Sajah bint Al-Harith ibn Suwayd al-Tamimi (Arabic: سجاح بنت الحارث بن سويد التميمى, fl. 630s CE) from the tribe of Banu Taghlib,[1] was an Arab Christian protected first by her tribe; then causing a split within the Arab tribes and finally defended by Banu Hanifa. Sajah was one of a series of people (including her future husband) who claimed prophethood in the 7th-century Arabia and was also the only female claiming to be a prophetess during the Wars of Apostasy in the early Islamic Period.
Sajah
| |
|---|---|
| Born | Unknown |
| Died | after 661 CE[1] |
| Known for | Being part of Wars of Apostasy |
| Spouse | Musaylimah |
| Parent |
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Sajah's father, Al-Harith ibn Suwayd, belonged to the Banu Taghlib tribe of Iraq.[2] During the Wars of Apostasy which emerged following the death of Islamic prophet Muhammad, Sajah declared herself a prophetess after learning that Musaylimah and Tulayha had declared prophethood.[3] 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 joined her against Medina. However, her planned attack on Medina was called off after she learned that the army of Khalid ibn al-Walid had defeated Tulayha 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. Khalid ibn al-Walid then crushed the remaining rebellious elements around Sajah, and then moved on to crush Musaylimah.
After the Battle of Yamama, where Musaylimah was killed, sources mention that Sajah converted to Islam after giving up her claim of prophethood and died after 661 during the reign of Mu'awiya I.[1]