God: The Theology of God.

Abraham discovers one and only God living in the house of Idols using his brain.When he was seven years old, he began to seek God. One day he said to his father: 'Father, what made man?'

His father answered: 'Man [made man]; for I made you, and my father made me.'

Abraham answered: 'Father, it is not so; for I have heard an old man weeping and saying: 'O my God, why have you not given me children?''

His father replied: 'It is true, that God helps man to make man, but he does not put his hands to [the task]; it is only necessary that man come to pray to his God and to give him lambs and sheep, and his God will help him.'

Abraham answered: 'How many gods are there, father?'

The old man replied: 'They are infinite in number, my son.'

Then Abraham said: 'O father, what shall I do if I serve one god and another [god] wishes me evil because I do not serve him? In any case discord will come between them, and so war will arise among the gods. And if, perhaps, the god that wills me evil shall slay my own god, what shall I do? It is certain that he will slay me also.’

The old man, laughing, answered: "You have no fear, for no god makes war upon another god; no, in the great temple there are a thousand gods with the great god Baal; and I am now near seventy years old, and yet never have I seen that one god has smitten another god. And assuredly all men do not serve one god, but one man one, and another."

Abraham answered: "So, then, they have peace among themselves?"

His father said: "They have."

Then said Abraham: "O father, what be the gods like?"

The old man answered: "Fool, every day I make a god, which I sell to others to buy bread, and you know not what the gods are like!"

And then at that moment he was making an idol. "This," said he, "is of palm wood, that one is of olive, that little one is of ivory: see how fine it is! Does it not seem as though it were alive? Assuredly, it lacks but breath!"

Abraham answered: "And so, father, the gods are without breath? Then how do they give breath? And being without life, how give they life? It is certain, father, that these are not God."

The old man was wroth at these words, saying: "If you were of age to understand, I would break your head with this axe: But hold your peace, because you have not understanding!"

Abraham answered: "Father, if the gods help to make man, how can it be that man should make the gods? And if the gods are made of wood, it is a great sin to burn wood. But tell me, father, how is it that, when you have made so many gods, the gods have not helped you to make so many other children that you should become the most powerful man in the world?"

The father was beside himself, hearing his son speak so; the son went on: "Father, was the world for some time without men?"

“Yes," answered the old man, "and why?"

"Because," said Abraham, "I should like to know who made the first God."

"Now go out of my house!" said the old man, "and leave me to make this god quickly, and speak no words to me; for, when you are hungry you desire bread and not words."

Abraham said: "A fine god, truly, that you cut him as you will, and he defends not himself!"

Then the old man was angry, and said: "All the world says that it is a god, and you, mad fellow, say that it is not. By my gods, if you were a man I could kill you!"

And having said this, he gave blows and kicks to Abraham, and chased him from the house."

"One day, Abraham having come to the age of twelve years, his father said to him: "Tomorrow is the festival of all the gods; therefore we shall go to the great temple and bear a present to my god, great Baal. And you shall choose for yourself a god, for you are of age to have a god."

Abraham answered with guile: "Willingly, O my father."

And so betimes in the morning they went before every one else to the temple. But Abraham bare beneath his tunic an axe hidden. Whereupon, having entered into the temple, as the crowd increased Abraham hid himself behind an idol in a dark part of the temple. His father, when he departed, believed that Abraham had gone home before him, wherefore he did not stay to seek him."

When every one had departed from the temple, the priests closed the temple and went away. Then Abraham took the axe and cut off the feet of all the idols, except the great god Baal. At its feet he placed the axe, amid the ruins which the statues made, for they, through being old and composed of pieces, fell in pieces.

Thereupon, Abraham, going forth from the temple, seen by certain men, who suspected him of having gone to thieve something from the temple. So they laid hold on him, and having arrived at the temple, when they saw their gods so broken in pieces, they cried out with lamentation: "Come quickly, O men, and let us slay him who has slain our gods!"

There ran together there about ten thousand men, with the priests, and questioned Abraham of the reason why he had destroyed their gods.

Abraham answered: "You are foolish! Shall then a man slay God? It is the great God that has slain them. See you not that axe which he has near his feet? Certain it is that he desires no fellows."

Then arrived there the father of Abraham, who, mindful of the many discourses of Abraham against their gods, and recognizing the axe wherewith Abraham had broken in pieces the idols, cried out: "It has been this traitor of a son of mine, who has slain our gods! for this axe is mine." 
 

This is the story of Abraham, But one may surprise that an extremely anthropocentric conception of divine was present in the ancient Egypt, viz

Humans are well cared for, the livestock of god:
He made heaven and earth for their sake,
He pushed the greediness of the waters back
And created the air so that they may breathe.

His images are they, having come forth from his body.
For their sake he rises to heaven;
It is for them that he has made plants and animals, birds and fish,
So that they might have food.

If he killed his enemies and went against his children,
This was only because they thought of rebellion.
For their sake he causes there to be light.
To see them he travels [the heavens].

He established for himself a chapel at their back.
When they weep, he hears.
He created for them a ruler in the egg
And a commander to strengthen the backbone of the weak.

He made for them magic as a weapon toward off the blow of fate,
Watching over them night and day.
He thrashed the cowardly among them,
As a man beats his son for the sake of his brother.
God knows every name.

The text speaks of God; other gods are not mentioned. It is not a matter of religion, but of genre and perspective. If one looks at the world in the way that this text does, the principles of plurality and differentiation disappear, and the ultimate unity of the divine appears.- [Ancient Religions]
 
In Gospel of Barnabas, Jesus define God as- God is a good without which there is naught good; God is a being without which there is naught that is; God is a life without which there is naught that liveth; so great that he filleth all and is everywhere. He alone hath no equal. He hath had no beginning, nor will he ever have an end, but to everything hath he given a beginning, and to everything shall he give an end. He hath no father nor mother; he hath no sons. nor brethren. nor companions. 

And because God hath no body, therefore he eateth not, sleepeth not, dieth not, walketh not, moveth not, but abideth eternally without human similitude, for that he is incorporeal, uncompounded, immaterial, of the most simple substance. 
He is so good that he loveth goodness only; he is so just that when he punisheth or pardoneth it cannot be gainsaid. 

In short, here on earth no one canst see him nor know him perfectly; but in his kingdom the righteous one shalt see him for ever: wherein consisteth all our happiness and glory.'" According to Qu'ran-

"He is Allah , [who is] One,

 Allah , the Eternal Refuge.

 He neither begets nor is born,

 Nor is there to Him any equivalent."- [Quran, al-Ikhlas, 112:1-4]

With this Attributes of God, Mansur al-Hallaj, the master of all secretes, define God with His essence as-

God

-Al Hallaj, [Arberry, A.J., The Doctrine of the Sufis]

"Before" does not outstrip Him,

"after" does not interrupt Him

"of" does not vie with Him for precedence

"from" does not accord with Him

"to" does not join with Him

"in" does not inhabit Him

"when" does not stop Him

"if" does not consult with Him

"over" does not overshadow 

Him "under" does not support Him

"opposite" does not face Him

"with" does not press Him

"behind" does not limit Him

"previous" does not display Him

"after" does not cause Him to pass away

"all" does not unite Him

"is" does not bring Him into being

"is not" does not deprive Him from Being.

Concealment does not veil Him

His pre-existence preceded time,

His being preceded non-being,

His eternity preceded limit.

If thou sayest 'when', 

His existing has outstripped time;

If thou sayest 'before', before is after Him;

If thou sayest 'he', 'h' and 'e' are His creation;

If thou sayest 'how', His essence is veiled from description;

If thou sayest 'where', His being preceded space;

If thou sayest 'ipseity' (ma huwa),

His ipseity (huwiwah) is apart from things. 

Other than He cannot

be qualified by two (opposite) qualities at

one time; yet With Him they do not create opposition.

He is hidden in His manifestation, 

manifest in His concealing. 

He is outward and inward,

near and far; and in this respect He is

removed beyond the resemblance of creation.

He acts without contact,

instructs without meeting,

guides without pointing.

Desires do not conflict with Him,

thoughts do not mingle with Him:

His essence is without qualification (takyeef),

His action without effort (takleef).

