and the Sabians—whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does righteous deeds” in two passages. He did not mention the Magians or the polytheists. Had these two religious communities included people who would attain felicity in the Hereafter, as did the Sabians, Jews, and Christians, He would have mentioned them. Had they possessed a scripture, they would have followed guidance before its abrogation and alteration, and would have entered Paradise by observing their religious law, just as the Jews and Christians did before abrogation and alteration. Since He did not mention the Magians among these communities, it is known that they have no scripture. Indeed, He mentioned the Sabians rather than them, even though the Sabians have no scripture unless they embrace the religion of one of the two scriptural communities. This indicates that the Magians are further removed from Scripture than they are.

Furthermore, al-Musnad, al-Tirmidhī, and other works of hadith, Quranic commentary, and accounts of the Prophet’s campaigns contain the well-known report:

“When Persia and Byzantium fought and the Persians prevailed, the polytheists rejoiced at this because the Persians were like them, having no scripture. The Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, welcomed this news because the Christians were closer to them, since they possessed a scripture. Allah Most High revealed: ‘Alif Lām Mīm. The Byzantines have been defeated in the nearest land. Yet after their defeat, they will triumph within a few years’”—and the remainder of the verse.

This shows that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his Companions did not regard the Magians as possessing a scripture.

Furthermore, the report of al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya and other Successors states:

“The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, collected the poll tax from the Magians and said: ‘Treat them in the same manner as the People of the Book, but do not marry their women or eat the animals they slaughter.’”

This report has a missing link between the Successor and the Prophet.