Rafidhi Shi'ites, as part of their faith, purposefully conceal historical facts and beliefs that portray their sect negatively, even though such facts and beliefs can be easily found in books of their own past scholars and continually perpetuated by their own present scholars. Instead of answering questions as to why their own renowned scholars trace the lineage of their sect to a Jew called Abdullah bin Saba', they turn to insult the family of Abu Sufyan radhiyallahu'anhu and mock his past aggression towards the Prophet before embracing Islam.
May Allah rid us all of hatred towards the Companions of Rasulullah Shallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, hatred towards Muslims who have repented from past sins and hatred towards non-Muslims who embrace Islam from their religion of kufr.
May Allah rid us all of hatred towards the Companions of Rasulullah Shallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, hatred towards Muslims who have repented from past sins and hatred towards non-Muslims who embrace Islam from their religion of kufr.
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Khalifa Uthman ruled for twelve years. The first six years were marked by internal peace and tranquility, but during the second half of his caliphate a rebellion arose. The Jews and the Magians, taking advantage of dissatisfaction among the people, began conspiring against Khalifa Uthman and by publicly airing their complaints and grievances, gained so much sympathy that it became difficult to distinguish friend from foe.
It may seem surprising that a ruler of such vast territories, whose armies were matchless, was unable to deal with these rebels. If Khalifa Uthman had wished, the rebellion could have been crushed at the very moment it began. But he was reluctant to be the first to shed the blood of Muslims (especially Sahâbah), however rebellious they might be. No one would ever expected what happened later. He preferred to reason with them, to persuade them with kindness and generosity. He well remembered hearing the Prophet Muhammad say, "Once the sword is unsheathed among my followers, it will not be sheathed until the Last Day."
The rebels demanded that he abdicate and some of the Companions advised him to do so. He would gladly have followed this course of action, but again he was bound by a solemn pledge he had given to the Prophet. "Perhaps God will clothe you with a shirt, Uthman" the Prophet had told him once, "and if the people want you to take it off, do not take it off for them." Khalifa Uthman said to a well-wisher on a day when his house was surrounded by the rebels, "God's Messenger made a covenant with me and I shall show endurance in adhering to it."
After a long siege, the rebels broke into Khalifa Uthman 's house and murdered him. When the first assassin's sword struck Khalifa Uthman , he was reciting the verse: "Verily, God sufficeth thee; He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing" [2:137]
Ali accepted the caliphate very reluctantly. Uthman's murder and the events surrounding it were a symptom, and also became a cause, of civil strife on a large scale. All governors gave the pledge to Ali except Mu'awiyah , the governor of Sham (Great Syria). Mu'awiyah declined to obey until Uthman's blood was avenged. His decision was based on the fact that he is not required to obey the Caliph until he (Ali ) is able to enforce the rule of Allaah. Mu'awiyah was the cousin of 'Uthman , so he was the responsible of asking Ali to bring the murderers to trial. The Prophet's widow Aaishah also took the position that Ali should first bring the murderers to trial. Due to the chaotic conditions during the last days of Khalifah Uthman it was very difficult to establish the identity of the murderers, and Ali refused to punish anyone whose guilt was not lawfully proved.
The pretext for the meeting of the armies on the day of the Camel and the day of Siffin was the demand for `Uthman's killers on the part of `Aaishah and Mu'awiyah , but the winds of war were fanned by the followers of Abdullah bin Saba' the Jew, from inside all three camps until events escaped the control of the Companions. It is related that `Ali, `Aaishah , and Mu'awiyah often expressed astonishment at the dissension and opposition that surrounded them.
After that some Shia declared Ali as a god. He then burned them alive with fire. After the killing of Abdullah bin Saba', Shia were divided into many new sects. Each one has its own Imaam.
All Sunni and Shia authorities were agreed that Abdullah bin Saba' was the original founder of the major Shia doctrines up until the Orientalists such as Bernard Lewis, Julius Wellhausen, Friedlander, and Caetani Leone started to cast doubt about the existence of Abdullah bin Saba', and they were followed by others, such as Taha Hussain, Muhammad Kaamil Hussain, and likewise those from the Shia, such as Murtaza al-Askari.
The pretext for the meeting of the armies on the day of the Camel and the day of Siffin was the demand for `Uthman's killers on the part of `Aaishah and Mu'awiyah , but the winds of war were fanned by the followers of Abdullah bin Saba' the Jew, from inside all three camps until events escaped the control of the Companions. It is related that `Ali, `Aaishah , and Mu'awiyah often expressed astonishment at the dissension and opposition that surrounded them.
