WHO IS ABDULLAH IBN SABA AND WHAT ROLE CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO HIM IN THE FORMATION OF SHIISM?

[Taqavi]

Who is Abdullah ibn Saba and what role can be attributed to him in the formation of Shiism?

 

 It must be said that some have attributed a significant role to him in history and consider him a key figure in all the wars during the time of Imam Ali (AS), attributing Shia to him.

Tabari mentions that during the time of Uthman, a Jewish person named Abdullah ibn Saba from "San'a" converted to Islam. He held different beliefs compared to other Muslims, such as the belief that the Prophet (SAW) would return like Jesus, every prophet had a successor, Imam Ali (AS) was the successor of the Prophet (SAW), and Uthman was a usurper of the caliphate. Abdullah ibn Saba traveled to Islamic lands to promote his beliefs and was able to attract the support from individuals like Abu Dharr, Ammar ibn Yasir, Muhammad ibn Abi Hudhayfa, Abdul Rahman Adis, Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, Saasa'a bin Sohan Abdi and Malik Ashtar.

 As a result of these provocations, some Muslims rebelled against the caliph of the time and killed him, and this group had a significant influence in the Battle of Jamal and the Battle of Siffin.[1]

In response to this perspective, Dr. Taha Hussein Egyptian argues that those who have magnified the issue of Abdullah bin Saba to such an extent have done great injustice to themselves and the history because the first problem we face is that In important historical sources, we do not see any mention of Abdullah bin Saba, whether in the categories of Ibn Sad or Ansaab al-Ashraf by Baladhuri and in other historical sources, only Tabari has mentioned this issue through Saif bin Omar. Other historians who have discussed this issue have quoted it from Tabari.[2] Dr. Taha Hussein argues elsewhere that Shia enemies during the Umayyad and Abbasid periods have exaggerated the story of Abdullah ibn Saba.[3]

Mohammad Amareh casts doubt on the story of Abdullah ibn Saba.[4] Other individuals who doubt the existence of Abdullah ibn Saba and his story include Seyyed Morteza Askari. [5] Scholars who believe in his existence due to Narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt (AS)[6] consider him a heretic and an infidel, but they do not accept the role that has been outlined for Abdullah ibn Saba. Sheikh Tusi considers him a heretic and an infidel,[7] just as Allameh Hilli also considers Abdullah ibn Saba a heretic and cursed.[8]

Based on this, whether his existence can be proven or not, what has been entered about him is his significant role during the time of Uthman, that is nothing more than a legend.

 

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[1] . Tarikh al-Tabari: Al-Tabari, Ibn Jarir, vol: 3 p: 378 / Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh: Ibn al-Athir, Az-Zadin, vol: 3 p: 154.

[2] . Al-Fitnah al-Kubra: Dr. Taha Hussein, vol. 1, p. 132.

[3] . Ibid, p. 134.

[4] . Al-Khilafah wa Nasha’at al-Ahzab al-Islamiyyah: Amarah, Muhammad, pp154-155.

[5] . Abdullah ibn Saba wa'asatir 'ukhraa: Al-Sayyid Murtada Al-Askari, vol: 2 pp: 381 to 385.

[6] . Wasa'il Al-Shi'a: Sheikh Hurr Al-Amili, vol: 28, p: 336.

[7] . Rijal al-Tusi: Sheikh al-Tusi, vol: 1, p: 75.

[8] . Khulasat al-Aqwal: Al-Allama al-Hilli, vol: 1 p: 372.