Hashem as-Sabi' was born in Qalqilya in 1912, and obtained an international certificate from al-Azhar University in Cairo in 1925. As-Sabi' is considered one of the most prominent journalists affiliated with Hizb al-Istiqlal (The Independence Party) in Yafa. He is one of the pioneers of the satirical journalism industry in Palestine, who wrote in many newspapers and magazines in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt until he founded his own magazine "As-Sareh" from which "Ashabab" Magazine emerged. He was known for his harsh critical articles, which led to many arrests and bans during his career. He passed away in 1958.

A political-critical magazine, from which Ashabab Magazine branched off, founded by Hashim as-Sabi' in 1947 in Yafa, was published weekly and dealt with current political, social and economic events in Palestine and the Arab region and related matters at that time, in an innovative way of humour and political criticism, making it a pioneer of its kind.
The Magazine was published in several places, most notably Yafa, Nablus, and Jerusalem. Its publication was not regular because it was banned and its owner was arrested following his critical articles.
There is a dispute over the last date of the publication of as-Sareeh Magazine among Palestinian and Arab historians, but it is believed that it stopped with the issuance of its last issue in 1958 by a decision of the Jordanian Rule of the West Bank to revoke its license and arrest Hashim as-Sabi', after which he passed away in the same year.