On the other hand, Greek Philosopher Plato, define God and His Attribution logically as-

"God is good. And no good thing is hurtful. And that which is not hurtful, hurts not. And that, which hurts not, does no evil. And that, which does no evil, can’t be a cause of evil. Again, the good is advantageous; and therefore, the cause of well-being. It follows therefore that the God is not the cause of all things, but of the good only.

Thus God, as He is good, is not the author of all things, as the many assert, but He is the cause of a few things only, and not of most things that occur to men. For few are the goods of human life, and many are the evils, and the good is to be attributed to God alone; of the evils the causes are to be sought elsewhere, and not in him. Then we must not say like Homer that-

"Two casks Lie at the threshold of God, full of lots,

One of good, the other lots of evil,

And that he, to whom God gives a mixture of the two,

Sometimes meets with evil fortune, at other times with good;

But that he, to whom is given the cup of unmingled ill,

Him wild hunger drives o'er the beauteous earth. And again God,

Who is the dispenser of good and evil to us."

We can’t say that God plants guilt among men when he desires utterly to destroy others. The Sufferings of Niobe, -or of the house of Pelops, -or of the "Trojan War" -we must not say that these are the works of God, or if they are of God, there must some explanation of them.

God did only what was just and right, and they were the better for being punished; but that those who are punished are miserable, and that God is not the author of their misery, the wicked are miserable because they require to be punished, and are benefited by receiving punishment from God; but that God being good is the author of evil to any one is not to be said. As God is not the author of all things, but of good only.

Whether God is a magician, and of a nature to appear insidiously now in one shape, and now in another --sometimes himself changing and passing into many forms, sometimes deceiving us with the semblance of such transformations; or is he one and the same immutably fixed in his own proper image?

If we suppose a change in anything, certainly that change must be effected either by the thing itself, or by some other thing. And things which are at their best are also least liable to be altered or discomposed; for example, when healthiest and strongest, the human frame is least liable to be affected by meats and drinks, and the plant which is in the fullest vigour also suffers least from winds or the heat of the sun or any similar causes.

And the bravest and wisest soul will be least confused or deranged by any external influence. And the same principle should applies to all composite things- furniture, houses, garments; when good and well made, they are least altered by time and circumstances. Then everything which is good, whether made by art or nature, or both, is least liable to suffer change from without.

But surely God and the things of Gods are in every way perfect. Then He can hardly be compelled by external influence to take many shapes.

But may God not change and transform Himself? Clearly, that must be the case if He is changed at all. And will He then change Himself for the better and fairer, or for the worse and more unsightly? If He changes at all He can only change for the worse, for we cannot suppose Him to be deficient either in Virtue or Beauty.

But, no one would not desire to make himself worse. Then it is impossible that God should ever be willing to change; being, as is supposed, the fairest and best that is conceivable, God remains absolutely and forever in his own form. Thus Jesus can't be God as what Christians belief today. And similarly, to worship a idol is grievous sin as the idol deviants the real Image and Essence of God. Then, if someone tell us that-

"The God, taking the disguise of strangers from other lands,

Walk up and down cities in all sorts of forms."

-is considered as imposing a slander on God, speaking blasphemy against the God. And he who speak Blasphemy against God; He will forbid Heaven for him.

But although the God Himself unchangeable, still by witchcraft and deception He may make us think that He appear in various forms. But we cannot imagine that God will be willing to lie, whether in word or deed, or to put forth a phantom of Himself.

But the true lie, if such an expression may be allowed, yet is hated of God and men. As no one is willingly deceived in that which is the truest and highest part of himself, or about the truest and highest matters; there, above all, he is most afraid of a lie having possession of him. The reason is, only that deception, or being deceived or uninformed about the highest realities in the highest part of himself, which is the soul, and in that part of him to have and to hold the lie, is what mankind least like; is what he utterly detest.

And now remarking, this ignorance in the soul of him who is deceived may be called the true lie; for the lie in words is only a kind of imitation and shadowy image of a previous affection of the soul, not pure unadulterated falsehood. The "True Lie" is hated not only by the God, but also by men.

Whereas the lie in words is in certain cases useful and not hateful; in dealing with enemies -that would be an instance; or again, when those whom we call our friends in a fit of madness or illusion are going to do some harm, then it is useful and is a sort of medicine or preventive; also in the tales of mythology, because we do not know the truth about ancient times, we make falsehood as much like truth as we can, and so turn it to account.

But any of these reasons cannot be apply to God. As we can’t suppose He is ignorant of antiquity, and therefore has recourse to invention. Or perhaps one may tell a lie because he is afraid of enemies. And that is inconceivable. But one may have friends who are senseless or mad. But no mad or senseless person can be a friend of God. Then no motive can be imagined why God should lie. Then the superhuman and divine is absolutely incapable of falsehood. 

Then, God is perfectly simple and true both in word and deed; He changes not; He deceives not, either by sign or word, by dream or waking vision. The God is not magician who transform Himself, neither do He deceive mankind in any way. 

Do you recognize God Now? Hallaj said, “If you do not recognize God, at least recognize His sign."- -[Tawasin, 6:24] Actually God is most Mysterious. It is said in the Qur'an-

God is the Light of the heaven and earth;

The parable of His light is- a lamp in a niche of a wall,

The lamp enclosed in a glass appears as a shining star.

Lit through a blessed tree, an olive,

That is neither of the east nor of the west,

Whose oil is well-nigh luminous,

Although no fire touched it.

Light upon Light!

God doth guide- whom He wills to
God doth set forth His Light- parables for men:

And God doth knows all things.-[Quran, al-Noor, 24:35].

The End.
Not Yet Verified.

Source: 

Quran

Mansur al-Hallaj, Kitab al-Tawasin,

Plato (360 BCE), The Republic; Translated-Benjamin Jowett.
Sa‘d al-Din al-Taftazani, A Commentary on the Creed of Islam, trans. E. E. Elder (New York: 1950), p. 64.
W. M. Patton, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and the Mihna (Leiden: Brill, 1897), p, 160.
lbn Qudama, Censure of Speculative Theology, trans. George Makdisi (London: Luzac, 1962), p. 37. 
Victor E. Malzari, Ibn Taymiyya 's Ethics: The Social Factor (Chico, 1983), p. 52-56.
W. C. Klein, Al-Ibanah ‘an Usul ad-Diyanah (New Haven: 1940), p. 81.
H. A. Wolfson, The Philosophy of the Kalam (Cambridge: 1976), p. 255-257.
R. J. McCarthy, The Theology of al-Ash‘ari (Beirut: 1953), p. 173.
Abdu-r-Rahman Abu Zayd, Al-Ghazali on Divine Predicates and Their Properties (Lahore: 1970), p. 19.
A. S. Tritton, "The Speech of God", Studia Islamica 33 (1971), p. 5-21. 
Shabbir Akhtar, A Faith for All Seasons (London: 1990), p. 223.
L. Gardet and M. M. Anawati, Introduction à la theologie musulmane (Paris: 1948), p. 86.
Mahmoud Mustafa Ayoub, "The Word of God in Islam", (1986), p. 73. 
A. J. Wensinck, The Muslim Creed (Cambridge: 1932), p. 127; 
D. B. Macdonald, Development of Muslim Theology, Jurisprudence and Constitutional Theory (New York: 1903), p. 335, 336,
M. S. Seale, Muslim Theology (London: 1964), p. 99-102.
W. M. Watt, Islamic Revelation in the Modern World (Edinburgh: 1969), p. 73.
Uthman Yahya, "Man and His Perfection in Muslim Theology", (Hartford: 1959), p. 24.
Alexander McLaren, Exposition of Holy Scripture,(New York: ), p. 217.
Muzammil H. Siddiqui, "God: A Muslim View" ed. John Hick and Edmund Melzer (Albany: 1989), p. 73:
J. W. Sweetman, Islam and Christian Theology (London: 1955) Part 2, Vol. 1, p.247.
Muhammed ‘Abduh, The Theology of Unity, trans. Ishaq Musa‘ad and K. Cragg (London: 1966) P. 51,52.
Daud Rahbar, "The Relation of Shi‘a Theology to the Qur'an" (Hartford: 1961): P. 93. 

Lilith: Story of the first Wife of Adam.

Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal

23 Dec. 2011

Lilith first appeared as Adam's vengeful wife was in the Alphabet of Ben Sira. The Alphabet is a book that contains twenty-two proverbs alphabetically arranged for both Aramaic and Hebrew with a haggadic commentary on them, enriched with fables and legends corresponding to their linguistic difference, differences in their contents and origin. No one sure when it was written, but to some in 1,000 CE justifying the stress it laid upon "if God wills" that never omitted with some other points. The virtues which Ben Sira particularly recommends are praying, almsgiving, respecting elder, exclusive intercourse with the upright, and constancy in friendship. The manner in which he imparts moral at the end of the proverbs with a happy combination of Haggada and legend, proves him a wise writer, who knows how to treat his subject .

However, the incantation bowl used by Hebrews for release of curses, Evil Eye, poseses Jinns, black magic that found in the archaeological excavation in Babylon, demonstrates that Jews introduced Lilith episode during their exile in 587 BCE or after exile in Babylon.

According to Gershom Scholem "The Alphabet" was known to Moses de Leon who is the compiler of Kabbalah, written in between 8th to 9th century known as Zohar [some says Zohar written in between 2nd and 3rd century by- Shimon Bar Yochai known as Rashbi], [See, Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, p. 174]

However,  the story of  Lilith presented by Ben Sira does not match with the conventional story, and apparently it was never taken any attempt to complying both of them to merge one. And to be honest, the context of the story Eve was not something new to Ben Sira, it can be seen in the Genesis Rabba though there is no mention of Lilith there.

Before describing and analyzing the Lilith episode of Ben Sira, we have to Inquire from where the idea of Lilith episode came or what is the context of its base?

In the book of Genesis we find that God created Eve from the left rib of Adam- “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.”-Genesis 2:22 [Qur'an, the last Scripture also says something like that- "He - Allah -Who created you from a single being, and out of it He made its mate"-(7:189)]

Yet a previous verse already told us- “So God created man -----------; male and female He created them.”-[Genesis 1:27], in the mean time instructed that a woman already created. To remove the inconsistency in these two verses of the two chapters of the Book of Genesis- is largely the cause of introduction of Lilith episode. Later we will find in the Alphabet that the episode begins with through the description Genesis 2:18 verse - “it is not good for man to be alone”.

The book begins with the remarkable birth of Ben Sira. He is represented as the son or grandson of Jeremiah, and was born with the physical and mental powers of an adult. In fact, the proverbs were made by him when he was a one-year-old child and he was sent to a teacher, to taught the alphabet. As his teacher began to say the alphabet, Ben Sira interrupted him by giving a proverb which corresponded to the letter about to be taught him. His fame for wisdom reached Nebuchadnezzar, who sent for him, and at whose court Ben Sira had to proof his wisdom through a series of examination, which are described by the commentator and that is the 2nd alphabet.

The 2nd alphabet is quite different in character from the 1st, and seems to a much later period. It consists, as stated, of twenty-two Hebrew proverbs with a commentary upon them. Half of the proverbs are seems taken from Talmud; and the other half from Indian "Panchatantra", "Kalila and Dimna", Christian dogma, and the rest of the fable consist of platitudes whose form and contents may consider lack of literary knowledge.

However, the Lilith episode is the fifth story of Ben Sira, in reply to the emperor's crucial test. The story describes [in/c a few of our own injections to fill the gaps] as follows-

"Emperor Nebu Chand Nezzar called Ben Sira when his youngest son fell ill. He said, "Cure my son as early as possible or I will Cut thee from the neck."

Ben Sira, immediately sit besides the patient's head side and taking a piece of parchment, he draws on that some wings, hands and feet or something like that  as ambiguous. Take a look on that Nebu Chand Nezzar asked, "Who are these people?"Ben Sira, said, "The pictures on the safeguard are the angels of Medicine and cure- Snvi, Snsvi, and Smnglof.

When God created the Adam, he was alone. God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” -[Genesis 2:18] [So] God ordered angels to make something to accompany him that will make him happy. So they made beautiful animal and birds for him and when they brought those to Adam, Iblees made ugly animals and birds from the rest of the mud. But when they found Adam not happy yet and the mud already been used they found no way to brought a lady Jinn from the earth and make her appear like him to Adam. They brought her to Adam and introduce her as Lilith.

The nature of the Jinns and Human are different, So, Lilith and Adam promptly began to argue with each other: She said, “I will not lie below,” and he said, “I will not lie below, but above, since you are fit only to be in the bottom position.”

Lilith

She said, “The two of us are equal, since we are both from the earth.”
He said,‘It behoves thee to be obedient; I am to rule over thee'. And they would not listen to each other. But when Lilith came to know that Adam not from the earth but formed out of earth, she uttered God's ineffable name and flew away into the air. Adam stood in prayer before his Maker and said, “Master of the Universe, the Oman fled from me!”

The Holy, the Blessed one immediately dispatched the three angels Sanoy, Sansenoy, and Samangelof after her, to bring her back. God told them, “If she wants to return, well and good. And if not, she must accept that a hundred of her children will die every day.” The angels pursued her and overtook her in the sea, in raging waters, (the same waters in which the Egyptians would one day drown), and pleaded with her to come back, yet she refuse to return.

Then they threaten her saying, "We shall drown you in the sea" and she replied. “Leave me alone! or,..." they drowned her. And when they pulled her into the air, she said, "I already write names hundred thousand in this water those shall be drowned here. And if you drowned me again I will write more."

Then they announced to her the verdict of God. She then became angry and promise to kill human babies. And due to her creation superiority she was able to sicken babies. She said, "I will have power over them if they are boys, from birth to 8th day and if they are girls, from birth to 20th day.”

When they heard her Curse, they said that they will not bring her back if she promise not to harm babies. She swore to them in the name of the living God that whenever she would see them or their names or their images on an amulet, she would not overpower that baby, and she accepted that a hundred of her children would die every day.

Therefore, a hundred of the Jinns die every day, and therefore, I write the names [of the three angels] on amulets of young children. When Lilith sees it, she remembers her oath and the child is [protected and] healed.

In the 13th-century writings of Rabbi Isaac ben Jacob ha-Cohen, Lilith left Adam after she refused to become subservient to him and then would not return to the Garden of Eden after she had coupled with the Azazel -[Eve and Adam by Kristen E. Kvam, Linda S. Schearing, Valarie H. Ziegler, pp 220–221, 1999]

According to Rabbi Hiyya God proceeded to create a second Eve for Adam, after Lilith had to return to earth (Genesis Rabbah 22:7 and 18:4).["Lillith" Aish.com. Retrieved 22 March 2015.] And God create her from his rib as the symbol of being subordinate so that she may not claim equality and separated from him ever.

Whether this episode like to hear as a fairy tale, yet it filled not only the gap between the two verses of the Bible but it also explains why Eve was created from Adams rib, not in the same way as Adam created. In addition, Lilith is not new a name, but mentioned  even  once in the Bible. viz.

When the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring about the destruction of the wicked Rome, and turn it into a ruin for all eternity, He will send Lilith there, and let her dwell in that ruin, for she is the ruination of the world. And to this refers the verse, And there shall repose Lilith and find her a place of rest. -Isaiah 34:14.

In Sumerian language Lil means both Air and Breath. On the other-hand, as the elements of the Air and the sole are synonymous, in Hebrew, Lilith [Lamed (L), Yod (I), Lamed (L), Vav (O), Tau (Th)] pronunciation Liloth, which means spirited beings.

Lilith Originally a wind-spirit, derived from the Assyrian Lilitu, with long dishevelled hair, and wings, during Talmudic times the confusion of her name with the word for night transformed her into a night spirit who attacks those who sleep alone. Because she embrace the sleeping men and cause them to have nocturnal emissions which are the seed of a hybrid progeny.

Nearly 150 yrs ago a relief is found by an Iraqi inside a 4,000 yrs old destroyed temple near Baghdad. The Relief hinged to a wall of a small underground chamber of the temple. The Relief was the she demon Jinn known as Lilith.

However, the Relief then came to the Antic Merchant Sydney Burney through a local antic trader. In that Relief Lilith appeared to a human shape. She is slender, well-shaped, beautiful and nude, with wings and owl-feet. She stands erect on two reclining lions which are turned away from each other and are flanked by owls. On her head she wears a cap embellished by several pairs of horns. In her hands she holds a ring and rod combination. It is said Lilith is a demon Jinns, who tames wild beasts and, as shown by the owls on the reliefs, rules by night.

"Adam's wife, his first. Beware of her.
Her beauty's one boast is her dangerous hair.
When Lilith winds it tight around young men
She doesn't soon let go of them again".

