and the Magians were among the greatest of nations; had a revealed Book been sent down to them, the Scripture would then have been sent to three communities, which shows that it was in fact revealed only to two. More than one scholar has taken this as proof that the Magians possess no scripture. Yet a group of scholars became uncertain about them (1) because they assumed that jizya is levied only on the People of the Book—whereas it was taken from the Magians by explicit text and by consensus—and so they alternated: at times saying, “They have something akin to a scripture,” at times, “There is disagreement concerning them,” and some even declaring, “They are People of the Book.” They also argued on the basis of the hadith transmitted regarding them (2): “Treat them as you treat the People of the Book…”