Musaylima

Musaylima
Musayliama the Liar , otherwise known as Musaylima ibn Ḥabīb d.632, was a claimant of prophethood from the Banu Hanifa tribe, of which present day descendants include the House of Saud among other Najd tribes. Based from Diriyah in present day Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, he claimed to be a prophet and was an opponent of Islam in 7th-century Arabia. He was a leader during the Ridda wars. He is considered by Muslims to be a false prophet (al-Kadhāb). He is commonly called Musaylima al-Kadhdhāb (Musaylima the Arch-Liar).
Etymology
Musaylima's real name was Maslama ibn Habib, but Muslims altered his name to Musaylima, which is the diminutive of Maslama (i.e., 'Little Maslama').
Early life
Musaylima was the son of Habib, of the tribe Banu Hanifa, one of the largest tribes of Arabia that inhabited the region of Najd. The Banu Hanifa were a Hanafite Christian branch of Banu Bakr and led an independent existence prior to Islam.
Among the first accounts of him describe events in the late 9th Hijri, the Year of Delegations, when he accompanied a delegation of his tribe to Medina. The delegation included two other prominent Muslims. They would later help Musaylima 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 Najjar. When the delegation arrived at Medina the camels were tied in a traveler's camp, and Musaylima 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 renounced Christianity 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 Hanifa to Islam. They built a mosque at al-Yamama and started regular prayers.
Proclaiming prophethood and teachings
The Dabestan-e Mazaheb, a 17th century work on the religious beliefs in India during the time claims a sect called the Sádakíahs who followed Musaylima existed then. The work chronicles the alleged teachings of Musaylima according to an informant belonging to the group. At the Mughal ruler Akbar's council of religions, a discussion of Musaylima religion also took place with the help of its priests.
Musaylima, who is alleged as having been a skilled magician by Muslim historians, dazzled crowds 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.
Musaylima shared verses purporting them to have been revelations from God. Thereafter, some of the people accepted him as a prophet alongside Muhammad. Gradually the influence and authority of Musaylima increased with the people of his tribe. He gathered an army of 40,000 followers. He also took to addressing gatherings as a messenger of Allah like Muhammad did, and would compose verses and offer them, as Qur'anic revelations.
Al-Tabari in his History of the Prophets and Kings chronicles that Musaylima also proposed to share power over Arabia with Muhammad. On 10 Hijri, he wrote to Muhammad:
Muhammad, is said to have replied:
Personal life
During the Ridda wars which emerged following the death of Muhammad, Sajah bint al-Harith declared that she was a prophetess after learning that Musaylima and Tulayha had declared prophethood. 4,000 people gathered around her to march on Medina. Others joined her against Medina. However, her planned attack on Medina was called off after she learned that the army of Khalid ibn al-Walid had defeated Tulayha al-Asadi (another self-proclaimed prophet). Thereafter, she sought cooperation with Musaylima to oppose the threat of Khalid. A mutual understanding was initially reached with Musaylima. Later, the two married and she accepted his prophethood. Khalid then defeated the remaining rebellious elements around Sajah, and then moved on to defeat Musaylima.
Death
Musaylima fought in the Battle of Yamama, and was killed by Wahshi ibn Harb.
See also
Al-Aswad Al-Ansi
Ibn an-Nawwaha
Non-Muslim interactants with Muslims during Muhammad's era
Ridda wars
Saf ibn Sayyad
Sajah bint Harith
Tulayha
References
Sources
Year of birth unknown
633 deaths
Medieval Arabs killed in battle
Former Christians
Opponents of Muhammad
Arab prophets
People of the Ridda Wars
Self-declared messiahs
632 deaths