Musaylimah or
Maslamah ibn Ḥabīb was one of a series of men who claimed to be a prophet around the same time as
MuhammadMuhammad ibn ‘Abdullāh , is the founder of the religion of Islam [ إِسْلامْ ] and is regarded by Muslims as a messenger and prophet of , the last and the greatest law-bearer in a series of Islamic prophets as taught by the...
. He is often viewed as a false prophet by traditional accounts, and frequently referred to by the epithet "the Liar" (
al-Kaḏḏāb).
Musaylimah's name was
Ibn Habib al-Hanifi, which indicates that he was the son of Habib, of the tribe
Banu HanifaBanu Hanifa were an ancient Arab tribe inhabiting the area of al-Yamama in the central region of modern-day Saudi Arabia. The tribe belonged to the great Rabi'ah branch of North Arabian tribes, which also included 'Anizzah, Abd al-Qays, Bakr, and Taghlib...
, one of the largest tribes of Arabia that inhabited the region of Yamamah.
Musaylimah or
Maslamah ibn Ḥabīb was one of a series of men who claimed to be a prophet around the same time as
MuhammadMuhammad ibn ‘Abdullāh , is the founder of the religion of Islam [ إِسْلامْ ] and is regarded by Muslims as a messenger and prophet of , the last and the greatest law-bearer in a series of Islamic prophets as taught by the...
. He is often viewed as a false prophet by traditional accounts, and frequently referred to by the epithet "the Liar" (
al-Kaḏḏāb).
Name and biography
Musaylimah's name was
Ibn Habib al-Hanifi, which indicates that he was the son of Habib, of the tribe
Banu HanifaBanu Hanifa were an ancient Arab tribe inhabiting the area of al-Yamama in the central region of modern-day Saudi Arabia. The tribe belonged to the great Rabi'ah branch of North Arabian tribes, which also included 'Anizzah, Abd al-Qays, Bakr, and Taghlib...
, one of the largest tribes of Arabia that inhabited the region of Yamamah. The present
House of SaudThe House of Saud is the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The modern nation of Saudi Arabia was established in 1932, though the roots and influence for the House of Saud had been planted in the Arabian Peninsula several centuries earlier...
and the Al Saud dynasty traces their ancestry to the same
Banu HanifaBanu Hanifa were an ancient Arab tribe inhabiting the area of al-Yamama in the central region of modern-day Saudi Arabia. The tribe belonged to the great Rabi'ah branch of North Arabian tribes, which also included 'Anizzah, Abd al-Qays, Bakr, and Taghlib...
tribe. The Banu Hanifa were a
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
branch of
Banu BakrBanu Bakr ibn Wa'il or Banu Bakr, son of Wa'il were an Arabian tribe belonging to the large Rabi'ah branch of Adnanite tribes, which also included 'Anizzah, Taghlib, and Bani Hanifa. The tribe is reputed to have engaged in a 40-year war before Islam with its cousins from Taghlib, known as the War...
and led an independent existence prior to
IslamIslam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
.
Musaylimah was the theocratic lord of a sacred
haram or enclave which, according to one report, he had set up in Yamamah before the prophet's hijrah. He thus controlled an extensive area of eastern Arabia. He controlled more extensive territories and properties than Muhammad.
Among the first records of him is in late 9th Hijri, the Year of Delegations, when he accompanied a delegation of his tribe to
MedinaMedina is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province...
. The delegation included two other prominent Muslims. They would later help Musaylimah rise to power and save their tribe from destruction. These men were Nahar Ar-Rajjal bin Unfuwa (or Rahhal) and Muja'a bin Marara. In Medina, the deputation stayed with the daughter of al-Harith, a woman of the Ansar from the
Banu NajjarThe Banu Najjar was one of the Jewish tribes of Arabia during Muhammad's era.They were included in point 31 of the Constitution of Medina as allies to the Muslims, being as "one nation", but retaining their Jewish religion .-People:*Rumaysa bint Milhan...
.
When the delegation arrived at Medinah the camels were tied in a traveler's camp, and Musaylimah remained there to look after them while the other delegates went in.
They had talks with Muhammad. The delegation before their departure embraced Islam and denounced
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
without compunction. As was his custom, Muhammad presented gifts to the delegates, and when they had received their gifts one said, "We left one of our comrades in the camp to look after our mounts."
