Editing Musaylima

{{Short description|7th-century Arabian claimant of prophethood}}
{{Infobox person
| image              = Balami - Tarikhnama - The death of Musaylima at the hand of the Ethiopian Slave Wahshi (cropped).jpg
| image_size         = 
| caption            = The killing scene of Musaylima at the hand of [[Wahshi ibn Harb]] in ''[[Tarikhnama]]''
| native_name        = مُسَيْلِمَةُ
| native_name_lang   = ar
| pronunciation      = 
| other_names        = Maslama ibn Habib <br>
Musaylima al-Kadhab / Musaylima the Liar (by Muslims)
| birth_date         = 
| birth_place        = [[al-Yamama]]
| death_date         = 632
| death_place        = al-Yamama
| resting_place      = Not Known
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| spouse             = [[Sajah|Sajah bint al-Harith]]
| mother             = Not Known
| father             = Habib
}}
'''Musaylima''' ({{langx|ar|مُسَيْلِمَةُ}}){{efn|otherwise known as '''Abū Thumāma Musaylima ibn Ḥabīb''' ({{langx|ar|أبو ثمامة مسيلمة ابن حبيب}})<ref>{{Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition|volume=7|title=Musaylima|page(s)=664-665|first=William Montgomery|last=Watt|authorlink=W. Montgomery Watt|url=https://referenceworks.brill.com/display/entries/EIEO/SIM-5580.xml?rskey=tLlgcx}}</ref> or '''Musaylima ibn Thumāma ibn Kabīr ibn Ḥabīb''' ({{langx|ar|مسيلمة بن ثمامة بن كثير بن حبيب }})<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Musaylima |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of the Qur'ān |url=https://ia801303.us.archive.org/17/items/encyclopediaKURAN_vol3/encyclopediaKURAN_vol3.pdf |last=Kister |first=Meir Jacob |author-link=Meir Jacob Kister |pages=460-463}}</ref>}}, d.632, was a claimant of prophethood<ref>{{cite journal |first=D. S. |last=Margoliouth |author-link=David Samuel Margoliouth |title=On the Origin and Import of the Names Muslim and Ḥanīf |journal=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland |volume=5 |year=1903 |pages=467–493 |doi=10.1017/S0035869X00030744 |jstor=25208542 |s2cid=162441218 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/1647164 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Beliaev |first=E. A. |title=Arabs, Islam and Arabian Khalifat in the middle ages |edition=2nd |location=Moscow |year=1966 |pages=103–108 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Petrushevskii |first=I. P. |title=Islam in Iran in VII–XV centuries |location=Leningrad |year=1966 |pages=13–14 }}</ref> from the [[Banu Hanifa]] tribe.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q_-hrXU-mWYC&pg=PA61|title=A Brief History of Iraq|last1=Fattah|first1=Hala Mundhir|last2=Caso|first2=Frank|date=2009|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=9780816057672|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GAxh0K8-BVgC&pg=PA264|title=Critical Lives: Muhammad|last=Emerick|first=Yahiya|date=2002-04-01|publisher=Penguin|isbn=9781440650130|language=en}}</ref> Based from [[Diriyah]] in present day [[Riyadh|Riyadh, Saudi Arabia]], he claimed to be a [[prophet]] and was an enemy of Islam in 7th-century Arabia. He was a leader of the enemies of Islam during the [[Ridda wars]].<ref name="Glubb">{{cite book |author=John Bagot Glubb |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AmbdpwAACAAJ |title=The Great Arab Conquest |publisher=Hodder and Stoughton |year=1963 |pages=112}}</ref> He is considered by [[Muslims]] to be a [[false prophet]] ({{lang|ar|نبي كاذب}}).<ref name="vol1">{{Cite book | last =Ibn Kathīr | first =Ismāʻīl ibn ʻUmar | author-link =Ibn Kathir | year =2000 | title =al-Miṣbāḥ al-munīr fī tahdhīb tafsīr Ibn Kathīr | volume =1 | place =Riyadh, Saʻudi Arabia | publisher =Darussalam | page =68 | editor=Ṣafī al-Raḥmān Mubārakfūrī | editor-link=Ṣafī al-Raḥmān Mubārakfūrī }}</ref> He is commonly called '''Musaylima al-Kadhāb''' ({{langx|ar|مسيلمة الكذاب|lit=Musaylima the Arch-Liar|label=none}}) by Muslims.<ref name=":0" /> Musaylima was said to have composed in [[saj']], a type of rhymed prose that was common in pre-Islamic artistic speech.{{Sfn|Gelder|2012}}

==Etymology==
Musaylima's actual name was ''[[Maslama]]'', but Muslims altered his name to Musaylima, which is the [[diminutive]] of Maslama (i.e., 'Little Maslama').<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=http://elaph.com/Web/Culture/2015/1/973971.html|title=مسلمة الحنفي في ميزان التاريخ لجمال علي الحلاّق|publisher=Elaph|language=Arabic|date=14 January 2015|access-date=20 September 2017}}</ref> The name ''maslama'' contains an Arabic or Syriac participal-nominal substratum like ''muslim'' (submitter). Maslama may be a title derived from ''aslam'' which is a verb associated with prophethood.<ref>{{Cite book |last=El-Badawi |first=Emran |author-link=Emran El-Badawi |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Qur_an_and_the_Aramaic_Gospel_Tradit/iIhiAgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA72&printsec=frontcover |title=The Qur'an and the Aramaic Gospel Traditions |date=2013-12-17 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-92933-8 |language=en}}</ref>

==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 [[Tawhid|monotheist]] branch of [[Banu Bakr]] and led an independent existence prior to [[Islam]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Qur'an and the Aramaic Gospel Traditions |first=Emran |last=El-Badawi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iIhiAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA69 |page=69 |year=2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781317929338 }}</ref>

Among the first accounts of him describe events in the late 9th [[Hijri year|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{{sfn|Ibn Kathir|2000|p=69}} and Muja'a bin Marara.  In Medina, the deputation stayed with the daughter of al-Harith, a woman of the [[Ansar (Islam)|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. 

