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Fatwa CenterThe Sabeans Are Not Idolaters Who Worship the Stars
Question
Salam. I have a question. Why are Sabians mentioned in sura 2:62? Aren't they pagans who worship the stars?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The statement about the Sabeans and that they are idolaters who worshipped the stars is one of the opinions which were mentioned about them. However, this is not something agreed upon among the scholars, and there are many statements that were mentioned about the reality of the Sabeans and their religions.
Ibn Katheer said about the interpretation of this verse [i.e. Quran 2:62] in his Tafseer after mentioning what was said about them:
“It appears that the closest opinion to the truth, and Allah knows best, is Mujahid's statement and those who agree with him, and Wahb ibn Munabbih. They are of the opinion that the Sabeans were neither Jews, Christians, Majoos [Magi] nor polytheists. Rather, they did not have a specific religion that they followed and enforced, and that they were upon the Fitrah (natural predisposition upon which Allah created mankind). This is why the idolaters used to call whoever embraced Islam a `Sabi' (extracted from Sabean), meaning, that he abandoned all religions that existed on the earth during their time.” [End of quote]
Allah Says (what means): {Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans [before Prophet Muhammad] - those [among them] who believed in Allah and the Last Day and did righteousness - will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.} [Quran 2:62]
The meaning of this verse is {those who believed} i.e., in Muhammad (). {those who were Jews} refers to those who believed in Moses 
before Muhammad () was commissioned as a Prophet, or those who were alive at the time of his Prophecy () and believed in him as well. {or Christians}, refers to those who believed in Jesus before Muhammad () was commissioned as a Prophet, or those who were alive at the time of his Prophecy () and believed in him as well. {or Sabeans} refers to those who were upon their Fitrah, as we have already mentioned. All of whom, if they realized true belief in Allah, believed in Him, His Messengers, His Angels, His Books, and believed in {the Last Day} and {and did righteousness} i.e., added to faith the performance of righteous deeds; such people will get the reward of their deeds and their reward is with Allah.
For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 83681, 90175, and 289750.
Allah knows best.
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