The Jews also believe that Lilith is the night Demon Jinns preyed on women especial those who were pregnant or had just given birth and also to infants. So they write incantation bowl and put them in the four corners of the maternity room to keep Lilith away. - One of the bowls accuses “Hablas the Lilith, “striking boys and girls”-(ibid, 168). Or, it may says, “(Lilith) destroys and kills and tears and strangles and eats boys and girls” -(ibid, 193). The bowls’ purpose was usually to exorcise demon Jinns from the house or from the body of the clients named on the bowls, or to turn back malevolent magic that others had practiced against the clients. The drawing of the bound Lilith appears in the center of the bowl.

The bowl-texts accuse the Lilith of haunting people in dreams at night or visions of the day. One text describes the Lilith “(Lilith) who appear to human beings, to men in the likeness of women and to women in the likeness of men, and they lie with all human beings at night and during the day”-(Montgomery 117). Thus one prominent characteristic of the Lilith is that they attack people in the sexual and reproductive realm of life. It is no wonder, therefore, that some of the bowl-incantations employed the language of divorce to rid people of the Lilith.

The rabbinical literature gave us as such a short introduction that is very much compatible with the character of the Lilith of the incantation bowl. And Azazel through Serpent seduced Holy Eve, and enough said for him who understands. And all this ruination came about because Adam the first man coupled with Eve while she was in her menstrual impurity – this is the filth and the impure seed of Satan who mounted Eve before Adam mounted her. Behold, here it is before you: because of the sins of Adam the first man all the things mentioned came into being. For Evil Lilith, when she saw the greatness of his corruption, became strong in her husks, and came to Adam against his will, and became hot from him and bore him many demons Jinns, Lilin. -(Patai 81:455f)

Some source describes the physical structure of Lilith as: “She has wings and long hair. Drawings of the Lilith or demon Jinns on the incantation bowls bear out these details of physical appearance. “Rav Judah said in the name of Azazel: An abortion with the likeness of a Lilith, its mother is impure because of the birth, for it is a child, but it has wings” (BT Niddah 24b).

Rabbi Óanina (b. Shab. 151b) refers to the sexual danger that the Lilith constitutes for men: Thus the injunction that a man be forbidden to sleep alone in a house, “It is forbidden to sleep in a house alone, and whoever sleeps in a house alone, a Lilith seizes him.”

Lilith attempted intercourse with Adam before the creation of Eve, and after the creation of Eve she fled and ever after has plotted to kill newborn children. She dwells in the “cities of the sea” and at the end of days God will make her dwell in the ruins of Rome (Tishby).

The traditional depiction of Lilith from ancient Mesopotamia through medieval Kabbalah presents an antitype of desired human sexuality and family life. Lilith not only embodies people’s fears of how attraction to others can ruin their marriages, or of how risky childbearing and raising children are, but also represents a woman whom society cannot control—a woman who determines her own sexual partners, who is wild and unkempt, and who does not have the natural consequences of sexual activity, children.

Accordingly, we find widespread observance of a rite recommended by the Zohar, the purpose of which was to keep Lilith away from the marriage bed: “In the hour when the husband enters into union with his wife, he should turn his mind to the holiness of his Lord and say: ‘

In the Zohar Lilith’s demonic sexuality comes especially to the fore. She attempts to seduce men and use their seed to create bodies for her demonic children. The Zohar recommends the performance of a special ritual before sexual intercourse between husband and wife, in which the husband should turn his mind to God and say,--

Veiled in velvet, are you here?
Leave off, leave off:
Go not in and go not out!
It is neither yours nor your share. (Scholem 1965:157).

--Then for a time he should wrap his head and his wife's head in cloths, and after wards sprinkle his bed with fresh water”

The End.
Not Yet Verified.

Picture: Wikipedia.

Source:
• Qur'an;
• Bible (Old Testament);
• The Zohar-Shimon Bar Yochai
• The Alphabet- Ben Sira;
• Babylonian Talmud, Niddah 24b; Sabbat 151b;
• On the kabbalah and its Symbolism- Gershom Scholem, 1965: 157;
• Aramic Incantation Text from Nippur-James Montgomery, 1913.
• "Lilith" In Kabbalah- Gershom Scholem, 1974;
• Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism-Gershom Scholem.

Musaylima: The Man who Demanded a Partnership of the Prophethood of Muhammad.

Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal

11 Dec. 2011

Musaylima's full name was Muhammad Hayle Hassan Musaylima bin Thumama bin Kabir bin Habib. He belongs to the tribe Banu Hanifa, a Christian branch of Banu Bakr bin Wali (later known as Rabi'a) and one of the largest tribes of Arabia that inhabited the region of Najd, which had originally migrated from South Arabia and by the yr 503 CE had become the leading tribe of the central Arabian Kinda empire, Banu Bakr lived in al-Yamama, adopting al-Hajr (near present day ar-Riyad) as their "capital."-(Joseph Chelhod, Paris, 1964, p.14.).

Queen Bilquis

After the death of Hawdha bin 'Ali (d. 630), the chief of Banu Hanifa [Muhammad sent him a letter shortly before the treaty signed with the Quraish at Hudabiyya in June 628, inviting him to accept Islam. Hawdha replied that he would, on condition that Muhammad would name him co-ruler and proposed heir of his prophethood which Muhammad rejected], Musaylima successfully represent himself as a leader of his tribe and gained power to control an extensive area, mainly agricultural land in the eastern part of Yamama that produce huge corps. Later he built a sacred Haram there or enclave after Hijra.

In the south of Yamama it was the historic city of Saba, whose Queen Bilquis went to Jerusalem to meet with Prophet Solomon. This city was the center of studies and practicing magic and sorcery since the days of Moses. Those who were living there were the Magian, -fire worshipers, who had taken light and darkness as a part of their religion. Thus, in the course of time, Jinns, the power of darkness became the part of the worship in their religion. Thus the worshiper became a sorcerer or a fortune teller. The ignorant mass come to them to fulfill their various wishes. It is said in the Qur'an-

And they followed [instead] what the devils had recited during the reign of Solomon. It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut. -[2:101].

That is magic imported in Saba and taught them to the wizard and sorcerer by the devil Jinns. And they imported that magic which was revealed to the falling two angels Harut and on Marut in Babylon. That is due to those fallen angels the magic introduce and increases much of the Magic, Witch-crafting, Sorcery in the city of Saba.

And the sorcerer would prophesy which they have from the devil Jinns, which were written in a specific rhythmic style and the consequence of which is that sometimes they would happened sometimes they would not happened ever. And if those prophesy would not happened, the sorcerer blame to the candidate that they may not done the rituals properly. However, their honor in the society would never fall.

When the incomer built their home in the Hejaj as settler, they came in contact with those sorcerer, magician, Shamanian. And they began to practice of rituals to acquire the subjective knowledge because of attracting with their status and social position. This was the environment entity of the Hijaj. But suddenly when a Prophet appeared in the Quraish tribe, they set their eyes on it. And observing the devotion and respect of the followers to the Prophet, they wanted to be proud themselves having a prophet among them.

All the small ethnic groups living in the proximity of Hejaj, the clanic honor was seen as an special status. And now these Magicians, Sorcerer take this as the most effective weapon. As a result, at the time of Prophets death, they began to announce receiving Prophet-hood. From almost every tribe so-called prophet started to come one after another.

It is said that Musaylima was a skilled magician,-(ibn Kathir, The Life of the Prophet Muhammad) who dazzled the crowd with miracles. He used his skill to persuade people that he was divinely gifted. Also, as befitted the usual manner in which holy persons, soothsayers and prophets appeared, he was veiled and disguised.

A number of miracles of Musaylima recorded by Sira writers. It is said that he could able to put an egg in a bottle; could able to cut off the feathers of a bird and then stick them on so the bird would fly again; But Tabari given some other picture. According to him, when Musaylima performed for something, invariably that meets with a disaster, wells dry up, date palms wither at his touch and vegetation dies in the fields.-[Tabari, pp.1934-1935]. As-

A woman of the Banu Hanifa came to him [Musaylima] and said: "Our palms are shrivelled and our wells are dry. Invoke God for our water and for our palros, as did Muhammad for the people of Hazman." And Musaylima asked: "O Nahar, what does she say?"

