Sa'id bin Jubayr is a legendary figure from the first century of Islam. He is renowned as a scholar of the Qur'an who famously rebelled against the governor of Iraq, al-Hajjaj. His altercation with al-Hajjaj and his subsequent beheading earned him admiration in multiple factions of Islam. These aspects of his life in combination with his African descent and supposed prowess in chess, create an intricate character who lived in a time for which contemporary historical sources are largely absent. Sa'id bin Jubayr: An African scholar and rebel in Early Islam focuses on Ibn Jubayr as he has been presented in Western scholarship of Islam from the middle of the nineteenth century up until today. In the various academic debates, the remarkable facets of his life and work have been part of arguments or illustrations, frequently in comparison with other notable figures of his time. Despite the paucity of historical and archaeological evidence, the discussions in Arabic and Islamic studies as well as in additional fields, such as African studies and chess history, demonstrate the importance of Ibn Jubayr in today's scholarship and the different ways in which he continues to intrigue those who are exposed to his exceptional story.
