ɪt hˈæzbiːn sədʒˈɛstᵻd ðæt hiː wʌzɐ nˌiːoʊplɐtˈɑːnɪk fɪlˈɑːsəfɚ, ɐ pˌɛɹɪpɐtˈɛɾɪk fɪlˈɑːsəfɚ, ɐ pˈaɪθɐɡˌoːɹiən fɪlˈɑːsəfɚ, ɐ hɜːmˈɛɾɪsˌɪst, ɐ kˈæbəlˌɪst, ɐn ˈælkɪmˌɪst, ɐ hˈɛɾɚɹˌoʊdɑːks sˈuːfi, ɐ kɹˈɪptoʊˈɛsˈeɪtʃˌaɪmˈækɹˌɑːnlˌɛɾɚtˈuːbˈiːˈɛfˌaɪmˈækɹˌɑːn, ɐ plˈeɪdʒɚɹˌaɪzɚ, ɐ pˈænθiːˌɪst, ænd ɐn ˈæɹəɡənt sˈiːkɚɹ ʌv fˈeɪm, ðˌoʊ nˈʌn ʌv ðiːz ˈædɪkwətli kˈæɹɪktɚɹˌaɪz ˈɪbən sˈæbɪn.
It has been suggested that he was a Neoplatonic philosopher, a Peripatetic philosopher, a Pythagorean philosopher, a Hermeticist, a Kabbalist, an alchemist, a heterodox Sufi, a crypto-Shīʿī, a plagiarizer, a pantheist, and an arrogant seeker of fame, though none of these adequately characterise Ibn Sab'in.