í Faith] and that of the Point of the Bayán [the Báb] are like the Dispensations of Yahyá, son of Zachariah and of Jesus, Son of Mary. The son of Zachariah, invested with the glory of Prophethood, gave unto the people the tidings of the Manifestation of the Spirit [Jesus]; both lived in the same epoch. Some of the people did apprehend the purpose of the words of the son of Zachariah and some did not when after the martyrdom of the son of Zachariah some of his followers did not turn to the Manifestation of the All-Merciful, that is Jesus and strayed from the way of the Unity of God. They still dwell on earth and are known by some as the Sabeans; these people regard themselves as the followers of that Holiness but they remained deprived of their object and purpose.“ (28)

The number nine, which in itself is the number of perfection, is considered by the Bahá'ís as sacred because it is symbolic of the perfection of the Bahá'í Revelation, which constitutes the ninth in the line of existing religions, the latest and fullest Revelation which mankind has ever known. The eighth is the Religion of the Báb, and the remaining seven are: Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the religion of the Sabaeans. These religions are not the only true religions that have appeared in the world, but are the only ones which are still existing. There have always been divine prophets and messengers, to many of whom the Qur'an refers. But the only ones existing are those mentioned." (28 July above 1936) (29)

"The nine religions to which you have referred include both the Babi and the Bahá'í Dispensations, Bahá'u'lláh being the ninth Prophet in the series. The other Prophets included are Zoroaster, Krishna, Moses, the Christ, Muhammad, Buddha, the Prophet of the Sabaeans Whose name is unrecorded, the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh.... Buddha appeared in the Adamic cycle...." (13 July 1938) (30)

“As to the religion of the Sabeans very little is known about the origins of this religion, though we Bahá'ís are certain of one thing that the founder of it has been a divinely sent Messenger. The country where Sabeanism became widespread and flourished was Chaldea, and Abraham is considered as having been a follower of that Faith. “(31)

“ ...he does wish to point out that there are no records in the Bahá'í Faith about the Sabaeans except the short references made ... and that certainly it is not a religion that precedes the Adamic cycle. “(32)

“We do not know who was the Prophet of Sabaeanism; all we know is that it was a divinely revealed religion and has been corrupted. “(33)

“With reference to your question concerning the Sabean and Hindu religions; there is nothing in the Teachings that could help us in ascertaining which one of these is older. Neither the history seems to be able to provide a definite answer to this question. The records concerning the origins of these religions are not sufficiently detailed and reliable to offer any conclusive evidence on this point. “(34)

Lets look closely at some of these statements:

“...also believe in Yahyá, son of Zachariah [John, the Baptist]...” (27)

“...when after the martyrdom of the son of Zachariah some of his followers did not turn to the Manifestation of the All-Merciful, that is Jesus and strayed from the way of the Unity of God. They still dwell on earth and are known by some as the Sabeans..” (28)

"...Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the religion of the Sabaeans. These religions are not the only true religions that have appeared in the world, but are the only ones which are still existing..." (29)

The” Sabeans” were followers of John the Baptist (Yahya). They did not follow Jesus and are still in existence. It is obvious who is being described—the Mandaeans. The Mandaeans revere John the Baptist (Yahia Yuhanna), they did not follow Jesus who in their theology left Mandaeism to form a religion without the strict rules, and finally the Mandaeans are still in existence today.

"...the Prophet of the Sabaeans Whose name is unrecorded..." (30)

"...As to the religion of the Sabeans very little is known about the origins of this religion, though we Bahá'ís are certain of one thing that the founder of it has been a divinely sent Messenger..." (31)

"We do not know who was the Prophet of Sabaeanism..."(33)

The religion of the Mandaeans is considered a proto-religion with Adam having directly received religious instruction from God. There is no founder to the religion, John the Baptist was but the last of the heavenly messengers sent to the Mandaeans. He is referred to as “the prophet of Kušta” (truth). (35)

"...Abraham is considered as having been a follower of that Faith..." (31)

According to Mandaean theology:

"Abraham was of our people-we called him Bahram. Yes, he was a Mandai, a Nas'urai. His brother was a rish 'amma (head-of-the-people, a king-priest) and they were a family of priests." (36)

The “Sabaeans / Sabeans” are mentioned in the Qu’ran. If one sorts through all the facts and stories, a determination can be made that the Sabians of the Qu’ran are the Mandaeans.

The Baha'i scholar Mirza Abdu'l-Fazl claimed Sabaeanism was very widespread, saying it,

"...prevailed throughout the world among all nations except the Chinese and the Hindoo." (37)

This also would fit Mandaeism. We know that the Mandaeans lived in the Mesopotamian area and in the Palestine areas. We also learn through there history that they were at one co-religious with the Egyptians in Egypt.

"Seth was described by `Abdu'l-Baha as one of the "sons of Adam." (38)

Once again this fits the Mandaeans for Šitil (Mandaic for Seth) was the son of Adam. Šitil died a pure death with no transgressions. It is this pure Mandaean soul that all Mandaeans souls are weighed against. (39)

Bahá'u'lláh was born in Iran in the 1800’s. He would have known that there was a group of people called Sabians in the southwest part of his country. He probably would have known very little about them since the Mandaeans are very secretive. He would have known that they were mentioned in the Qu’ran. He would have known that they are a very old religion. Since he never heard who was a prophet or founder to the Mandaean (Sabians) was, he would have assumed the name was not recorded and lost. He also had to know that they were still in existence where as the Sabaeans of Harran were extinct. He also would have known that they honored John the Baptist and not Jesus.

Also he would have believe that the old “Sabaeans” were star worshippers. This association still haunts the Mandaeans today. This is due to the successful media propaganda generated by the Harranians about 800 AD when they stole the title “Sabians”. The Harranians, of course, openly worshipped planets and stars.

“…are the Mandaeans monotheists; how important is astrology to them (these last two questions are highly sensitive in present-day Iran).” (40)

The idea of the “Sabaeans” being star worshippers comes in from the Harranians who stole the title to protect themselves from persecution. The theology of the Harranians and of the Mandaeans became so intertwine over the last 2000 years that it is easy to make mistakes. It is quite common to hear Non-Mandaeans from the Iraq and Iran areas to speak of the Sabians and believe some of the old stories of star worshippers to be the Mandaeans instead of the Harranians.

Bahá'u'lláh would have had no need to call them Mandaeans since the term Sabians is common among the various people that surround the Mandaeans. Only the Mandaeans use term “Mandaeans” among themselves, especially in the early to mid-1800’s.

This information he would have passed on down to his son `Abdu'l-Bahá. `Abdu'l-Bahá would have passed the information along to his grandson Shoghi Effendi.

I believe that we can pretty well lock the lid on the Sabaeans of the Baha’I as

"This religious group would appear to be, not the Sabaeans of Harrán, but rather a distinct religion of the Abrahamic tradition that flourished in Mesopotamia in the early centuries B.C.E., often equated with the Mandaeans. "(41)

The True Sabians

The Sabaean Religious Order

The Sabian Assembly

The Sabeans of the Old Testament

The Sabaeans of the Bahai Writings

The Sabaeans of Harran

The Sabaeans of the Moses Maimonides writings

The Sabians of the Koran

Final Thought

References

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