Representing the Enemy

This work claims that Musaylima served as a prophet for his own people in Yamama in more or less the same way as the Prophet Muammad in Mecca and Medina. However, unlike Islam, Musaylimas religious movement did not survive. Here, a complete story of Musaylima his claim of prophethood, qurn (reading), religious activities, followers, opponents, and defeat is reconstructed. A critical reading of the sources that contain the accounts of Musaylima is performed. Additionally, this study reveals that the remaining fragments of Musaylimas qurn bear substantial similarities to the early Meccan verses of the Qurn in terms of diction, style, and pattern. To formulate the findings of this study, there was more than one prophet in the sixth-seventh century of the Arabian peninsula, as Umayya b. Ab alt, Ab mir, Tulaya, Saja, Aswad, and Musaylima claimed prophethood. There was more than one qurn, as Musaylima also revealed his own qurn. It is possible that other prophets also did so. There was more than one mosque (masjid), since the followers of Ab mir established their own, as did those of Ab Qays. So did the followers of Musaylima. There was more than one Abrahamic anf monotheistic movement in the ijaz and around the region, as some figures assumed the same mission.