The first ever sect that was created in Islam was by abdullah ibn saba. He played the same role which was played by st. paul of Christians. Just like st. paul, abdullah ibn saba was also a jew who entered islam not because he liked islam but because he wanted to corrupt islam. Why he accepted islam and why he divided muslims, this can be explained by what he did.
Abdullah ibn saba was a great opposer of hazrat uthman r.a, the third caliph of Islam. Why he was so, it was because according to some tradtions, he was banished by uthman r.a. because of his evil and fitnah nature. A fitnah creator like him was never to be given place among muslims. Any way, in his enmity of uthman r.a. and hate for islam, he gathered up to 10,000 followers who were muslims just by name. They then started campaign against utheman r.a. by supporting Ali r.a. according to jewish encyclopedia, abdullah ibn saba is described as follows;
Shatrastani al-Milal, pp. 132 et seq. (in Haarbrücken's translation, i. 200-201);
Weil, Gesch. der Chalifen, i. 173-174, 209, 259.
Even though shias deny his existence to a great length. But jewish encyclopedia itself is the biggest proof of the existence of him. According to some traditions, abdullah ibn saba, when started associating divinity to Ali ibn talib r.a, he was burnt alive for this heinous crime on the orders of Ali r.a. And it is also said that during this man was being devoured alive by the fire, he was saying that Ali is god because only god burns when he is angry. Allahualam.
Whatever the case may be, but abdullah ibn saba caused the shahadah of utheman r.a by instigating hate in the hearts of ummah. Today, we find over all 32 sects within shiaism. And among them, one sect is called sabayiah. This is the same sect which follows this man abdullah ibn saba. No matter how many books are written to deny this one strong case against shiaism, the fact remains there. Abdullah ibn saba existed and he divided the ummah. One thing which his fitnah shown to the muslim ummah was the there exist weak faith belivers who can be manipulated easily by any tongue twister. Such people are nothing but satan's pawns, and satan always likes to sow discord between peaceful hearts, Allah swt say about satanic trick as follows;
Abdullah ibn saba was a great opposer of hazrat uthman r.a, the third caliph of Islam. Why he was so, it was because according to some tradtions, he was banished by uthman r.a. because of his evil and fitnah nature. A fitnah creator like him was never to be given place among muslims. Any way, in his enmity of uthman r.a. and hate for islam, he gathered up to 10,000 followers who were muslims just by name. They then started campaign against utheman r.a. by supporting Ali r.a. according to jewish encyclopedia, abdullah ibn saba is described as follows;
“A Jew of Yemen, Arabia, of the seventh century, who settled in Medina and embraced Islam. Having adversely criticized Calif Othman's administration, he was banished from the town. Thence he went to Egypt, where he founded an antiothmanian sect, to promote the interests of Ali. On account of his learning he obtained great influence there, and formulated the doctrine that, just as every prophet had an assistant who afterward succeeded him, Mohammed's vizier was Ali, who had therefore been kept out of the califate by deceit. Othman had no legal claim whatever to the califate; and the general dissatisfaction with his government greatly contributed to the spread of Abdallah's teachings. Tradition relates that when Ali had assumed power, Abdallah ascribed divine honors to him by addressing him with the words, "Thou art Thou!" Thereupon Ali banished him to Madain. After Ali's assassination Abdallah is said to have taught that Ali was not dead but alive, and had never been killed; that a part of the Deity was hidden in him; and that after a certain time he would return to fill the earth with justice. Till then the divine character of Ali was to remain hidden in the imams, who temporarily filled his place. It is easy to see that the whole idea rests on that of the Messiah in combination with the legend of Elijah the prophet. The attribution of divine honors to Ali was probably but a later development, and was fostered by the circumstance that in the Koran Allah is often styled "Al-Ali" (The Most High).”Bibliography:
Shatrastani al-Milal, pp. 132 et seq. (in Haarbrücken's translation, i. 200-201);
Weil, Gesch. der Chalifen, i. 173-174, 209, 259.
Even though shias deny his existence to a great length. But jewish encyclopedia itself is the biggest proof of the existence of him. According to some traditions, abdullah ibn saba, when started associating divinity to Ali ibn talib r.a, he was burnt alive for this heinous crime on the orders of Ali r.a. And it is also said that during this man was being devoured alive by the fire, he was saying that Ali is god because only god burns when he is angry. Allahualam.
Whatever the case may be, but abdullah ibn saba caused the shahadah of utheman r.a by instigating hate in the hearts of ummah. Today, we find over all 32 sects within shiaism. And among them, one sect is called sabayiah. This is the same sect which follows this man abdullah ibn saba. No matter how many books are written to deny this one strong case against shiaism, the fact remains there. Abdullah ibn saba existed and he divided the ummah. One thing which his fitnah shown to the muslim ummah was the there exist weak faith belivers who can be manipulated easily by any tongue twister. Such people are nothing but satan's pawns, and satan always likes to sow discord between peaceful hearts, Allah swt say about satanic trick as follows;
[008:073] The infidels lend one another mutual help. Unless ye do the same, there will be discord in the land and great corruption.