After that some Shia declared Ali as a god. He then burned them alive with fire. After the killing of Abdullah bin Saba', Shia were divided into many new sects. Each one has its own Imaam.
All Sunni and Shia authorities were agreed that Abdullah bin Saba' was the original founder of the major Shia doctrines up until the Orientalists such as Bernard Lewis, Julius Wellhausen, Friedlander, and Caetani Leone started to cast doubt about the existence of Abdullah bin Saba', and they were followed by others, such as Taha Hussain, Muhammad Kaamil Hussain, and likewise those from the Shia, such as Murtaza al-Askari.
Prior to 1300H (1900CE) there was no dispute about this matter at all. The contemporary Shia found in the writings of those Orientalists what was the delight of the eye and thus they began authoring in order to cast doubt about the existence of Abdullah bin Saba', as this would allow them to dismiss a large part of the criticism against them and their madhhab.
Here are some more citations from the from the accepted Shia authorities in their works.
Al-Maamqaani (another Shia scholar) from his work Tanqih al-Maqaal Fi Ilm al-Rijaal (2/183-184):
Al-Nawbakhti, from his book Firaq al-Shia, which we have documented in this article:
From Sa'd bin Abdullah al-Ash'ari al-Qummi who was speaking of the Sab'iyyah (in al-Maqaalaat wal-Firaq p. 20):
From Ibn Abi al-Hadeed, another of their famous scholars from his work Sharh Nahj al-Balaaghah (5/5):
Ni'matullah al-Jazaa'iree, another of their famous scholars from his book al-Anwaar al-Nu'maaniyyah (2/234):
With regards to one of Shia famous rijaal book that is held as held as authoritative amongst the Shia scholars and from them are al-Rijaal of Abu Umar Muhammad bin Umar bin Abd al-Aziz al-Kashi (d. 340H). In this book there is an entry for Abdullah bin Saba' al-Yahudi. We shall summarize what is found in this entry.
Al-Maamqaani (another Shia scholar) from his work Tanqih al-Maqaal Fi Ilm al-Rijaal (2/183-184):
عبد الله بن سبأ الذي رجع إلى الكفر وأظهر الغلو ... غال ملعون، حرقه أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام بالنار، وكان يزعم أن علياً إله، وأنه نبي
"Abdullah bin Saba' who returned to kufr (disbelief) and manifested ghuluww (exaggeration)... Exaggerator, cursed one, Amir al-Mu'mineen burned him with the fire, and he used to claim that Alee is a deity adn that he (Abdullah bin Saba') is a prophet."
Al-Nawbakhti, from his book Firaq al-Shia, which we have documented in this article:
وهم أصحاب عبد الله بن سبأ، وكان ممن أظهر الطعن على أبي بكر وعمر وعثمان والصحابة وتبرأ منهم وقال: "إن علياً عليه السلام أمره بذلك" فأخذه عليّ فسأله عن قوله هذا، فأقر به فأمر بقتله فصاح الناس إليه: يا أمير المؤمنين أتقتل رجلاً يدعو إلى حبكم أهل البيت وإلى ولايتك والبراءة من أعدائك؟ فصيره إلى المدائن.
وحكى جماعة من أهل العلم أن عبد الله بن سبأ كان يهودياً فأسلم ووالى علياً وكان يقول وهو على يهوديته في يوشع بن نون بعد موسى عليه السلام بـهذه المقالة، فقال في إسلامه في علي بن أبي طالب بمثل ذلك، وهو أول من شهر القول بفرض إمامة علي عليه السلام وأظهر البراءة من أعدائه .. فمن هنا قال من خالف الشيعة: إن أصل الرفض مأخوذ من اليهودية
"...and this sect is called the Sab'iyyah, the associates of Abdullah bin Saba', and he used to display revilement of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthmaan and the Companions and would free himself from them. And he said tha Ali (alayhis salaam) commanded him to do so. Ali took hold of him and asked him about this saying of his and he affirmed it, so he ordered that he be killed, but then the people protested, "O Amir al-Mu'mineen! Will you kill a man who calls to love of the Ahl al-Bayt, to your loyalty and disassociation from your enemies?" So instead, he exiled him to al-Madaa'in. A group from the people of knowledge from the associates of Alee (alayhis salaam) judged that Abdullah bin Saba' was a Jew who then became Muslim and showed loyalty to Alee (alayhis salaam) and whilst he was a Jew he used to say the same of Joshua bin Nun after Moses (alayhis salaam) [as he said about Alee], and in his Islam, he (Ibn Saba') would say the same of Alee (alayhis salaam) after the death of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam), with what is similar to that (what he used to say as a Jew). He was also the first to witness with the saying of the obligation of the leadership (imaamah) of Alee (alayhis salaam), and he openly announced his disavowal of his enemies and declared them disbelievers. It is from here that whoever opposed the Shia said, "The foundation of al-Rafd is taken from the Jews."
