The Legend of 'Abdallah ibn Saba' and the Date of Umm al-Kitab

摘要

Abdallah ibn Saba is a figure generally regarded as Islam's first heretic by SunnT scholars and also vilified by Shfi scholars. In this article an anonymous, esoteric work known as Umm al-Kitab is examined as it contains an exceptional narrative that adopts a strikingly sympathetic approach to Ibn Saba'. It is also argued that the work's unique take on the Ibn Saba' legend sheds considerable light on the date and elusive provenance of this early Shii text.