Ibn Saba Haqiqa la Khayal

Ibn Saba: Haqīqah lā Khayāl (Ibn Saba: Reality, Not Myth) is a historical and theological treatise by the scholar and hadith specialist Dr. Sa'di bin Mahdi al-Hashimi, dedicated to establishing the historical reality of Abdullah ibn Saba against modern skepticism Ibn Saba Haqiqa la Khayal+1.

Background and Purpose

The work originated as a lecture and research study delivered at the Islamic University of Madinah during the 1398–1399 AH (1978 CE) academic year and was published in the university's journal Usul Madhhab al-Shia al-I…+1. Al-Hashimi wrote the book to counter contemporary twentieth-century writers who denied the historical existence of Abdullah ibn Saba (also known as Ibn al-Sawdaʾ) or characterized him as a fictional persona invented by medieval historians Ibn Saba Haqiqa la Khayal+1. The author argues that classical Muslim scholars across various disciplines—including hadith critics (ahl al-jarh wa-l-ta'dil), historians, biographers, and authors of heresiographical literature (al-firaq wa-l-milal wa-l-nihal)—unanimously affirmed Ibn Saba's existence and documented his political and sectarian role Ibn Saba Haqiqa la Khayal.

Content and Arguments

Critique of Contemporary Skeptics

Al-Hashimi reviews and refutes several contemporary figures who dismissed Ibn Saba as an imaginary or misidentified figure Mawsuat al-Firaq al-Munta…+1:

• Muhammad Jawad Mughniyya, who regarded Ibn Saba as a legendary figure utilized by critics to misrepresent Shi'ism Mawsuat al-Firaq al-Munta…+1.
• Murtada al-Askari, who concluded in his book Abdullah ibn Saba wa-Asatir Ukhra (Abdullah ibn Saba and Other Myths) that Ibn Saba was a fictitious character fabricated by the early chronicler Sayf ibn Umar Mawsuat al-Firaq al-Munta…+1.
• Dr. Ali al-Wardi (and subsequently Kamil Mustafa al-Shibi), who posited in Wu'az al-Salatin (Preachers of the Sultans) that Ibn Saba was in reality the companion Ammar ibn Yasir, pointing to shared epithets such as "Ibn al-Sawdaʾ" and Yemeni origins Mawsuat al-Firaq al-Munta…+1. Al-Hashimi rejects this identification, showing that classical Shi'i biographical dictionaries maintain distinct entries for Ammar—praising him as one of the "four pillars"—while separately listing Ibn Saba with explicit condemnation and curses Ibn Saba Haqiqa la Khayal.
• Dr. Abdullah Fayyad, author of Tarikh al-Imamiyya, who adopted skeptical and Orientalist-influenced arguments alleging that the narrative around Ibn Saba was exaggerated and weakly supported Mawsuat al-Firaq al-Munta…+1.

Evidentiary Method and Sources

To demonstrate Ibn Saba's historical reality, al-Hashimi relies primarily on early and authoritative Shi'i texts alongside classical Sunni literature Mawsuat al-Firaq al-Munta…+1. Among the key early works cited are Risalat al-Irja' by al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya (d. 95 AH), al-Maqalat wa-l-Firaq by Sa'd ibn Abdallah al-Qummi (d. 301 AH), and standard biographical registers (rijal) Ibn Saba Haqiqa la Khayal+1.

Through these sources, the treatise outlines the emergence of the Saba'iyya sect and documents the specific theological innovations attributed to Ibn Saba, including the assertion of an explicit appointment (wasiyya) designating Ali ibn Abi Talib as successor, open disavowal (bara'a) and declaration of disbelief (takfir) against earlier caliphs and companions, and early formulations of messianic return (raj'a) and divine incarnation (ghuluww) Ibn Saba Haqiqa la Khayal+1.