[in order to learn how to perform the blessing]. And he [Nahar] said: "The people of Hazman came to Muhammad and complained of their lack of water and their dry wells and palms...so he prayed for them. -[Tabari, pp.1934]

And interestingly primary source of majority of the Musaylima's miracle stories is Athal al-Hanafï, who was a companion of Thumama bin Uthal- another Hanafi leader and was controlling the northern part of Yamama-[Tabari, p. 1931].

In the 9th Hijri, the prophet sent messenger with his letter to all rulers and leaders inviting them to accept Islam. Thus a letter reached to Musaylima. So he came to Medina accompanied a group of Banu Hanifa warriors and when the delegation arrived, they met with Muhammad and proposed him to accept Musaylima as a Prophet and to share power over Arabia with him. In reference to the impertinent demands of Musaylima, Muhammad refused to give him “even a splinter of a palm branch” which he held in his hand.

So, the Delegation went back and stayed in Kayyisa's grove, Medina, which was a camp of al-Harith, a man of Ansar and from the aristocratic clan of the Jew Banu Najjar of Medina. Musaylima married Kayyisa bint al-Harith and was her second husband.

In the next morning, the delegation prepared themselves to met Muhammad again. Musaylima remained back with his wife pretending to look after the camels that tied in the camp of al-Harith, saying that, 'Tell him, if he would allow me inherit power after him, I’ll follow him.'

When they reached the Mashjid un Nabbi, the Prophet went out to see them with Thabit bin Qays. He had the same dead date-branch in his hand. The prophet reached before the delegates and they proposed their revised proposal. Then he told them what he had dreamt last night that he had two golden bracelets on, which were bothering him. He was asked to blow them away, which he did and they vanishes. He interpreted them as allusion to two liars- Musaylima and Aswad.

"So," he said, 'He will be destroyed as he return. I wished only to tell you what I have been shown about him. Otherwise, here is Thabit bin Qays who would answer your questions.' He left.

Then the members of the delegation consult themselves and decided to embrace Islam renouncing Christianity. As was his custom, prophet Muhammad presented gifts to the delegates, and when they had received their gifts one of them said, "We left our comrade in the camp as he wished to look after the camels."

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 returning to the camp, they handed the gift to Musaylima and told him that though he was not with them yet considered one of them. Then Musaylima embrace Islam. And on their return to Yamama, they converted their tribe to Islam and build a mosque there, started regular prayers.

When Musaylima came to Medina, he was surprised to see the admiration of people towards Muhammad and that influenced him to be a prophet. Before his "pretensions to prophecy, al-Jahiz writes, he travelled to the market towns situated between the Arab lands (Dar al-Arab) and Persia (al-Ajam), learning sorcery, astrology, and tricks of magic, and then returned to his tribe, who are Arabs, and claimed prophecy." Thereafter, some ignorant people had gathered round him. Musaylima made his people believe that he was receiving revelation from God the Merciful through the angel Gabriel. And most interesting case is that he was not denying the prophethood of Muhammad, rather claiming he was destined to share this mission with him.

Musaylima shared verses purporting them to have been revelations from God and told the crowd that Muhammad had shared power with him.-(Ibn Kathir, The Life of the Prophet Muhammad) He even referred to himself as Rahman, -(al-Mubh al-munir wa Tahdhib Tafsir Ibn Kathir,) ie. he attributed some divinity to himself. At this point, some of the people who embarrassed Islam, accepted him as a prophet alongside Muhammad.

When his name spreaded as a Prophet all over Yamama, a man of his tribe from the far-side came to test him. The man said: "We are told that you are claiming Prophet-hood like Muhammad?"

He said: "l am a partner with him in the affair," and then he said to the deputation that had been with him, "Did he not say unto you when you mentioned me to him His position is no worse than yours? What can that mean but that he knows that I am a partner with him in the affair?"

The man asked: "Does an angel descend on you?"

He said: "Yes. It's name is Rahman".
The man asked: "Is that angel in light or in darkness?"
"In darkness" -he replied.
The man said "I testify that you are a liar. However, a liar of the Rabi'a tribe of Yamama is better than a truthful person of the Najjar tribe of the Hijaz"

Gradually, the influence and authority of Musaylima increased with the people of his tribe. Musaylima was held in high esteem: his companions, they used to call him Rahman al-Yamama. In a course of time, the whole tribe aligned themselves with Musaylima. Then one day, in late 10th Hijri, he wrote to Muhammad:

'From Musaylima, 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.'

From this letter, it is clear his contrasting attitudes. Musaylima wrote to Muhammad using the title 'Messenger of Allah' and claimed that God bestowed on him partnership in prophethood (fa-inni qad ushriktu fi il-amri ma'aka). 'Half of the earth was given to Quraish and the other half was allotted to us ie. to Banu Hanifa, but Quraish are people who exceed their bounds.'

In Muharram, 11th Hijri, two persons from Yamama sighted in Medina with a letter for the Prophet from Musaylima. One of the secretaries of the Prophet opened the letter and read it over to him. And when the Prophet came to know about the contents of the letter he turned to those, who had brought it and asked them what the two had to say about the affair of Musaylima and they replied that their opinion was the same as of Musaylima. Then the Prophet said: "If you had not been the ambassadors and messengers I would have ordered you to be put to death." he continued, "When you had already embraced Islam and acknowledged my prophethood, why did you follow such a blockhead and give up the sacred religion of Islam?"

Prophet Muḥammad categorically rejected the quest of Musaylima to share his mission or be appointed his successor after death. However, he called his secretary and dictated a brief reply.

'From Muhammad, the Messenger of God, to Musaylima, 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." -(Al Tabari)

Here, the Prophet addresses Musaylima as 'the liar' asserts that the earth (in its entirety) belongs to God who gives it 'as heritage to whomever he pleases of his servants' -(Bayhaqi, Mausin). From that time Muslim also used to call him 'Musaylima the liar' (al-Kadhab). on the basis of Ibrahim's prayer for 'one' messenger during reconstructing Ka'ba and also on the basis of the Qur'an that already declared Muhammad as the `Seal of the Prophets'.

And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House, (Abraham prayed): Our Lord! Accept from us (this duty). Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Hearer, the Knower.

Our Lord! And make us submissive unto Thee and of our seed a nation submissive unto Thee, and show us our ways of worship, and relent toward us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Relenting, the Merciful.

Our Lord! And raise up in their midst "a messenger" from among them who shall recite unto them Thy revelations, and shall instruct them in the Scripture and in wisdom and shall make them grow. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Mighty, Wise. -(2:127-129)

"Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the "Seal of the Prophets": and Allah has full knowledge of all things."-(33-40)

However, the Prophet’s messenger were arrested by Musaylima’s men when they arrived near the sacred haram of Musaylima at Yamama and presented to Musaylima. Musaylima treat them like dogs and put them under the sword violating traditional law.

Then, under the threat of death, Musaylima asked them to confess that he too a Prophet like Muhammad. One of them did so when the pressing sword going much deeper cutting the skin of his neck. Thus he saved his life, but the other refused to confess. At this, Musaylima cut him limb by limb. At the loss of every limb, when asked, the man kept denying him till his death,

Yet, the Prophet did not take any action against Musaylima perhaps because of the dream he had seen already stated above.

However, Musaylima claimed to be the recipient of divine revelation to heal the sick and work miracles. His Teachings were almost lost. He sought to abolish prayer and freely allow sex and alcohol consumption.-(Ibn Kathir, Sirat Rasul Allah, pg-69), He also decreed that a man was not to have intercourse with any woman so long as he had a son alive.-(Tabari, p. 1917.) Yet he prohibited pigs and wine, taught three daily prayers to the God, facing whatever side, Ramadan fasting at night, but no circumcision.

It was also interesting that Musaylima also took to addressing gatherings as a messenger of Allah just like Muhammad, and would compose verses and offer them, as Qur'anic revelations. Musaylima learned of Quranic verses and techniques through ar-Rajjal bin 'Unfuwa, the renown warrior, who was the Qur'ànic teacher (mu'allim) sent by Muhammad to the Banu Hanifa Or may one of the member of Hanifa delegation to Muhammad who later apostatized -(Baladhuri, p.132,33; Watt, Medina, p.134; Tabari, p.1932,41; and Chronique, pp. 294-97; ad-Diyarbakri, p.175). However, most of his verses extolled the superiority of his tribe, the Banu Hanifa, over the Quraish.