Muhammad gave them gifts for him also, and added, "He is not the least among you that he should stay behind to guard the property of his comrades." On their return they converted the tribe of
Banu HanifaBanu Hanifa were an ancient Arab tribe inhabiting the area of al-Yamama in the central region of modern-day Saudi Arabia. The tribe belonged to the great Rabi'ah branch of North Arabian tribes, which also included 'Anizzah, Abd al-Qays, Bakr, and Taghlib...
to Islam. They built a mosque at Yamamah and started regular prayers.
Proclaiming prophethood
While at Yamamah, Musaylimah proclaimed his prophethood and gathered the people, referring to Muhammad, addressed them:
Musaylimah, who is reported as having been a skilled
magicianMagic is a performing art that entertains an audience by creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats, using purely natural means...
, dazzled the crowd with miracles. He could put an egg in a bottle; he could cut off the feathers of a bird and then stick them on so the bird would fly again; and he used this skill to persuade the people that he was divinely gifted.
Musaylimah shared verses purporting them to have been revelations from God and told the crowd that Muhammad had shared power with him. Musaylimah even referred to himself as Rahman, which suggests that he may have attributed some divinity to himself. Thereafter, some of the people accepted him as a prophet alongside Muhammad. Gradually the influence and authority of Musaylimah increased with the people of his tribe. Musaylimah sought to abolish prayer and freely allow fornication and
AlcoholIn chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. An important group of acohols is formed by the simple acyclic alcohols, the general formula for which is C
nH
2n+1OH...
consumption. He also took to addressing gatherings as an apostle of Allah just like Muhammad, and would compose verses and offer them, as Quranic revelations. Most of his verses extolled the superiority of his tribe, the Bani Hanifa, over the Quraish.
Musaylimah also proposed to share power over Arabia with Muhammad. Then one day, in late 10 Hijri, he wrote to Muhammad:
- "From Musaylimah, Messenger of Allah, to Muhammad, Messenger of God. Salutations to you. I have been given a share with you in this matter. Half the earth belongs to us and half to the Quraish. But the Quraish are a people who transgress."
Muhammad, however, replied back:
An account by Hassan al-Basri relates the story of two Muslim men who had the misfortune of being captured by Musaylimah. Musaylimah asked one of them, "Do you bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God?"
"Yes"', answered the man.
"Do you bear witness that I am the messenger of God?" Again, the man replied affirmatively. Musaylimah thus let him go. Musaylimah then asked the other man if he bore witness to Muhammad's prophethood. The man replied that he did. Then Musaylimah asked him if he recognized his own prophethood, which he repeated three times. The man, however, answered each time,
"I am deaf." Musaylimah had the man executed. Muhammad commented thus about this incident:
"As for the man who was killed, he departed with his truth and certainty; Happy is he! But as for the other man, he availed himself of God's leniency: hence, there is no blame on him."
Death
After Muhammad's death, Musaylimah rose up against the new Caliph
Abu BakrAbu Bakr As-Siddiq was Muhammad's father-in-law, closest companion and adviser, who succeeded to the Prophet's political and administrative functions, thereby initiating the office of the caliphate. He was also the first convert to Islam...
but his forces were defeated by
Khalid ibn al-WalidKhālid ibn al-Walīd also known as Sayfu l-Lāhi l-Maslūl , was one of the most successful commanders in military history...
as Musaylimah was killed by
Wahshy ibn HarbWahshy ibn Harb was the Ethiopian slave of Jubayr ibn Mut'im and a Sahaba . He is best known for killing a leading Muslim general, Hamza ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib Muhammad's uncle, prior to accepting Islam, and afterwards killing Musaylimah, the leader of an enemy apostate army who were waging war...
in the Battle of Yamamah.
