Musaylima's letter to the Prophet and the reply

Musaylima ibn Habib wrote to the Prophet at the end of year ten, claiming a share in the affair and asking for half the land, and the Prophet answered him that the land belongs to God, who gives it as an inheritance to whom He pleases of His servants. ¹

The text of the letter in Ibn Ishaq: "From Musaylima, Messenger of God, to Muhammad, Messenger of God. Peace be upon you. To proceed: I have been given a share in the affair with you, and for us is half the land and for Quraysh is half the land; but Quraysh are a people who transgress." Two of his messengers brought it. ¹ See Musaylima's letter.

Ibn Ishaq relates from a shaykh of Ashja' from Salama ibn Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud al-Ashja'i, from his father Nu'aym, that he heard the Prophet say to the two messengers when he had read the letter: what do you two say? They said: we say as he said. He said: "By God, were it not that messengers are not killed, I would have struck your necks." ¹ He then wrote to Musaylima: "From Muhammad, Messenger of God, to Musaylima the liar. Peace upon him who follows the guidance. To proceed: the land belongs to God, who gives it as an inheritance to whom He pleases of His servants, and the outcome is for the righteous." ¹ This was at the end of year ten. ¹ The last phrase of the reply resembles Al-A'raf 128.

The Prophet's words that messengers are not killed echo a tradition of safe conduct for messengers and envoys. ¹

• The report's chain runs to Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud from a shaykh of Ashja'. ¹
• "The liar" in the heading of the reply is the wording of the letter as Ibn Ishaq transmits it. ¹