The Sabians (/ˈseɪbiənz/; Arabic:صابئة‎) of Middle Eastern tradition were a religious group mentioned three times in the Quran as a People of the Book, "the Jews, the Sabians, and the Christians". In the hadith, they were described simply as converts to Islam. Interest in the identity and history of the group increased over time. Discussions and investigations of the Sabians began to appear in later Islamic literature.