After the death of Musaylimah, a deputation of Banu Hanifa waited on Abu Bakr. He inquired of them what were the teachings of Musaylimah. As a specimen of his teaching they recited the following verse, which was to have been revealed to him: "O frog! Holy are you. You do not prevent the drinker, nor do you make the water dirty. Half the world belongs to us, and half to the Quraish, but the Quraish are a cruel people." On hearing this, Abu Bakr remarked: "God be praised. Is this the divine word? It has no sublimity of divinity. To what depths he had dragged you".
http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/companion/17_abu_bakr.htm
HadithHadith are oral traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Hadith are regarded by traditional schools of jurisprudence as important tools for determining the Muslim way of life, the sunnah. Hadith were originally oral traditions of Muhammad's actions and customs...
on Musaylimah
- When Ibn an-Nawwahah and Ibn Uthal, Musaylimah's messengers, came to the Prophet, he asked them whether they testified that he was Allah's Messenger. On their replying, "We testify that Musaylimah is Allah's Messenger," he said, "I believe in Allah and His Messenger. If it were my custom to kill a messenger I should kill you." Abdullah said that the sunnah that a messenger should not be killed
Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments, which ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws...
then came into force.(తిర్మిజీ:1093)
- I heard the Apostle of Allah say when he read the letter of Musaylimah: What do you believe yourselves? They said: We believe as he believes. He said: I swear by Allah that were it not that messengers are not killed, I would cut off your heads. (అబూదావూద్ :1185)
- Harithah ibn Mudarrib said that he came to Abdullah ibn Mas'ud and said (to him): There is no enmity between me and any of the Arabs. I passed a mosque of Banu Hanifah. They (the people) believed in Musaylimah. Abdullah (ibn Mas'ud) sent for them. They were brought, and he asked them to repent, except Ibn an-Nawwahah. He said to him: I heard the Apostle of Allah, peace be upon him, say: Were it not that you were a messenger, I would behead you. But today you are not a messenger. He then ordered Qarazah ibn Ka'b (to kill him). He beheaded him in the market. Anyone who wants to see Ibn an-Nawwahah slain in the market (he may see him). (అబూదావూద్ :1186)
Works of Musaylimah
Examples of his revelations are quoted by some early Muslim authors as indications of his disingenuousness; the best-known of them reads like a parody of the Qur'anic surat
al-FilSurat al-Fil is the 105th chapter of the Qur'an. It is a Makkan sura consisting of 5 ayat. It describes the incidents of the Year of the Elephant, the year when Muhammad was born...
:
- "The elephant. What is the elephant? And who shall tell you what is the elephant? He has a ropy tail and a long trunk. This is a [mere] trifle of our Lord's creations."
Another work of Musaylimah, alluded to in Tafsir
Ibn KathirIsmail ibn Kathir was an Islamic scholar and renowned commentator on the Qur'an.-Biography:His full name is Abu Al-Fida, 'Imad Ad-Din Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir Al-Qurashi Al-Busrawi. He was born in 1301 in Busra, Syria . He was taught by Ibn Taymiyya in Damascus, Syria and Abu al-Hajjaj...
, where it is described as a response to the Quranic chapter of al-Asr (it has a similar rhyme scheme to
al-AsrSurat Al-Asr is the 103rd sura of the Qur'an. It contains 3 ayat, and is believed to be an early Meccan sura It is said to have sparked the conversion of Amr ibn al-As after he recited it to the self-proclaimed prophet Musaylimah and he responded with a "sura" about the hyrax which Amr...
, in Arabic), is:
- O hyrax
A hyrax is any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. They live in Africa and the Middle East....
(Wabr), O hyrax! You are only two ears and a chest, and the rest of you is digging and burrowing.
See also
- Al-Aswad Al-Ansi
Abhala son of Kaab, who is better known as Al-Aswad al-Ansi , meaning "The black man of Ans" was a man who claimed prophethood in Yemen towards the end of the prophet Muhammad's lifetime...
- Tulayha
Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid ibn Nawfal al-Asadi belonged to the Bani Assad tribe. He was a wealthy chief and a great warrior. In 625 he was defeated in the Expedition of Qatan . He also took part in the Battle of the Trench in 627. In 630 he submitted to Muhammad...
- Prestidigitators
Sleight of hand, also known as prestidigitation or légèreté des mains , is the set of techniques used by a magician to manipulate objects such as cards and coins secretly....
- Non-Muslim interactants with Muslims during Muhammad's era
This is a list of the non-Muslim interactants with Muslims during prophet Muhammad's era. In Islam, the Ṣaḥābah were the companions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. This form is plural; the singular is Ṣaḥābi...