and others. Although scholars of various disciplines—jurists, Quran commentators, theologians, and writers on religious doctrines—have differed concerning the Sabians, this is because the Sabians themselves are of different kinds. Hence, jurists have taken two approaches concerning them. The first is that two views are reported from al-Shāfiʿī and Ahmad on whether they belong to the People of the Book. The second is that they fall into two categories: those who follow the religion of the People of the Book belong to them; otherwise, they do not. This is their preferred view.