From Musaylima to the Kharijite Najdiyya

Abstract

This paper tries to reconstruct the following accounts: the defeat of Musaylima and the death of his prominent followers, and the rise of the Kharijite Najdiyya in Yamama. Moreover, this study seeks the evidence which points to the possible connection between Musaylima's movement and the Kharijite Najdiyya. This paper highlights that many founders and prominent leaders of the Kharijites, and particularly the Najdiyya sect, came from the tribe of H{dot below}anifa, to which Musaylima belonged. This, among other things, seems to have become the main impulse of attraction for the people of H{dot below}anifa to join the sect. Additionally, the 'characteristics' and the 'image' of the Najdiyya reflect those of Musaylima. This leads us to conjecture that the people of H{dot below}anifa, having failed to defend their prophet Musaylima and the land of Yamama against the Medinan caliphate under Abu Bakr in the Battle of 'Aqraba, later joined the Kharijite Najdiyya.