From Sa'd bin Abdullah al-Ash'ari al-Qummi who was speaking of the Sab'iyyah (in al-Maqaalaat wal-Firaq p. 20):
السبئية أصحاب عبد الله بن سبأ، وهو عبد الله بن وهب الراسبي الهمداني، وساعده على ذلك عبد الله بن خرسي وابن اسود وهما من أجل أصحابه، وكان أول من أظهر الطعن على أبي بكر وعمر وعثمان والصحابة وتبرأ منهم
"Al-Sab'iyyah are the associates of Abdullah bin Saba' and he is Abdullah bin Wahb al-Raasibee al-Hamdaanee, and he was supported in that by Abullah bin Khurasee and Ibn Aswad and they are the loftiest of his companions, and the first of what he manifested was revilement upon Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthmaan and the Companions and he freed himself from them."
From Ibn Abi al-Hadeed, another of their famous scholars from his work Sharh Nahj al-Balaaghah (5/5):
أن عبد الله بن سبأ قام إلى علي وهو يخطب فقال له: أنت أنت، وجعل يكررها، فقال له - علي - ويلك من أنا، فقال: أنت الله، فأمر بأخذه وأخذ قوم كانوا معه على رأيه
"Abdullah bin Saba' stood addressing Ali saying, "You, You" and he began repeating it, so Ali said to him, "Woe be to you, and who am I?" He said, "You are Allaah." So he ordered that he be captured and a group of people with him upon his view."
Ni'matullah al-Jazaa'iree, another of their famous scholars from his book al-Anwaar al-Nu'maaniyyah (2/234):
قال عبد الله بن سبأ لعلي عليه السلام: أنت الإله حقاً، فنفاه علي عليه السلام إلى المدائن، وقيل أنه كان يهودياً فأسلم، وكان في اليهودية يقول في يوشع بن نون وفي موسى مثل ما قال في علي
"Abdullah bin Saba' said to Ali (alayhis salaam), "You are the deity in truth." So Ali (alayhis salaam) banished him to al-Madaa'in, and it is said that he was a Jew who accepted Islam and whilst upon his Judaism he used to say about Joshua bin Noon and about Moses the likes of what he said about Ali"
There occurs in the entry for Abdullah bin Saba':
1) ... from Abi Ja'far (alayhis salaam) that Abdullah bin Saba' used to claim prophethood and used to claim that Amir al-Mu'mineen (alayhis salaam) is Allah, Exalted is He from that. This reached Amir al-Mu'mineen (alayhis salaam) who summoned him and asked him (about it) so he (Ibn Saba') affirmed it and said, "Yes, you are Him, and it had been entered into my soul that you are Allaah and that I am a prophet." So Amir al-Mu'mineen (alayhis salaam) said to him, "Woe to you, the devils have mocked you, so recant from this, may your mother be bereaved of you, and repent." But he refused, so he was imprisoned and asked to repent over three days. He never repented and was burned with fire. And he (Abi Ja'far, the narrator) said, "Shaytan had beguiled him, he used to come to him (Ibn Saba') and would put that (idea) into his soul."
2) ... from Hisham bin Salim who said I heard Abu Abd Allah (alayis salaam) say, whilst he was narrating to his companions about the issue of Abdullah bin Saba' and his claim of rububiyyah (lordship) for Amir al-Mu'mineen Ali bin Abi Talib, so he said that when he claimed that Amir al-Mu'mineen (alayhis salaam) sought his repentance, but he refused and so he was burned with fire.
