[Footnote 201: Hae tres sectae, Judaei, Christiani, et qui
inter Persas Magorum institutis addicti sunt, populi libri
dicuntur, (Reland, Dissertat. tom. iii. p. 15.) The caliph
Al Mamun confirms this honorable distinction in favor of the
three sects, with the vague and equivocal religion of the
Sabaeans, under which the ancient polytheists of Charrae
were allowed to shelter their idolatrous worship,
(Hottinger, Hist. Orient p. 167, 168.)]