==Self-proclaimed prophethood==
Musaylima, who is alleged as having been a skilled [[Magic (illusion)|magician]] by Muslim historians, is said to have performed unusual feats that amazed onlookers.{{sfn|Ibn Kathir|2000|p=67}} Musaylima also shared verses purporting them to have been revelations from God.{{sfn|Ibn Kathir|2000|p=69}} 

[[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:<ref name="Tabari" />

{{cquote|"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 people who transgress."<ref name=Tabari/>
}}

Muhammad, is said to have replied:<ref name="Tabari" />

{{cquote|"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."<ref name=Tabari>{{cite book |title=The History of Al Tabari By Ṭabarī |first=Ismail K. |last=Poonawala |author-link=Ismail K. Poonawala |page=107 }}</ref>
}}

==Personal life==
During the [[Ridda wars]] which emerged following the death of Muhammad, [[Sajah|Sajah bint al-Harith]] declared that she was a prophetess after learning that Musaylima and [[Tulayha]] had declared [[prophethood]].<ref>E.J. Brill's first encyclopedia of Islam, 1913–1936 By M. Th. Houtsma, p665</ref> 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|Tulayha al-Asadi]] (another self-proclaimed prophet).<ref name=":3">The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Al-Sira Al-Nabawiyya By Ibn Kathir, Trevor Le Gassick, Muneer Fareed, pg. 36.</ref> Thereafter, she sought cooperation with Musaylima to oppose the threat of Khalid.<ref name=":3" /> A mutual understanding was initially reached with Musaylima. Eventually, the two married and she accepted his prophethood (although she later recanted and died a Muslim).<ref name=":3" /> Khalid then defeated the remaining rebellious elements around Sajah, and then moved on to defeat Musaylima.<ref name=":3" />

== Death ==
Musaylima fought in the [[Battle of Yamama]], and was killed by [[Wahshi ibn Harb]].<ref name="Glubb" />

== Dabestan-e Mazaheb ==
The [[Dabestan-e Mazaheb]], a 17th century work on the religious beliefs in India during the time claims a religion called the Sadakiyya who followed Musaylima existed then.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |author=David Shea |url=https://archive.org/details/dabistnorschoo03shea/page/n9/mode/2up |title=The Dabistán, or School of manners, translated from the original Persian |date=1843 |volume=3 |chapter=VII Of The Religion Of The Sádakíahs}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=DABESTĀN-E MAḎĀHEB |url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/dabestan-e-madaheb |website=iranicaonline.org}}</ref> The work chronicles the alleged teachings of Musaylima according to an informant belonging to the group.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> At the Mughal ruler [[Akbar]]'s council of religions, a discussion on Sadakiyya also took place with the help of its priests.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

In the account of Musaylima in the Dabestan-e Mazaheb,<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> he taught 3 daily prayers to God, facing any direction.<ref name=":1" />  He criticized Muslims for selecting the [[Ka'aba]] as the direction of prayers, arguing that God is not limited to one direction. Musaylima declared that the Ka'aba was not the house of God, because an all-powerful God has no need for a house.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> Musaylima said fasting should be at night instead of daytime during [[Ramadan]], he prohibited [[circumcision]], he believed in [[Equality feminism|equal rights]] for men and women, he allowed [[premarital sex]], he prohibited [[polygamy]] and [[cousin marriage]], he declared that any slave who converted to his religion would become free, he stated that [[Iblis]] did not exist, because a fair and merciful God would not allow a being like Iblis to throw people into error, and he also said it was wrong to include his name or any prophet’s name in worship to God.<ref name=":2" /> 

==See also==
* [[Aswad Ansi|Al-Aswad Al-Ansi]]
* [[Ibn an-Nawwahah|Ibn an-Nawwaha]]
* [[Non-Muslim interactants with Muslims during Muhammad's era]]
* [[Ridda wars]]
* [[Saf ibn Sayyad]]
* [[Sajah|Sajah bint Harith]]
* [[Tulayha]]

== Notes ==
<references group="lower-alpha" responsive="1"></references>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
===Sources===
*{{Cite book |last=Gelder |first=Geert Jan van |author-link=Geert Jan van Gelder |title=Classical Arabic Literature |date=2012 |publisher=De Gruyter |pages=110–113 |chapter=Examples of Early Rhymed Prose (Sajʿ) |chapter-url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.18574/nyu/9780814745113.003.0040/html}}
*{{cite book |title=The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Al-Sira Al-Nabawiyya |last=Ibn Kathir |date=2000 |translator-first1=Trevor |translator-last1=Le Gassick |translator-link1=Trevor LeGassick |translator-first2=Muneer |translator-last2=Fareed |translator-link2=Muneer Fareed |volume=4 |author-link=Ibn Kathir |url=https://ia803208.us.archive.org/11/items/AlSiraAlNabawiyya4VolumeSet/Al-Sira%20al-Nabawiyya%20Vol%204.pdf}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Musaylima}}
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:633 deaths]]
[[Category:Medieval Arabs killed in battle]]
[[Category:Converts to Islam from Christianity]]
[[Category:Opponents of Muhammad]]
[[Category:Arab prophets]]
[[Category:People of the Ridda Wars]]
[[Category:Self-declared messiahs]]
[[Category:632 deaths]]