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Historical Errors in the Quran: Difference between revisions
→Unknown words in the Quran: Expanded this section, furthering the point with the unknown meaning/identity of Sabaeans in the Quran, and the issue's it poses for the traditional account being taken as real history.
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V. 4 tarmīhim bi-ḥijāratin min sijjīl] The defense of the opponents from Mecca, which is presented in the Qur’an as a miracle, has no parallels in the historical tradition. <b>Sijjīl</b>, another hapaxlegomenon in the Qur’an, is a loan formation according to Jeffery (FVQ, 164), derived from Liat sigillum (cf. Robinson 2001; Frolov 2005). The recourse to a loan word serves to enigmatize, and thus heighten the significance of, the act of annihilation, which is presented in sura’s text as a miraculous intervention by the God worshipped in the local sanctuary.}} | V. 4 tarmīhim bi-ḥijāratin min sijjīl] The defense of the opponents from Mecca, which is presented in the Qur’an as a miracle, has no parallels in the historical tradition. <b>Sijjīl</b>, another hapaxlegomenon in the Qur’an, is a loan formation according to Jeffery (FVQ, 164), derived from Liat sigillum (cf. Robinson 2001; Frolov 2005). The recourse to a loan word serves to enigmatize, and thus heighten the significance of, the act of annihilation, which is presented in sura’s text as a miraculous intervention by the God worshipped in the local sanctuary.}} | ||
==== Unknown religion in the Qur'an ==== | |||
Just as puzzling is a religious group called the 'sabians/sabeans' الصابئون al-Ṣābiʾūn. They are mentioned three times in the Quran, twice listed as being able to enter paradise, alongside the 'people of the book', i,e. the Jews and Christians. | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|5|69}}|Indeed, those who have believed [in Prophet Muhammad] and those [before Him] who were Jews or Sabeans or Christians – those [among them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness – no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.}}{{Quote|{{Quran|2|62}}|Indeed the faithful, the Jews, the Christians and the Sabaeans—those of them who have faith in Allah and the Last Day and act righteously—they shall have their reward from their Lord, and they will have no fear, nor will they grieve.}} | |||
And once generically alongside all other religions, see {{Quran|22|17}}. | |||
We are not told of any of their religious practices in the Quran itself, however as 'people of the book' Islamic rights and laws apply differently to them than those who are not (''see: [[Dhimma]]''). They are a theologically distinct group who may have a chance of reaching paradise. So despite their identity being of high importance even to law, it does not seem to have reliably reached the earliest commentators, who have heavily disputed it since. In fact the ambiguity over their identity allowed many different groups to self-identify as Sabian's for self-legitimisation and avoid persecution under Muslim rule.<ref>Elukin, Jonathan. ''“[https://doi.org/10.2307/3654163 Maimonides and the Rise and Fall of the Sabians: Explaining Mosaic Laws and the Limits of Scholarship].”'' Journal of the History of Ideas, vol. 63, no. 4, 2002, pp. 619–37. JSTOR, <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.2307/3654163</nowiki>. Accessed 18 June 2024.</ref> <ref>[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=tncEDgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false ''From Sasanian Mandaeans to Ṣābians of the Marshes.''] Kevin T. Van Bladel. Pp 5. Brill. 2017.</ref> | |||
Both classical Islamic scholars and modern academics have searched for a clear identity to this religious group, with no consensus yet found. We see candidates from pagans, polytheists, angel worshippers and those who leave and enter their religion,<ref>For example a variety of views from traditional Islamic scholars on IslamQA. ''[https://islamqa.info/en/answers/49048/who-are-the-sabians Who are the Sabians?]'' 2004. IslamQA.com.</ref> Jewish-Christian sects (such as the Elchasites),<ref>Elukin, Jonathan. ''[https://muse.jhu.edu/article/39293 “Maimonides and the Rise and Fall of the Sabians: Explaining Mosaic Laws and the Limits of Scholarship.”]'' Journal of the History of Ideas, vol. 63, no. 4, 2002, pp. 619–37. JSTOR, <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.2307/3654163</nowiki>.</ref> Manichaeans,<ref>Sabi’ entry in ''[https://archive.org/details/encyclopaedia-of-the-quran-6-volumes-jane-dammen-mc-auliffe/page/n483/mode/2up?q=Cosmology Encyclopaedia Of The Qur’an]''. pp. 511-512. Francois de Blois. 2001.</ref> Samaritans,<ref>Adam Silverstein. ''[https://www.academia.edu/100678895/Samaritans_and_Early_Islamic_Ideas Samaritans and Early Islamic Ideas. Pp 328. The Institute of Asian and African Studies.]'' The Max Schloessinger Memorial Foundation. Offprint from JERUSALEM STUDIES IN ARABIC AND ISLAM 53 (2022)</ref> among many others, e.g. see Ibn Kathir's commentary on them.<ref>''[https://quranx.com/Tafsir/Kathir/2.62 Tafsir Ibn Kathir on verse 2:62.]'' Ibn Kathir d.1373 CE. | |||
'''The Sabi'un or Sabians''' | |||
''There is a difference of opinion over the identity of the Sabians. Sufyan Ath-Thawri said that Layth bin Abu Sulaym said that Mujahid said that, "The Sabians are between the Majus, the Jews and the Christians. They do not have a specific religion.<nowiki>''</nowiki> Similar is reported from Ibn Abi Najih. Similar statements were attributed to `Ata' and Sa`id bin Jubayr. They (others) say that the Sabians are a sect among the People of the Book who used to read the Zabur (Psalms), others say that they are a people who worshipped the angels or the stars. It appears that the closest opinion to the truth, and Allah knows best, is Mujahid's statement and those who agree with him like Wahb bin Munabbih, that the Sabians are neither Jews nor Christians nor Majus nor polytheists. Rather, they did not have a specific religion that they followed and enforced, because they remained living according to their Fitrah (instinctual nature). This is why the idolators used to call whoever embraced Islam a `Sabi', meaning, that he abandoned all religions that existed on the earth. Some scholars stated that the Sabians are those who never received a message by any Prophet. And Allah knows best.'''</ref> This would suggest that the historical context of the Qur'an (and therefore meaning), initially passed through oral methods, is not as well preserved as traditionalist scholars believe, with even the religious environment of preaching being unknown. | |||
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