Who is Abdullah Ibn Saba’?

 For Allah and then For History

 (Exposing Shiah) 

by Assayyid Hussayn al-Musawi

Chapter One

Abdullah-Ibn-Saba' 

It is commonly known among Shiites that Abdullah-bin-Saba' is an imaginary character, completely made up by Sunnis, to defame Shi'a and their beliefs. Sunnis attribute to him the founding of Shi'ism to repulse people away from them and from the ideology of Ahl-ul-Bayt. 

I once asked Muhammad al-Hussain 'al-Kashef al-Gheta' about Abdullah-bin-Saba'. 

He said: "Ibn Saba' is a fabled character, whom Abbasides and Umayyads made up out of envy for Ahl-ul-Bayt. A wise person should not mind thinking of this character." 

However, I found in his well-known book Asl al-Shia wa Osouloha (The Origin of Shiism and its Fundamentals) what indicates the existence of this person, as he wrote: "As for Abdullah-bin-Saba' to whom they attribute Shi'ism, all Shi'a books curse him and renounce him." 

There is not a shadow of a doubt that this is a declaration of the existene of this character, but when I asked Muhammad al-Hussain 'al Kashef al-Gheta'about that, he said: “I said this as a form of taqiyyah4. The book mentioned is aimed for Sunnis this is why after writing the quoted lines I said "However, the  opinion of some; that Abdullah bin Sabaa and other characters like him are all legends, storytellers and the debaucherous night talkers have made up; is not far from the truth" 

Furthermore, in his book Abdullah-Ibn-Saba' wa Asatir Okhra (Abdullah-Ibn-Saba' and other legends), Murtada al-Askary denies the existence of Abdullah-Ibn-Saba', and Muhammad Jawwad Mughaniya did the same in his introduction of the aforementioned book. 

Abdullah-Ibn-Sabaa is one of the reasons why most Shiah hate Sunnis. There is no doubt that the Sunnis who talked about Abdullah-Ibn-Sabaa are countless, but Shi'a don't rely on what they said because of their disagreement with them. 

However if we read our authentic Shiite books, we will find that Abdullah-Ibn-Saba' is a real character, even if our scholars renounced him, Here is the clarification: 

Abu-jafar ‘alayhi as-salaam stated: "Abdullah Bin Saba'a claimed prophethood, he also claimed that Amir-ul-Mumineen (the commander of the believers) Ali Ibn abi Taleb is Allah (may Allah be exalted from this). When Ali Ibn Abi Taleb was informed about this, he called upon him and asked him about what he heard and Abdullah Bin Saba'a admitted it by saying: "yes, you are Him and it has been inspired to me that you are Allah and that I am a prophet." Ali Ibn Abi Taleb said: "woe unto you! The devil has but mocked at you, take back what you said and seek Allah's forgiveness. But he refused. Thereafter Ali Ibn Abi Taleb put him in prison and gave him three days to repent but he would not, so he burnt him and said: "The devil tempted him and inspired him with that" 

Abu-Abdullah said: "May Allah's curse be upon Abdullah Ibn Saba' who claimed that Ali Ibn Abi Taleb -who is an obedient slave of Allah- is Allah. Woe be unto whosoever lied about us. In front of Allah, we renounce those who say about us what we do not say about ourselves, we denounce them in front of Allah." (Ma'rifat Akhbar al-Rijal, al-Keshy,70-71) and there are further narrations. 

Al-Mamqany stated: "Abullah-Ibn-Saba' who apostatised from Islam and showed exaggeration in religion," and added: "Accursed exaggerator, Ali Ibn Abi Taleb burnt him, because he claimed that Ali Ibn Abi Taleb is God and that he (Abdullah-Ibn-Saba') is a prophet" (Tanqeeh al-Maqal fi 'Elm ar-Rijal, 2:183-184). 

Al-Nobakhty said: "The followers of Abdullah bin Saba' believed in the khilafah (Imamate) of Ali and that it is an ordinance from Allah 'azza wa jal. Abdullah Ibn Saba' was one of those who announced the degrading of Abu-Bakr, 'Umar-Ibn-al-Khataab, 'Uthman-Ibn-Afaan and the companions, claiming that Ali Ibn Abi Taleb ordered him to do so, thereafter AliIbn Abi Taleb asked him about what he heard and he approved of it all, so Ali IbnAbi Talib ordered that Abdullah-Ibn-Saba' be killed. People said: "Do you kill a man who is calling to your love, the love of Ahl-ul-Bayt, and to your allegiance and disowning your enemies?' Therefore,he exiled him to Mada'n5"  

A group of Ahl-ul-'Ilm (people of knowledge) narrated that Abdullah Ibn Saba' was a jew who converted to Islam, and supported Ali Ibn Abi Taleb. Furthermore, they state he used to say about Yousha' Ibn Noun6 and Moses ('alayhi as-salaam) what he said about Ali Ibn Abi Taleb after he converted to Islam. Moreover, that Abdullah Ibn Saba was the first to declare the ordinance of the Imamate (khilafah) of Ali, and the disavowment of Ali's enemies. This is the reason why those who are against Shi'ah say that the origin of Shiism is jewish. (Firaq ashi'ah,32-44) 