Many of Musaylima's extant revelations are directed exclusively to a settled audience, and none are directed specifically to nomads. Below are several examples of Musaylima's so called revelations, though the context in which he recite those is not known-

Croak, frog, as thou wilt:

Part of thee in the water and part in the mud;

Thou hinderst not the drinker,

Nor dost thou befoul the stream. -(Margoliouth, Origin, p. 488)

Ya Difdi, ibna at-Difdi

Nuqqi ma Tanuqqin,

A'lak fi-ilma wa-Asfalk fit-tin,

La as-sharib Tam-na'in,

Wa la il-ma Tukad-dirin. -(Tabari, p. 1934).

"The elephant, what is the elephant,

and who shall tell you what is the elephant?

It has a poor tail and a long trunk;

and is a trifling part of the creations of thy God".

"Verily we have given thee the jewels:

take them to thyself and hasten;

yet beware lest thou be too greedy or desire too much".

"By the land covered with grass,

by the mountains covered with whiteness,

by the horses bearing saddles...."

"Happy are those who say their prayers,

who give what is required of their surplus,

who nourish the poor from their sack of provisions". -(Tabari, pp. 295-96)

"By various types of sheep ...

by the black sheep and its white milk,

indeed it is a pure surprise,

and the wine was forbidden

Why don't you wonder about these things"? -(Tabari, p. 1933)

Al-Yamama

In Yamama, Musaylima succeeded in gaining the support of many tribal groups who came under his control after the death of Hawdha, the former chief of the area in the service of Persia. In the last years before the Prophet's death, he attempted to establish a social order based on an alliance between the people of Yamama and tribal groups which moved to Yamama and settled there.

The Haram erected by Musaylima, certain places of which inhabited by his allies (Qurd al-Ahalif) were included. According to sources, the Haram was managed in a corrupt way and the Banu Usayyid, who served as its guardians mistreated other groups. When these groups complained, Musaylima did not redress the injustice. Instead, he read to them 'the answer he got from heaven,' meaning a verse from God for his book like Qur'an:'(I swear) by the darkness of the night and by the black wolf, the Usayyid did not violate [the sanctity] of the Haram'. When the Usayyid continued their transgressions, another verse was released: '[I swear] by the dark night and by the softly treading lion, the Usayyid cut neither fresh nor dry.'

The death of the prophet Muhammad raised the hopes of the community of Musaylima. In one of the speeches said to have been delivered in that period and which was directed to the Banu Hanifa, Musaylima stressed the qualities of his people and his land in comparison with Quraish and Mecca:

'What made Quraish more deserving of prophethood than yourselves? They are not greater in number than you; your land is wider than their land. Gabriel descends from heaven like he used to descend to Muhammad.'

Musaylimah claimed that the revelation transmitted to Muhammad had ceased with his death and henceforth it would be transmitted to him alone. The feeling that he was now the sole prophet is expressed in a verse attributed to him:

"O you, woman, take the tambourine and play, and disseminate the virtues of this prophet! Passed away the prophet of Bani Hashim, and rose up the prophet of Bani Ya'rub". -[ibn Kathir, Bidhya, VI, 341].

Musaylima's adherents grew in number and prestige. The situation in Yamama inspired a feeling of security and peace. This feeling was, however, shaken by the unexpected arrival of a former soothsayer, who claimed that she had been granted revelations from heaven. Her name was Sajah bint al-Harith. She was a Christian of the tribe of Tamim but lived among the Christian Arabs of Taghlib.

Accepting Islam or not is ones choice. But after accepting no one permitted to renounce Islam as it is the religion of Truth ie. renouncing Islam is equal to blaming and rejecting truth and that is a crime against humanity, because this act will turning men from truth which causes them looser in the hereafter. A Muslim never let anyone blaming or rejecting truth after accepting it, as it's a grievous crime. This led Abu Bakr to wars- the wars of apostasy

The wars of apostasy emerged following the death of Muhammad. At that time Sajah bint al-Harith declared herself a prophetess after learning that Musaylima and Tulayha had declared prophethood. -(Brill's first encyclopedia of Islam, 1936, Houtsma, pg-665). She gathered 4,000 people around her to march towards Medina. However, her plan to attack Medina was called off after she came to infom that the army of Khalid bin al-Walid had defeated Tulayha al-Asadi. -(al-Sira al-Nabawiyya, ibn Kathir, pg.36) Thereafter, she sought cooperation with Musaylima to oppose the threat of Khalid.

Musaylima invited her to meet him in order to negotiate a peaceful solution. He recognized Sajah as his partner in prophethood and declared that the land allotted by God to Quraish would be transferred to Sajah and her people. The other half would belong to Musaylima. Moreover, Musaylima granted Sajah the crops Yamama had produced that year and promised her the crops of the next year. -(Tabari, pp. 1919-1920).

A mutual understanding was initially reached with Musaylima. At a pleasant moment, Sajah inquired and wanted to hear some verses that revealed to him. Then he began to utter rhymes in a soft but heart touching voice-

"God has been gracious to the pregnant woman;

He has brought forth from her a living being

that can move from her very midst." -(ibn Ishaq: P 636-37; Tabari: pp. 1737-38).

On hearing the verse from Musaylima she said, "All speech-act that had its origin in the unseen powers, all speech-act- that was not a daily mundane use of words, but had something to do with the unseen powers, such as cursing, blessing, divination, incantation, inspiration, and revelation, had to be couched in this form" -[saj,].

After that Musaylima telling Sajah that God revealed to him that a woman's place in life is on the bed, he recited:

"God created women with a wide-open cleft,

And made men as partners for her;

Then we penetrate the clitoris,

And she bears children for us." -(Tabari, pp. 1917-1918).

Sajah recognized Musaylima as a prophet, whereupon he says: "Shall l marry you? Then l can conquer' the Arabs (al-Arab) with your people and mine."

Later, the two married.

Then Sajah returned to Jazira after a few days (3 days in some account). She return because she was not willing to abandon her people.

According to some sources, the forces led by Sajah intended to attack the troops of Abu Bakr under the command of Khalid bin al-Walid who set out to crush the apostasy (Ridda) of the tribes after the Prophet's death. In her forces were warriors from her people and others who joined them. After some skirmishes, she decided to fight Musaylima and conquer Yamama.

Abu Bakr became aware of the rising authority of Musaylima and decided to send Khalid bin al-Walid at the head of the Muslim army to fight Musaylima. After the defeat of Tulayha Khalid receive the order from the Caliph. So he moved his men to Yamama to fight Musaylima and his forces. Later Abu Bakr wrote Khalid, stressing the power of the Banu Hanifa and their courage.On his way to Yamama, Khalid received the letter and informed his army concerning Banu Hanifa.

Musaylima's agents informed him of the march of Khalid. The route from Butah to Yamama came through the Wadi Hanifa, and on the north bank of this wadi, behind Jubaila, lay the plain of Aqraba which marked the outer limit of the fertile region that stretched from Aqraba to Yamama and further south-east. Musaylima had no intention of letting the Muslims play havoc with the towns and villages of his people. Consequently he took his army forward to Jubaila, 25 miles north-west of Yamama, and established his camp near Jubaila, where the plain of Aqraba began. From this location Musaylima could not only defend the fertile plains of Yamama but also threaten Khalid's route of advance, so that should Khalid blunder through the Wadi Hanifa, the Banu Hanifa would fall upon his left flank.

Khalid was still some distance from Yamama when his men brought the information that Musaylima was encamped in the plain of Aqraba, on the north bank of the Wadi Hanifa through which, the road led to Yamama. Not wishing to approach his enemy through the valley, Khalid left the road a few miles west of Aqraba, moved from the south and appeared on the high ground which rose a mile south of the Wadi opposite the town of Jubaila. From this high ground Khalid could see the entire plain of Aqraba, on the forward border of which stretched the camp of the Banu Hanifa. Khalid established his camp on the high ground.

It was a cold winter morning, the two Army posed face to face for the battle. Musaylima gathered a no of 40000 soldiers and he arranged them into a middle with two wings-left and right The left wing was under the command of ar-Rajjal, the renegade, the right under Muhakim bin Tufael, and the centre under his command. A sermon delivered to the soldier by the son of Musaylima that reads something may be as-

Battle of Aqraba

"O, Banu Hanifa! Are you not Warriors? So, its time to prove what you are, Defend yourself, Protect your land. Protect your wealth- your family. Fight them. If you wona see your women, wona live in this land- fight to protect your women your land.

