Who were the Sabians? (2)

Text
Abu’l Faraj Ibn Jauzi, Talbis Iblis (Delusion of the Devil) 5:
The (Islamic) theologians assert that the Sabians follow different systems. Some of them believe in the existence of a hyle which is eternal, and that the demiurge has from eternity been forming the world therefrom. Most of them however assert that the world is uncreate; they call the stars angels, though some of them call them gods, and prostrate themselves before them, and build them sanctuaries; they claim that the Sacred House (the Ka’bah) is one of these sanctuaries, being that of Saturn. Some of them hold that God can have no attributes save such as are negative, not positive, so that you may say he is not created, not mortal, not ignorant, not impotent, in order (they say) that there may be no anthropomorphism. They have certain religious practices, e.g., they assert that they are bound to perform three daily prayers, the first, of eight inclinations, with three prostrations for each inclination, the time for it ending with sunrise; the second and third are each of five inclinations. They also are bound to fast for a month beginning the eighth of March, and for seven days beginning with the ninth from the end of December, and seven days beginning with the eighth of February; they terminate their fasts with almsgiving and sacrifices. They taboo camel’s flesh with other follies which it would be waste of time to record. They hold that the good spirits ascend to the fixed stars, and the light; and that the bad spirits descend to the lowest of the earths, and the darkness. Some of them hold that this world is imperishable, and that reward and punishment are in transmigration.

Source (list of abbreviations)
Abu’l Faraj Ibn Jauzi, Talbis Iblis (Delusion of the Devil) 5

Bibliography

Amar Annus

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