The Sa'bs were of Kurdish tribal origin and during the Ottoman era became a leading family (zu'ama) among the Shia Muslims of the Jabal Amil area of modern southern Lebanon.
[1] The Sa'bs lost the Shaqif Arnun tax farm and castle to the Ma'ns in the 1600s under their prominent chief Fakhr al-Din II.
Later in the century, they regained control of Shaqif Arnun and participated in the Shia victory against Fakhr al-Din's grandnephew Ahmad Ma'n at Nabatieh in 1666.
[2] The Sa'b family continued to be mentioned in the local narrative sources throughout the 18th century, mainly as holders of the tax farm of Bilad Bishara (Tibnin-Hunin-Qana triangle), usually in concert with other leading Shia clans, such as the Ali al-Saghirs and Munkars.
[4] They later allied with the Shihabs and the governor of Sidon Eyalet, As'ad Pasha al-Azm, against the Ali al-Saghirs, defeating the latter at Yaroun in 1732.