O, Banu Hanifa! If you show your back being a coward- your women will be captured by them. They will molest them on this land that covered your forefathers bones. You will lose your women forever- you will lose you land. Nothing will be left for you and you will be cursed for breaking oath to protect blood. So, fight them, kill them.

O, Banu Hanifa! fight them for the pride and honor of your tribe, Fight for Musaylima -Rahman al-Yamama. fight with courage, fight bravely till death. fight, kill them all." Then they waited for Muslim attack.

The number of Muslim Mujahedin were 13000. After fajar Prayer, they prepared themselves for the war. To Muslim it was the war to establish Islam- the religion of truth, the Religion of God; a war against those, who accept Islam and then revile it. Khalid arranged his soldier similar to Musaylima -a middle with two wings on the north side of wadi Hanifa. The left wing commanded by Abu Hudaifa and the left wing by Zaed, elder brother of Omar al khattab. The Middle direcly under the command of Khalid- the General.

The actual valley of Wadi Hanifa marked the battle front. On the northern side the bank rose to about 100 feet, rising gently at places, steeply at others, and precipitously at yet others. On the southern side it rose more gently and continued to rise up to a height of 200 feet, a mile away from the valley where Khalid had pitched his camp. On the north bank also lay the town of Jubaila and on the western edge of the town a gully ran down to the wadi. The Muslim front ran along the southern bank for a length of about 3 miles, on the northern bank stood the apostates.The town and the gulley marked the centre of Musaylima's army. Behind the apostates stretched the plain of Aqraba; and on this plain, about 2 miles from the wadi, stood a vast walled garden known as Abaz. As a result of this battle it was to become known as "The Garden of Death."

In the early morning of winter, 3rd week of December, 632 CE, in the beginning of Shawal, 11 Hijri, the apostates prepared themselves to defeat Muslim. The stood on their position as firm as a rock. Many fell before the onslaught of the Faithful, but there was no break in their front. The apostates fought fanatically, preferring death to giving up an inch of ground; and the Muslims realized with some surprise that they were making no headway. After the Muslims hard slogging to penetrate his wings, Musaylima, realizing that if he remained on the defensive much longer the chances of a Muslim break-through would increase, ordered a general counter-attack all along the front. The apostates moved forward like a vast tidal wave, and the Muslims now found to their horror that they were being pressed back.

The Muslims proceeded to fall back steadily. Then the pace of withdrawal became faster. The apostate assaults became bolder. And the Muslim withdrawal turned into a confused retreat. Some regiments turned and fled, others soon followed their example. The officers were unable to stop the retreat and were swept back with the tide of their men. The Muslim army passed through its camp and stopped at a distance.

As the Muslims left the plain of Aqraba, the apostates followed in hot pursuit. This was not a planned manoeuvre, but an instinctive reaction, they stopped at Muslims camp and began to plunder it. The battle hung in the balance and gave no sign of victory. Or it can be say Muslims were defeated.

Khalid now realized that with their fanatical faith in their false prophet the apostates would not give in. So the only way to minimize causalities is the death of Musaylima that could break the spirit of the apostates. But he was in the safety of the apostate ranks in which he stood surrounded by his faithful followers.

Then, Khalid proposed talks to Musaylima and he agreed. Then when khalid comes closer to him, he stepped forward cautiously and halted just outside duelling distance of Khalid. "If we agree to come to terms, what terms will you accept?" enquired Khalid.

Musaylima cocked his head to one side as if listening to some invisible person who stood beside him and would talk to him. It was in this manner that he 'received revelations'! Seeing him thus reminded Khalid of the words of the Holy Prophet, who had said that Musaylima was never alone, that he always had Satan beside him, that he never disobeyed Satan, and that when worked up he foamed at the mouth. Satan forbade Musaylima to agree to terms, and the he turned his face to Khalid and shook his head.

Khalid already determined to kill Musaylima. The talks were only bait to draw him close enough. He would have to work fast before Musaylima withdrew to the safety of his guards. Khalid asked another question. Again Musaylima turned his head to one side, intently listening to 'the voice.' At that instant Khalid sprang at him.

Khalid was fast. but Musaylimah was faster. In a flash he had turned on his heels and was gone!

Musaylima was safe once again in the arms of his guards. But in that moment of flight something meaningful happened to the spirit of the two armies, depressing one and exalting the other. The flight of their 'prophet' and commander from Khalid was a disgraceful sight in the eyes of the apostates. To exploit the psychological opportunity which now presented itself, Khalid ordered an immediate renewal of the offensive. The spirits of the Muslims rose as they redoubled their efforts. Then the infidel front broke into pieces the commander of his right wing, Muhakim, who came to the rescue of the apostates."Banu Hanifa!" he shouted. "The garden! The garden! Enter the garden and I shall protect your rear."

The bulk of the army broke and fled, scattering in all directions. Only about a fourth of Musaylima's army remained in fighting shape, and this part hastened to the walled garden while Muhakim covered its retreat with a small rear-guard. and fell to the arrow of the Caliph's son, Abdur-Rahman.

A little over 7,000 apostates, Musaylima among them, had taken shelter. The infidels had closed the gate, and as they looked at the high wall that surrounded the vast garden, they felt safe and secure.

The major portion of the Muslim army assembled in the vicinity of the Garden of Death. It was now afternoon, and the Muslims were anxious to get into the garden and finish the job that they had started early that morning, before darkness intervened. But no way could be found into the garden. The wall stretched on all sides as an impenetrable barrier, with the gate securely bolted from within. There was no siege equipment, nor time to spend on a siege.

While Khalid searched his brain for ideas, an old warrior by the name of Baraa bin Malik, who stood in the group that confronted the gate, said to his comrades "Throw me over the wall into the garden." His comrades refused, for Baraa was a distinguished and much-respected Companion, and they hesitated to do something which would certainly result in his death. But Baraa insisted. At last his comrades agreed to his request and lifted him on their shoulders near the gate. He got his hands onto the edge of the wall, swung himself up and jumped into the garden. In a minute or so he had killed two or three infidels who stood between him and the gate, and before others could intercept him, he had loosened the heavy bolt. The gate was flung open and a flood of Muslims roared through it like water thundering through a breach in a dam. The last and most gory place of the Battle of Yamama had begun.

In the clashes with the Banu Hanifa, a division of the army that came from those Medinans who had assisted Muhammad in his emigration from Mecca (the Ansar) attacked Yamama and fought bravely together with the Meccans who had fled with Muhammad (the Muh'jirin). They were summoned to help out in dangerous situations in the bloody battle of 'Aqrab'.

At the outset, the Banu Hanifa succeeded in repulsing the Bedouin attacks. The solution of Khalid was to put the Bedouin fighters of the army behind the lines of the well motivated and steadfast warriors of the Emigrants (Muhajirin) and Helpers (Ansar).

When Khalid's siege was tightened and the eventual defeat of this pretender became evident some of Musaylima's simple-minded follower asked him: "What has happened to the occult help and support which you had promised us?"

Musaylima replied: "There is no news about occult law and help. It was a false promise which I gave you. However, it is incumbent upon you to defend your honour and greatness". However, defence of honour and greatness was of little avail!

This above sayings of Musaylima shows that he was an eloquent speaker and it also shows that he is not at all the speaker of those insipid sentences, which history has attributed to him, as specimens of his contention with the Holy Qur'an.

Musaylima and his 7000 follower killed within the precincts of the garden. And he himself killed by a flying Javelin that hit on his belly and hooked him with the ground. Then when he helplessly trying the Javelin out to free himself and to relief his pain, Abu Dojana beheaded him with his sword in a single shot. But when he pulled his head up to announce the death of Musaylima, at that very moment a Hanafi sword from the behind passed through his neck and grounded his head beside Musaylima's.

Musaylima killed by a Javlin thrown by Wahshi from a long distance. According to some far-fetched traditions, he was 140 or 150 years old when he died in 11/632.

When it was spread that the Musaylima is dead, the followers of Musaylima lost their concentration, motive and hope. Some turned in suicidal desperation or killed himself. On the other hand, downing all, Muslims Mujaheddin attacked them more vigorously. As a result, the battle collapse in a short time. By the time sun set, a peace and quiet environment had returned to the Haram and its surrounding Garden.

