Musaylimah

Musaylimah

Musaylimah (Arabic: مسيلمة‎) or Maslamah bin Ḥabīb (Arabic: مسلمة بن حبيب‎) was one of a series of men who claimed to be a prophet around the same time as Muhammad. He is viewed as a false prophet by traditional accounts, and frequently referred to by the epithet "the Liar" (Arabic: الكذّابal-Kaḏḏāb).[1]

Contents

Biography

Musaylimah's name was Ibn Habib al-Hanifi, which indicates that he 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 Christian branch of Banu Bakr and led an independent existence prior to Islam.

Musaylimah was the theocratic lord of a sacred haram or enclave which, according to one report[who?], 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 Medina. 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)[2] 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 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 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 Yamamah and started regular prayers.

Proclaiming prophethood

Musaylimah, who is reported as having been a skilled magician,[3] 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.[2] Musaylimah even referred to himself as Rahman,[1] 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 sex and Alcohol consumption.[2] 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 God, 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:

"From Muhammad, the Messenger of God, to Musaylimah, the arch-liar. Peace be upon him who follows (God's) guidance. Now then, surely the earth belongs to God, who bequeaths it to whom He will amongst his servants. The ultimate issue is to the God-fearing."[4]

Death

After Muhammad's death, Musaylimah rose up against the new Caliph Abu Bakr but his forces were defeated by Khalid ibn al-Walid[5] as Musaylimah was killed by Wahshi ibn Harb in the Battle of Yamama.

Not all the followers of Musaylimah became "good" Muslims. Ten or twenty years later the man who carried his message to Muhammad and some others were denounced in Kufar as remaining followers of Musaylima and the messenger executed [6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Ibn Kathīr, Ismāʻīl ibn ʻUmar (2000), Mubārakfūrī, Ṣafī al-Raḥmān, ed., al-Miṣbāḥ al-munīr fī tahdhīb tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, 1, Riyadh, Saʻudi Arabia: Darussalam, p. 68 
  2. ^ a b c The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Al-Sira Al-Nabawiyya By Ibn Kathir, Trevor Le Gassick, Muneer Fareed, pg. 69
  3. ^ The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Al-Sira Al-Nabawiyya By Ibn Kathir, Trevor Le Gassick, Muneer Fareed, pg. 67
  4. ^ The History of Al Tabari By Ṭabarī, Ismail K. Poonawala, pg. 107
  5. ^ The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Al-Sira Al-Nabawiyya By Ibn Kathir, Trevor Le Gassick, Muneer Fareed, pg. 36
  6. ^ al-Baladhuri "Futuh al-Buldan" chapter on al-Yamamah

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopædia.



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Musaylima — Musaylimah (en Árabe: مسيلمة‎) o Maslamah ibn Ḥabīb (en Árabe: مسلمة بن حبيب‎) fue uno más de una serie de individuos que se autoproclamaban profetas en la época de Mahoma. Se le considera, por parte de la tradición islámica, como un falso… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Ibn an-Nawwahah — was a messenger for Musaylimah, a purported prophet during the time of Muhammad who had gained a significant following through his tricks and miracles, teachings and from the fact that he was from Yamamah. Many people of the Rabiah Tribe of… …   Wikipedia

  • Abu Bakr — For other people with the name, see Abu Bakr (name). Abu Bakr Caliph Abu Bakr s empire at its peak, 634. Khalifat ul Rasūl (Prophet s successor) …   Wikipedia

  • Wahshy ibn Harb — was the Ethiopian slave of Jubayr ibn Mutim and a companion of Muhammad. He is best known for killing a leading Muslim general, Hamza ibn Abd al Muttalib the Prophet Muhammad s uncle, prior to accepting Islam, and afterwards killing Musaylimah,… …   Wikipedia

  • Nejd — or Najd (literally highland , ar. نجد) is the central region of the Arabian Peninsula. Geography Boundaries of NejdThe Arabic word nejd literally means upland and was once applied to a variety of regions within the Arabian Peninsula. However, the …   Wikipedia

  • Diplomatic immunity — For other uses, see Diplomatic immunity (disambiguation). Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments that ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or… …   Wikipedia

  • Al-Ahnaf Ibn Qays — Ibn Mu awyiah was a well known Muslim general who lived during the time of Muhammad. [Al Ahnaf is not considered a Sahaba because he did not meet Muhammad. However, it is accurate to refer to him as a taba een ] He hailed from the Arab tribe of… …   Wikipedia

  • List of former Muslims — This is a list of notable people who have been Muslims sometime during their lives but left Islam for another religion or a non religious ideology. =Converted to a different Abrahamic religion= Converted to Christianity* Magdi Allam Italy s most… …   Wikipedia

  • riddah — ▪ Islamic history Arabic  riḍa         (“apostasy”), series of politico religious uprisings in various parts of Arabia in about AD 632 during the caliphate of Abū Bakr (reigned 632–634).       Despite the traditional resistance of the Bedouins to …   Universalium

  • List of non-Arab Sahaba — This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. The list of non Arab Sahaba includes the non Arabs among the original Sahaba of Muhammad. Muhammad had many followers from amongst the Arabs, from many different tribes. However, he also had… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”