WHO was Abdullah ibn Saba’ and what is his story? He was a figure associated with some of the most dangerous seditions in early Islamic history. Abdullah ibn Saba’ was a Jewish man from Sana’a, Yemen. Known as Abu al-Husayn, he was notorious for his cunning and deceit. Although he outwardly converted to Islam during the caliphate of the Rightly-Guided Caliph Othman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), he remained a Jew at heart.
His primary goal was to incite conflict among Muslims and undermine their faith. Historical accounts indicate that Ibn Saba’ began by the alleged guardianship of Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), claiming that he was the most deserving of succeeding the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
He went further to claim that Ali had not died and would return, and eventually went so far as to claim the divinity of Ali ibn Abi Talib. Ibn Saba’ moved strategically, beginning in the Hijaz, where people were closely connected to the Companions and the teachings of the Prophet. However, when he found no one willing to accept his fabrications there, he turned to Basra. When the governor of Basra tightened the noose around Ibn Saba’, he fled to Kufa, where he managed to recruit a few supporters. However, the governor of Kufa, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him), was firm in his stance and expelled him.
Ibn Saba’ then moved to Syria, but found Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) highly vigilant and was expelled once again. With no refuge left, Ibn Saba’ turned to Egypt, where some people harbored grievances against some of their governors. He exploited this atmosphere to spread his ideas.
A group of individuals with rebellious tendencies and hostility toward Caliph Othman ibn Affan gathered around him. He formed an organized group, and began dispatching his followers to various provinces to sow doubts and spread lies. History books such as “Al-Tabari’s History”, “Al- Bidayah wa al-Nihayah” (The Beginning and the End), “Al-Milal wa al-Nihal” (Religions and Sects), and “Al-Fasl fial-Milal wa al-Ahwa’ wa al-Nihal” (The Facts of Religions, Doctrines, and Sects) mention that Ibn Saba’ used forged letters to deceive the people of Basra, Kufa, and Egypt. He wrote in the names of prominent Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), falsely claiming they were calling for rebellion after the murder of Caliph Othman ibn Affan.
Historians note that Ibn Saba’ manipulated and corrupted the minds of his followers to the extent that they viewed rebelling against Uthman as an urgent necessity. These followers became the core group behind the sedition that ultimately led to the siege of Caliph Othman’s palace and his tragic assassination. After the murder of Othman ibn Affan and the pledge of allegiance to Ali ibn Abi Talib, Ibn Saba’ and his followers did not rest.
Instead, they began sowing discord between Ali ibn Abi Talib and Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan. Ali ibn Abi Talib summoned Abdullah ibn Saba’ and confronted him about his statements, which Ibn Saba’ admitted. Ali ibn Abi Talib initially ordered that Ibn Saba’ be executed, but later reconsidered, fearing that it might spark greater strife among his followers. He instead reduced the sentence to flogging and banished him to Madina, where he remained until his death. However, Ibn Saba’s threat extended beyond politics... it reached into matters of religion and Islamic doctrine.
All of Ibn Saba’s ideas had no connection to Islam and were instead influenced by certain Jewish and esoteric beliefs. Abdullah ibn Saba’ played a major role in undermining Muslim unity. He exploited minor disagreements among the Companions and inflamed them until they escalated into wars.
Reliable historical sources agree that Ibn Saba’s subversive activities were a significant factor in sparking the Great Strife. While he was not the sole cause, he was the most prominent driver behind the destructive movements of that era. Today, similar figures exist such as those who infiltrate the nation, claim to speak on its behalf, but harbor deep hostility within, seeking to fracture its unity from within.