The intense loyalty of Musaylima's followers can be gauged from the various stories that have been passed down. A woman who heard about his death exclaimed, 'Alas, prince of the believers!' (wa Amir al-Muminina). A wounded warrior of the Banu Hanifa, in his agony, asked a Muslim warrior to kill him in order to put him out of his misery. Upon hearing of Musaylima's death, he remarked: 'A prophet whom his people caused to perish' (Nabiyyun dayyaʿahu qawmuhu). By these words, the Muslim Mujahed gave him the "coup de grâce".

The bloody battle place, the Sacred Haram of Musaylima that flooded with blood later called the 'Garden of Death'. In this war, a lot of couragious example of Muslim fighters were found in the various sources. And the followers Musaylima also fought bravely, as a result, Muslims need to pay a lot for their winning. Nearly 1200 Muslims were killed in this war among them were Abu dojana (who at Uhud had shielded the Prophet from the arrows with his body), Abu Hudaifa (Left Wing Commander), Omar's brother Zaid (right Wing commander) and 400 Quranic Hafiz. On the other hand, Banu hanafi killed nearly 21000 in/c Musaylima, of them 7 thousands were killed in the open field of Wadi in Khalid's 1st and second attacks, 7 thousands killed inside the Sacred Haram of Musaylima, and the remaining killed when they refuse to deny the prophethood of Musaylima after his death.

After the death of Musaylima, Khalid sent some small groups of Muslim warriors to the resident of Bani Hanafi those were living scattered in different areas of Najd for their allegiance, calling them back to Islam. And the team went out and asked them their faith. Actually, they asked each of the member of the tribe a question that on whom he believed now, Muhammad or Musaylimah?

Musaylima killed and most of the Banu Hanafi tribes lost their prominent leaders in the battle, but they were hard minded without exception,they did not repent, nor they willing to. Only some of them suggested- "Let there be a prophet from among you and a prophet from among us!"

Why they did so? Is the life was valuless to them? Or they have a deep faith on Musaylima's Prophethood? No, of course not, most of them had no knowledge of Prophethood or a Prophet, but they were fully familiar with the kahins ie Sorcier, which we discussed at the beginning of this article. As a result, they gave their live in ignorance, on their ancient beliefs-

Their [kahins] mantic knowledge is based on ecstatic inspiration...[which] is of satan origin: a Djinnï. The kahins often express themselves in very obscure and ambiguous language. They give. greater emphasis to their utterance by striking oaths, swearing by the earth and sky, sun, moon and stars, light and darkness,evening and morning, plants and animaIs of all kinds....

Krulins play an extremely important part in public as weIl as private life. They are interrogated on aIl important tribal and state occasions...In private life, the kahins especially act as judges in disputes and points of law of aIl kinds. ...Their decision is considered of divine judgement against which there is no appeal. -[SEI, p. 207; G. Ryckmans, pp. 11-12; Blachère, Histoire, pp. 188-195].

It is the sole right for a person to accept Islam or not. For Humans are created freewilled and they have knowledge to distinguish good and evil. So man will decide using his knowledge its the God-given right for him to do so. And no one has the right to take away what God has given to them.

But, Islam is the Religion of God- "the religion of Truth". [from the very first man to Muhammad a long chain with 124000/144000 Prophets that includes Noah, Abraham, Israel, Moses, David, Solomon, Jeremiah, Zachariah, John, Jesus. Adam came to this world with this religion Islam, whereupon it completed through Muhammad] So no one permitted to deny, defy or revile Islam after accepting it. As deny, defy or revile truth is a crime- a crime against Humanity. Because that may lead some ignorant hesitate accepting Islam and keep them out from the religion of God which caused them loser in the hereafter. In Islam, anybody became a Muslim and then committed a crime against humanity is considered much more serious than that of a killing a Human. Muslims are ordered to fight to kill them. viz.-

And if they break their oaths after their agreement and revile your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief -surely their oaths are nothing -so that they may desist. -(Qur'an 9:12)

Narrated 'Abdullah: Allah's Apostle said, "The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: In Qisas for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims."- [Bukhari , Volume 9, Book 83 ,No-17]

According this Islamic Sharia, Caliph Abü Bakr orders his General to kill all dult male members of the tribe, those unwilling to repent. -(Barthold, 502-11). Thus almost the rest of banu Hanifa put to death under the sword. Those were somewhat 7000 in number.

Sajah, or her people not attacked Khalid nor Khalid involved war with them, as the Caliph Abu Bakr not declared war against her though she declared herself as a prophetess -because she was a Christian. Ridda, the war of Apostasy was not against any religion but Muslims those accept Islam and reject it for their tribal pride and honor. And thus placing Islam as false to them who were going to and willing to accept it. So, Sajah allowed to live unharmed with her family amongest her tribe. But she was safe during Rashidun Caliphate only, Muawiyya forcefully expelled her from the land that belongs to her. She move to Basra, Iraq and settled there.

The belief in the prophethood of Musaylima survived among his believers in the first decades of Islam. When Sajah moved to, kufa at Basra, some of the Musaylima's follower following her and set there around her. They later build a mosque there

Musaylima's adherents used to gather in the mosque of the Banu Hanifa in Kufa and the call la ilaha illal lla wa-Musaylimah rasullallah was heard from the minaret.

During his governorate in Kufa (Several years after the Prophet), Ibn Mas'ud came to know that one of the two men who had carried Musaylima’s letter to the Prophet re-appeared in the city who still believed in Musaylima’s messengership. Ibn Mas`ud ordered to arrest him. Then, when he brought to him, he told him that Musaylima had lost his immunity since he was no more an ambassador and got him beheaded. And then, he ordered the detention of the followers of Musaylima. Some fled, some captured and jailed. Those who repented, were released and those who clung to their faith were executed.

And then Sajah converted to Islam and were remain believer till her death.

Musaylima killed by Wahshi ibn Harb, the Ethiopean slave of Jubayr ibn Muta'im, who also killed Hamza in the battle of Uhud. on the eve of the conquest of Mecca, he was declared 'war criminals' by the Prophet. So he fled from Mecca and gone to Taif, where he lived among the Thaqeef for some time. In 9 Hijri, when the Thaqeef submitted to the Prophet, he too embraced Islam and went personally to swear allegiance to the Prophet.

The Prophet had not seen him for many years, and was not certain if he was the man. "Are you the Wahshi?" he asked.

--"Yes, O Messenger of Allah!"

--"Tell me how you killed Hamza."

Wahshi recounted the whole story from beginning to end. But there was no applause. On the face of the Prophet was a look of deep sorrow as he said "Never let me see you again." Something inside him warned Wahshi that to remain in Madina, where the memory of Hamza was deeply cherished, might be unhealthy for him. He left at once.

For the next two years he lived in various settlements around Taif, seeking obscurity and avoiding travellers. He was troubled by his conscience and feared for his life. It was a wretched existence. Then came the apostasy. Wahshi remained loyal to his new faith and elected to fight for Islam against the unbelievers. Then he participate Ridda, under the command of Khalid bin Walid and in the battle of Aqraba. When the battle inside the Garden of death starts, his eagle eye gazing for Musaylima and found him in a distance protected by his men. The range was not too long for him. Quickly he poised and aimed his javelin,

Wahshi later served in the Syrian Campaign under Khalid. When Syria had been conquered and established as a province of the Muslim State, he settled down at Emessa and lived to a old age. But he spent most of his days in a drunken stupor. He was even awarded 80 stripes by Umar for drinking (he was the first Muslim to be punished for this offence in Syria), Yet unable to stay away from the bottle. Umar gave up, with the remark, "Perhaps the curse of Allah rests on the Savage for the blood of Hamza."

Wahshi spent his last days in Emessa and in later years, he became famous. Visitors crowed his home to see him once. Some even asked him about Hamza and Musaylima. He answered them recounting detail first the killing of Hamza and then of Musaylima. And at the end, he would say, " Then with this javelin, in my days of unbelief I killed the best of men, and in my days of belief I killed the worst!" He then pick the javelin, that carefully kept besides his sitting with great admiration and put it on his lap slowly touching with care, with love in a unmindful state.

The End.

Not Yet Corrected.

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Wikipedia,

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