Sajah
Sajah bint al-Harith belonged to the tribe of Banu Tamim. After the death of Muhammad, Sajah declared she was a prophetess. Before claiming to be a prophetess, Sajah had a reputation as a soothsayer. Thereafter, 4,000 people gathered around her to march on Medina. Others were forced to join her (against their wills) against Medina. However, her planned attack on Medina was called off after she learnt of Khalid ibn al-Walid’s army defeating Tulaiha al-Asadi (another self-proclaimed prophet). Thereafter, she sought cooperation with Musaylimah to oppose the threat of Khalid. A mutual understanding was initially reached with Musaylimah. However, Sajah later married Musaylimah and accepted his self-declared prophethood. After this marriage, most of Banu Tamim re-entered Islam. Khalid then crushed the remaining rebellious elements of Banu Tamim, and then moved on to crush Musaylimah. According to one version of events, when Musaylimah was killed, Sajah returned to her brethren and there she died. However, according to another version of events, she accepted Islam and emigrated to al- Basrah, where she remained a good Muslim. Some said Samra ibn Jundab led her funeral service as governor of Basra under Muawiyah I.
See Also
References
- Encyclopaedia of Islam By Mufti M. Mukarram Ahmed, Muzaffar Husain Syed pg.231
- The origins of the Islamic state By Aḥmad ibn Yaḥyā al-Balādhurī, Abu Al-Abbas Ahmad Bin Jab Al-Baladhuri, Philip Khûri Ḥitti pg.151
- Smaller Signs of the Day By Muhammad bin Bayyûmi, Alig Abdul Ahad, pg.44