On the origin of Sabians (1)

Text
Kūrush = Cyrus, Arṭaḥshast = Artaxerxes.

al-Bīrūnī, Chronology (ed. Sachau) 206, 318:
It is said that the Harranians are not the real Sabians, nay they are called ḥanīfs and idol worshippers in the (holy) books. The (real) Sabians are those who stayed behind in Bābil from among the tribes (of Israel) when they (= the other tribes) returned to Jerusalem during the days of Kūrush and Arṭaḥshast. They (the ones who stayed behind) inclined towards the laws of the Magians and had a liking towards the religion of Bukhtnaṣṣar. Thus they have selected a doctrine mixing Magianism with Judaism like the Samaritans did in Syria. Most of them live in Wāsiṭ and the countryside of the Iraq near Jaˁfar and al-Jāmida and the twin rivers of aṣ-Ṣila. They trace their origin back to Anūsh ibn Shīth (= Enosh, the son of Seth) and they disagree with the Harranians and criticize their doctrines. They agree with them only in a few things; they even turn their face in prayer towards the North Pole whereas the Harranians turn towards the South.

Sources (list of abbreviations)
al-Bīrūnī, Chronology (ed. Sachau) 206
al-Bīrūnī, Chronology (ed. Sachau) 318

Bibliography

Amar Annus

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