Sa'd-Ibn-Abdullah al-Ash'ary al-Qummi stated in his talk about the Saba'iyah: "The Saba'iyah are the followers of Abdullah-Ibn-Saba', who is Abdullah-Ibn-Wahb al-Rasby al-Hamdani. Abdullah-Ibn-Khursi and Ibn-Aswad, who were of his very close friends, supported him. Ibn Saba' was one of the first who declared defamation of Abu-Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman and the rest of the companions and absolved himself of them" (Al-Maqalat wa Al-Firaq: 20) 

5- As Saduq said: "Ali-Ibn-Abi-Taleb (‘alayhi as-salaam) said: when one  finishes praying, he should raise his hands to heaven and start to invoke Allah. Ibn Saba’a said: 'oh Amir ul-Mumineen! Isn’t Allah (‘azza wa jal) everywhere? He said: yes'. Thereafter Ibn Sabaa said: ‘then why should we raise our hands to heavens?’ He replied: Haven’t you read the verse: 'and in heaven is your sustenance as (also) that which ye are promised' (Quran 51:22)? Therefore you should ask for sustenance from its location, which is heaven as Allah has promised” (Man La Yahduruhul-Faqih, 1:229)  

5 

6 One of the prophets of the children of Israel (translator) 

6- Ibn Abi Al-Hadeed stated that Abdullah Ibn Saba’ went to Ali Ibn Abi Taleb when he was preaching and told him more than one time: “It’s you! it’s you!" Thereafter Ali replied, "Woe unto you! who am I?" Ibn Saba’a replied: “You are Allah.” Thereafter, Ali bin Abi Taleb ordered that he be arrested and others who believed likewise. (Sharh Nahjul-Balagha, 5:5) 

7- Ne’mat Allah al-Jazaery stated: “Abdullah-Ibn-Saba’ told Ali Ibn Abi Taleb: “Indeed you’re God”. So Ali exiled him to Mada'en. And it was said that he was a Jew who converted to Islam and that when he was a Jew, he used to believe the same about Yousha’ bin Noon (one of the prophets of the children of Israel) and Moses” (al-Anwar al-No‘maniyah, 2:234)  

The above are seven texts from various authentic sources, some of which are about the reliability of men, and others are fiqh (jurisprudence) books and books that deal with sects. I didn’t quote from other sources, so as not to make this chapter long.  

These texts prove the existence of Abdullah Ibn Saba'. Thereafter we can not deny his existence, especially given that Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (‘alayhi as-salaam) punished him for saying that he is Allah. This means that  Ali Ibn Abi Taleb met Abdullah Ibn Saba’ and Ali is enough as a proof for the existence of Abdullah Ibn Saba'. 

The previous texts prove the following: 

• 1- The existence of Ibn Saba’ and a sect that supported him and called to what he believed, this sect is known as  'Sabaeyah'.  

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• 2- Ibn Saba’  was a Jew who pretended to be a Muslim, so as to be able to spread his poisonous ideas. 

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• 3- Abdullah Ibn Saba’ is the one who announced the degradation and defamation of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and the companions. Furthermore, he was the first to believe in the Imamate (khilafah) of Ali Ibn Abi Taleb ‘(alayhi as-salam), and that  he was the prophet Muhammad’s (sala Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) regent and that he had transmitted this from the Jewish heritage. He stated this out of his love for Ahl-ul-Bayt to call to their proximity, and to renounce their enemies who are the companions and who appointed them as rulers.  

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To know more about Abdullah bin Saba’a see:  

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Al-Gharat by al-Thaqafy, Rijaal al-Tousy and ar-Rigal by al-Hilly, Qamous ar-Rijal by at-Toustory, Daerat al-Ma'aref known as Muqtabas al-Athar by al-A'lamy al-Haery, al-Kuna wa al-Alqab by 'Abas al-Qummi, Hal al-Ishkal by Ahmad bin Tawous (died in 673 After hijrah), Ar-Rijal by Ibn Dawoud, At-Tahreer by al-Tawousy, Mujma' ar-Rijal by al-Qahbai, Naqd ar-Rijal by al-Tafroushy, Jami' ar-Rowah by al-Maqdesy al-Ardabeely, Manaqeb Aal Abi Taleb by Ibn Shahr Ashoub, Miraat al-Anwar by Muhammad bin Taher Aal-‘Amely. 

These books are about twenty and they are not the only books that prove the existence of Abdullah Ibn Saba’. For this reason, it is indeed bizarre that jurists such as al-Murtada al-Askary and Muhammad Jawwad Mughniyah deny the existence of Abdullah Ibn Saba’, which we know now is far from the truth.