Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid
طليحة بن خويلد
c. 590 CE – c. 642 CE · c. 21 AH† †
† Hijri date derived by computation from the Gregorian/Julian date; it may differ from the transmitted date by a day or two.
War-chief of Banu Asad who claimed prophecy at the Prophet's death, was broken by Khalid at Buzakha, fled to Syria — then returned, became a Muslim, and fought in the conquests he had once stood against.
At a glance
- Roles
- General
- Era
- The Prophetic Era · The Rashidun Caliphate
- Region
- Arabia
- Review
- Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it
In time
Civil wars and revoltsBattlesConverts and those who leave
Place in the story
- Rival claimanttowardMuhammad · 632 CE · 11 AH† – 632 CE · 11 AH†Historical
- RebeltowardRashidun Caliphate · 632 CE · 11 AH† – 632 CE · 11 AH†Historical
- Convert to Islam · c. 633 CE · c. 12 AH†Tradition
Arabian polytheism (debated) · Sunni (transmitted)
Roles are dated and sourced; the museum describes the act and attributes the judgement.
Overview
Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid, war-chief of Banu Asad who claimed prophethood at the Prophet's death; Khalid broke him at Buzakha and he fled to Syria — then returned a Muslim and fought in the conquests.
Life
When the Prophet died Tulayha rose among Banu Asad claiming revelation; clans of Ghatafan and Tayy' gathered to him, and his was the Ridda trouble closest to Medina 1.
Khalid ibn al-Walid marched on him and broke him at Buzakha in 632 CE, and Tulayha fled to Syria beyond the caliphate's reach 1.
Then he returned a Muslim; the tradition says he witnessed the engagements in Iraq among the Muslims' soldiery and died in Umar's caliphate 2.
For young visitors
Tulayha claimed prophethood, was defeated and fled — then returned a Muslim and fought in the ranks of the side that had beaten him.
Opinions on the question
The question: How is Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid read in the Sunni tradition and by historians?
First opinion · Sunni tradition (the museum's frame)Main reference
More opinions (1)
Academic viewSecondary opinion
Connections
- Member of
- Banu Asad ibn Khuzayma
- Fought
- Khalid ibn al-Walid
- Participated in
- Battle of Buzakha
- Opposed
- Rashidun Caliphate
People and things also explored
The early Muslim communityMusaylimaThe Battle of HunaynThe Battle of Mu'tahThe Battle of UhudThe Conquest of Mecca (Fath Makka)The delegation and mission to HamdanThe Demolition of al-Uzza and Major Idols
Sources
- al-Tabari, History vol. X: The Conquest of Arabia (Donner translation, SUNY)
- Ibn Sa'd, Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir (Bewley translation, Ta-Ha)
- Watt, Muhammad at Medina (1956)
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “Tulayha ibn Khuwaylid”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/tulayha-ibn-khuwaylid/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-12.