3) ... from Ibaan bin Uthman that he heard Abu Abd Allah (alayis salaam) saying, "May Allaah curse Abdullaah bin Saba', he claimed rububiyyah for Amir al-Mu'mineen Ali bin Abi Talib (alayhis salaam) and Amir al-Mu'imeen (alayhis salaam) was an obedient slave of Allaah. Woe be to the one who lied against us, for a people say about us what we do not say about ourselves, and we free ourselves from them in front of Allaah, we free ourselves from them in front of Allaah."
4) ... from Hamza al-Mithaalee who said that Ali bin al-Husayn (salawaatallaah alayhimaa) said, "May the curse of Allaah be upon the one who rejected Alee. I mentioned Abdullah bin Saba' and all of the hairs of my body stood, for he claimed a mighty affair, may Allaah curse him. Alee (alayhis salaam), by Allaah, was a righteous slave of Allaah, a brother to the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam), he did not attain honor, nobility from Allaah except by obedience to Allaah and His Messenger and the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa aalihi) did not attain honor, nobility from Allaah except by obeying Him."
5) ...Abee Najran said that Abu Abd Allah (alayis salaam) said, "The Ahl al-Bayt are truthful, and we are not devoid of (the presence of) liars who lie against us, and who try to invalidate our truthfulness by lying against us to the people. The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa aalihi) the most truthful of people in expression and the most truthful of all of creation. And Musaylamah al-Kadhdhaab used to lie upon him. And Amir al-Mu'mineen (Ali) (alayhis salaam) was the most truthful [expression unclear] of Allaah after the Messenger of Allaah, and the one who used to lie against him and worked for the rejection of his truthfulness (amongst the people) and who would fabricate lies upon him was Abdullah bin Saba'.
6) ... and some of the people of knowledge have said that Abdullah bin Saba' was a Jew who then became Muslim and showed loyalty to Alee (alayhis salaam) and whilst he was a Jew he used to say the same of Joshua bin Nun after Moses (alayhis salaam) [as he said about Alee], and in his Islam, he (Ibn Saba') would say the same of Alee (alayhis salaam) after the death of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam), with what is similar to that (what he used to say as a Jew). He was also the first to witness with the saying of the obligation of the leadership (imaamah) of Alee (alayhis salaam), and he openly announced his disavowal of his enemies and declared them disbelievers. It is from here that whoever opposed the Shia said, "The foundation of al-Rafd is taken from the Jews."
From all of the above, we have corroboration of the existence of the personality of Abdullah bin Saba' and the existence of a faction who aided him and pronounced his call and they are known as al-Sab'iyyah. That Ibn Saba' was a Jew who proclaimed Islam, and even though he proclaimed Islam, it was simply a cover to spread his poison. He is the one who first manifested revilement upon Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthmaan and the Companions. And he is the first one who spoke of the Imaamah (leadership) of Amir al-Mu'mineen (alayhis salaam), and he is the one who said that he (alayhis salaam) is the wasiyy of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa aalihi) (i.e. the one with whom the people were advised as a legacy) and (he claimed) he never said this except out of love for Ahl al-Bayt, and calling to their allegiance and disavowing from their enemies, and they are the Companions and whoever allied with him upon his claim. After this it is not possible to reject the person of Abdullah bin Saba' as a reality. There are other (Shia) sources which have been mentioned where one can look to see further mention of him in their books:
1) ... from Abi Ja'far (alayhis salaam) that Abdullah bin Saba' used to claim prophethood and used to claim that Amir al-Mu'mineen (alayhis salaam) is Allah, Exalted is He from that. This reached Amir al-Mu'mineen (alayhis salaam) who summoned him and asked him (about it) so he (Ibn Saba') affirmed it and said, "Yes, you are Him, and it had been entered into my soul that you are Allaah and that I am a prophet." So Amir al-Mu'mineen (alayhis salaam) said to him, "Woe to you, the devils have mocked you, so recant from this, may your mother be bereaved of you, and repent." But he refused, so he was imprisoned and asked to repent over three days. He never repented and was burned with fire. And he (Abi Ja'far, the narrator) said, "Shaytan had beguiled him, he used to come to him (Ibn Saba') and would put that (idea) into his soul."
2) ... from Hisham bin Salim who said I heard Abu Abd Allah (alayis salaam) say, whilst he was narrating to his companions about the issue of Abdullah bin Saba' and his claim of rububiyyah (lordship) for Amir al-Mu'mineen Ali bin Abi Talib, so he said that when he claimed that Amir al-Mu'mineen (alayhis salaam) sought his repentance, but he refused and so he was burned with fire.
