Personification of Deceit: 7 False “Prophets” after Muhammad ﷺ
Islam has stood the test of time, place and region. It exists today with its belief system intact and its heavenly scripture – the Noble Qur’ān – in its pristine purity, as read and taught by its Messenger Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
The final Messenger of Allah, Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam truthfully stated that there would be many liars and imposters that would come after him. He further said that all of these charlatans would claim Nubuwwah, i.e., being a Messenger, whereas he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is the final Messenger and there is no Messenger after him sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
‘Verily, thirty liars will appear in my Ummah. Each one of them will claim to be a Nabi, whereas I am the last of all the Ambiyā’ and there will be no Nabi after me.’ (Ibn Hibbān, Abū Dāwūd, Tirmidhī), Aqīdah Tahāwiyyah
In addition, this is emphatically clear from the Noble Qur’an.
Muhammad is not the father of any of you, but He is the Rasūl and the seal of the Ambiyā’, and Allāh has knowledge of everything. [Sūrah Al:Ahzāb: 40]
Based on the clear verse of the Noble Qur’ān and the blessed words of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, it is the unanimous belief of the entire Muslim world that anyone who claims to be a Messenger (Nabī), will be declared an imposter, a liar, and a fraud.
In line with the prophecy made by Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in his very lifetime, a liar by the name of Musaylamah from the Banū Hanīfah had come to the fore. He made many claims and lured people through his poetry and prose. In fact, he claimed to receive revelation from the divine too. Some of these verses have been narrated and are found in the works of history. They range from being outright ludicrous to downright stupid. Musaylamah became even bolder and wrote to Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, telling him that he should have authority over half the world.[1]
Further, Musaylamah began to predict future events and issue verdicts in line with his own whims. However, the harder he tried to prove himself, the clearer his deceit became. He was finally killed in the Battle of Yamamah, during the Caliphate of Abū Bakr radiyallahu anhu.
Many fraudsters followed in his footsteps. Some of them are listed below:
1. Asghar Ibn Husayn Tha’labī. In 439 A.H, this liar made the claim of Nubuwwah and he prepared a group under him to promote his call. After being caught by the King of Rome, he died in prison.[2]
2. ‘Abdul ‘Azīz Tarāblūsī. He made the claim of Nubuwwah in 717 A.H. Many ignorant people followed this liar and he had a following of about thirty thousand. The people of the Nusayriyyah sect made up much of his following. This liar would call himself ‘Muhammad Mustafa’, ‘Ali Murtada’ and sometimes the Mahdi. He would swear at Abū Bakr radiyallahu anhu and ‘Umar radiyallahu anhu and he declared every faith besides that of the Nusayriyyah as false. He destroyed many Masājid. The leader of Tarablus sent an army to deal with him and he was finally killed and dispatched to hell.[3]
3. Hamim Ibn Mann Allah. In Maghreb, modern day North Africa, Hamim Ibn Mann Allah claimed Nubuwwah in 313 A.H. he stipulated two salāh for his followers; he ended off fasting during Ramadān and put the fast of Wednesday and Thursday in its place. He was killed in 319 A.H.[4]
4. Hārith Dimashqī. He was from Damascus and would engage in great amounts of worship. After some time he reported visions of the Shayatīn and would do unique and strange things. He later claimed Nubuwwah.[5]
5. Abū ‘Alī Mansūr. He was a Fatimid ruler (Egypt) from 386 A.H to 411 A.H. He was famous for his tyranny and oppression. In 392 A.H, he issued an edict that wherever his name is called out, people should fall into prostration.[6]
As history repeats itself, the 19th century saw the rise of another imposter. This time, from Qadiyan, India. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadiyan (born in 1839 or 1840) had slowly gained influence over the ignorant through wild claims, ranging from being inspired to a final full blown claim of Nubuwwah. His methodology and ideas mirrored those of Musaylamah the Great Liar. He recited poetry, authored many books, and spread his prophecies – which turned out false, just like those of Musaylamah. With the help of the media and his British masters, he gained a foothold in the Muslim world and tried to water down the efforts being made against British colonialism by sincere Muslims.
All these false prophets met with an ignoble end, especially Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, as we will discuss in future posts in sha Allah.
