Musaylima's apostasy and claim to prophethood at al-Yamama

When the delegation of the Banu Hanifa reached al-Yamama, Musaylima apostatised and claimed prophethood, saying that he had been given a share in the affair with Muhammad. He began to produce rhymed sayings for them, and the Hanifa united behind him. ¹

Ibn Ishaq relates from a shaykh of the Banu Hanifa of al-Yamama that the delegation left the Prophet and brought Musaylima what he had been given. When they reached al-Yamama he apostatised, claimed prophethood and deceived them, saying: I have been given a share in the affair with him. ¹ He said to his delegation: did he not tell you when you mentioned me to him: "Indeed he is not in your place"? That was only because he knew that I had been given a share in the affair with him. ¹ Then he began producing rhymed sayings for them, saying among other things, to rival the Qur'an, words about the pregnant woman and the soul that moves between membrane and womb; he made wine and fornication lawful for them and removed the prayer from them, while still testifying that the Prophet was a prophet. The Hanifa united behind him on this. ¹ Ibn Ishaq concludes: "God knows which of these was the case." ¹

"Al-usayb" is a palm frond; "al-sifaq" is the thin part of the belly; "asfaqu 'ala dhalika" means they agreed on it; "mudahat" means resemblance. In one copy "al-sajiʿat" appears in place of "al-asajia". ¹

Musaylima wrote to the Prophet at the end of year ten asking for half the land, and the Prophet answered him that the land belongs to God, who gives it as an inheritance to whom He pleases of His servants. He was killed in the Battle of al-Yamama in the caliphate of Abu Bakr. ^{5 3}

• "The liar" and "the enemy of God" in the text are the words of Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Hisham, not the museum's words. ^{2 1}
• Ibn Ishaq says in the same place that Musaylima's rhymed sayings were a rival of the Qur'an, which the museum does not reproduce. ¹