3) ... from Ibaan bin Uthman that he heard Abu Abd Allah (alayis salaam) saying, "May Allaah curse Abdullaah bin Saba', he claimed rububiyyah for Amir al-Mu'mineen Ali bin Abi Talib (alayhis salaam) and Amir al-Mu'imeen (alayhis salaam) was an obedient slave of Allaah. Woe be to the one who lied against us, for a people say about us what we do not say about ourselves, and we free ourselves from them in front of Allaah, we free ourselves from them in front of Allaah."
4) ... from Hamza al-Mithaalee who said that Ali bin al-Husayn (salawaatallaah alayhimaa) said, "May the curse of Allaah be upon the one who rejected Alee. I mentioned Abdullah bin Saba' and all of the hairs of my body stood, for he claimed a mighty affair, may Allaah curse him. Alee (alayhis salaam), by Allaah, was a righteous slave of Allaah, a brother to the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam), he did not attain honor, nobility from Allaah except by obedience to Allaah and His Messenger and the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa aalihi) did not attain honor, nobility from Allaah except by obeying Him."
5) ...Abee Najran said that Abu Abd Allah (alayis salaam) said, "The Ahl al-Bayt are truthful, and we are not devoid of (the presence of) liars who lie against us, and who try to invalidate our truthfulness by lying against us to the people. The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa aalihi) the most truthful of people in expression and the most truthful of all of creation. And Musaylamah al-Kadhdhaab used to lie upon him. And Amir al-Mu'mineen (Ali) (alayhis salaam) was the most truthful [expression unclear] of Allaah after the Messenger of Allaah, and the one who used to lie against him and worked for the rejection of his truthfulness (amongst the people) and who would fabricate lies upon him was Abdullah bin Saba'.
6) ... and some of the people of knowledge have said that Abdullah bin Saba' was a Jew who then became Muslim and showed loyalty to Alee (alayhis salaam) and whilst he was a Jew he used to say the same of Joshua bin Nun after Moses (alayhis salaam) [as he said about Alee], and in his Islam, he (Ibn Saba') would say the same of Alee (alayhis salaam) after the death of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam), with what is similar to that (what he used to say as a Jew). He was also the first to witness with the saying of the obligation of the leadership (imaamah) of Alee (alayhis salaam), and he openly announced his disavowal of his enemies and declared them disbelievers. It is from here that whoever opposed the Shia said, "The foundation of al-Rafd is taken from the Jews."
From all of the above, we have corroboration of the existence of the personality of Abdullah bin Saba' and the existence of a faction who aided him and pronounced his call and they are known as al-Sab'iyyah. That Ibn Saba' was a Jew who proclaimed Islam, and even though he proclaimed Islam, it was simply a cover to spread his poison. He is the one who first manifested revilement upon Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthmaan and the Companions. And he is the first one who spoke of the Imaamah (leadership) of Amir al-Mu'mineen (alayhis salaam), and he is the one who said that he (alayhis salaam) is the wasiyy of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa aalihi) (i.e. the one with whom the people were advised as a legacy) and (he claimed) he never said this except out of love for Ahl al-Bayt, and calling to their allegiance and disavowing from their enemies, and they are the Companions and whoever allied with him upon his claim. After this it is not possible to reject the person of Abdullah bin Saba' as a reality. There are other (Shia) sources which have been mentioned where one can look to see further mention of him in their books:
- Al-Ghaaraat of al-Thaqafi
- Rijaal al-Toosee
- al-Rijaal of al-Hillee
- Qaamoos al-Rijaal of al-Tustaree
- Daa'irah al-Ma'aarif al-Musammaa bin Muqtabas al-Athar of al-A'lamee al-Haa'iree
- al-Kunaa wal-Alqaab of Abaas al-Qummee
- Hall al-Ishkaal of Ahmad bin Taawus (d. 673H)
- al-Rijaal of Ibn Daawuood
- al-Tahreer of al-Taawoosee
- Majma' al-Rijaal of al-Qahbaa'ee
- Naqd al-Rijaal of al-Tafrishee
- Jaami al-Ruwaat of al-Maqdisee al-Irdibeelee
- Manaaqib Aal Abi Taalib of Ibn Shahr Ashwab
- Mir'aat al-Anwaar of Muhammad bin Taahir al-Aamilee
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