IRQ: Mandaean Sabian Religion Thrives In Iraq Under

BAGHDAD, IRAQ - JULY 4: A Mandaean Sabian holy man baptizes a woman July 4, 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq. The Mandaean Sabians are a small, ancient monotheistic religious group, with a belief system incorporating many of the elements of Christianity, Judism, and Islam. Baptism is a crucial aspect of the religion, and is performed frequently on all members, and women generally do not cover their heads and have more freedoms of association than elsewhere in the Muslim world. Around 100,000 Mandaean Sabians practice worldwide, though most of them are in Iraq. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)