Abà « Muḥammad al-Ḥasan b Mà «sàan-Nawbakhtë (; born late 9th century and died between 912 and 922) was a leading Shë'ë Muslim theologian and philosopher in the first half of the 10th century of Persian descent. The Nawbakhtë family boasted a number of scholars famous at the AbbÃÂsid court of HÃÂrà «n al-Rashëd (786âÂÂ809). Al-Ḥasan ibn Mà «sa is best known for his book about the Shi'a sects titled Firaq al-Shi'a, which significantly relies on Hisham ibn al-Hakam's earlier work Ikhtilaf al-nass fi l-imama.
Abà « Muḥammad al-Ḥasan ibn Mà «sa al-Nawbakhti was the nephew of the theologian philosopher Abà « Sahl ibn Nawbakht. Among his fellow translators of books of philosophy were Abà « 'UthmÃÂn al-Dimashqi, IsḥÃÂq ibn Ḥunayn, and ThÃÂbit ibn Qurra. It was claimed al-Ḥasan ibn Mà «sa was both Muÿtazila and ShëâÂÂa for the Nawbakht family were known followers of âÂÂAlë. He transcribed a large number of books and wrote books on theology, philosophy and other topics. His book Firaq aà ¡-à ¡Ã«'a (The sects of Shi'a) is the earliest surviving complete work on the Shiite sects, and the oldest text from an imamitic perspective on the differences between the various Islamic sects and their origins within Shiism.