Sajâh, the daughter of Mundhar, was a Christian woman distinguished by her eloquent explanations and rhetorical power. She acknowledged the prophetship of I’sa [Jesus], and was well acquainted with the tenets of His law; but on account of her ambition to govern and her oratorical attainments, she constantly entertained a desire to lay claim to prophecy and apostleship. While, however, his holy and prophetic lordship was alive, she remained reticent in her aspirations. When that prince stepped from the dunghill of the world into the upper paradise, Sajâh proclaimed her intention, and began to deliver speeches in modulated prose, alleging that they were Divine inspirations and celestial revelations, and a number of the Bani Tha’leb tribe, to which she belonged, became her followers and believed in her claim. Sajâh enjoined her adherents to observe fasts, to pray, to pay voluntary and legal alms, but allowed them to eat pork. When her affairs prospered by means of the Bani Tha’leb, she despatched letters to many Arab tribes, inviting them to accept her religion. Great multitudes placed faith in her allegations, and girded their loins in her service. When her position had become strong, she wrote a letter to Mâlek B. Nuyrah—who was the chief of the Bani Tamym, but professed Islâm—and invited him to pay her allegiance. Mâlek, being of weak intellect and of little experience, assented, and became an apostate; but, despite all her efforts, Sajâh was unable to bring the Bani Rebâb under the yoke of her obedience, so that when certain Arab chiefs who had assembled in the shadow of her banners had represented to her that their opponents were numerous, they asked her whom they ought first to attempt to subjugate. Sajâh then recited to them some records in modulated prose, telling them that they were a revelation from heaven that they should first attack the Bani Rebâb. The misguided army, having assented to the opinion of Sajâh, marched against the Bani Rebâb, attacked them, and slew many of them. After this campaign numerous intelligent and experienced men represented to Sajâh that they had embarked in a great undertaking, and that their opponents were many, wherefore it would be proper first to attack the followers of Muhammad and to destroy the army of Abu Bakr, so that after this important affair had been brought to a successful issue, all the Arabs would willingly or unwillingly obey them. She replied that she was expecting a Divine revelation, and the next night strung together some words in modulated prose to the effect that it would be necessary first to march to Yamâmah in order to arrive at a decision concerning the position of Moseylamah. What she had concocted during the night that she recited in the morning to the officers of the army, which thereon unanimously marched to Yamâmah. Meanwhile Shorahbil B. Hissa and A’kramah B. Abu Jahl had, on the part of the Musalmâns, marched to Yamâmah by order of Abu Bakr to check the wickedness of Moseylamah. Khâled B. Alwolyd had been commanded by Abu Bakr to join them, but when he heard that Sajâh had marched with her army, he considered it proper to wait, and Shorahbil, with A’kramah, having likewise been apprised of the state of affairs, likewise returned to Mekkah to see how the business between Moseylamah and that lying woman would terminate.
When Moseylamah heard that Sajâh was marching against him with a large army, he sent some of his intimate friends as envoys to her, to learn her intention and to return to him. When the envoys had reached Sajâh, they explained the object of their mission, but she replied that God the Most High and Glorious had sent her a revelation ordering her to attack them. Then she recited to them some of her disconnected words, and dismissed them. The envoys immediately left her, and reported to Moseylamah the liar what she had said. Although Moseylamah knew that her claim to prophetship was as false as his own, but fear of the army of Islâm having overpowered his mind, he thought proper to negotiate with her for peace. He therefore again despatched envoys to Sajâh with the message that God the Most High had informed him of His having bestowed one-half of the earth on the Qoraish and the other upon himself, having made him a partner in prophetship with Muhammad; if, however, she would act righteously, the Most High—whose name be glorified—would present her with the half of the Qoraish, and as she was at present receiving celestial revelations, there was no other remedy but to believe and to obey her. He also requested that, as soon as his envoys were honoured by being admitted to her noble presence, she ought to pay him a visit with her courtiers, to enable him to listen to her utterances with an assenting audition, so that he might hear one word from those sweet-spoken lips and remember it till the day of the resurrection. When the messengers waited on Sajâh, she received them with many honours, telling them also that the Lord had sent her a revelation in which He had praised them. She then recited some unconnected words to them, and after contemplating their handsome persons, beautiful countenances, and listening to their pleasing speeches, she said with reference to them: ‘They neither have connection with women, nor drink wine, but they are a congregation of benefactors who worship their Nourisher and keep the fasts.’ The words concerning abstinence from women and wine she had uttered because Moseylamah had prohibited them to his followers, and had told them that according to Divine command some of them should, after an abortion, no more cohabit with their wives. In fine, when the envoys had returned from Sajâh, and recited her modulated prose to him, he said: ‘There is no doubt that Sajâh is divinely inspired.’ Then he informed his envoys that God the Most High had revealed also to him a Surah with reference to them, and he forthwith despatched to Sajâh what he had composed. She then hastened with ten of her courtiers to pay a visit to Moseylamah, and as soon as he was informed of her approach he ordered a tent to be pitched for her outside of his fort, which he left and met Sajâh, who asked him during the conversation whether God the Most High had sent him a verse on this occasion, and, receiving an affirmative answer, asked what it was. Moseylamah then said: ‘God the Most High and Glorious spoke thus: Seest thou not how thy Lord has acted with steeds? The weakest of them are racing with expert animals running in the desert.’ Sajâh then asked what his Nourisher had sent him after this. Hereon Moseylamah recited to her some modulated prose about the commingling of men with women, which having pleased her, she exclaimed: ‘By Allah! thou art an inspired prophet.’ When she perceived his inclination towards her, her concupiscence augmented, and, laying aside the veil of modesty, she said: ‘We are both prophets; why should we not disregard impediments and commingle with each other like milk and sugar? Thou oughtest to marry me and place the reins of choice into my hands.’ Observing that Moseylamah’s stature was handsome, the lust of Sajâh was excited; she gave vent to the following expressions: ‘I possess the secret of my friend this night; I have to deal with thee this night; my tender body I surrender to thee this night. But I am waiting awhile to receive a Divine inspiration.’ When she perceived that the concupiscence of Moseylamah had attained full force, she began to manifest uneasiness, and, pretending that the time of revelation had set in, began after awhile to recite such modulated prose on the subject of connection as her weak mind had indited to her, asking him to have sexual intercourse with her, whereon embraces and kisses immediately followed, coupled with Moseylamah’s enjoyment of her during three days in the Hadikatu-l-rahman [Garden of the Merciful], which became afterwards known by the name of Hadikatu-l-maut [Garden of Death]. After the expiration of the said period of time Sajâh returned to her own people, where Arab chiefs, such as Mâlek B. Nuyrah, Zurqân B. Badr, U’ttarid B. Alhâjeb, and others who happened to be encamped there, interrogated her concerning her interview with Moseylamah. She replied: ‘I found him to be a prophet like myself, and assented by Divine command to marry him.’ They asked her what her marriage-gift would be, but when she replied that nothing had been settled on this point they advised her to return to Yamâmah and to demand from Moseylamah a marriage-gift, because it would be a great shame that she, as a prophetess, should obtain none. Accordingly Sajâh left the encampment of her army and, after performing the journey, reached the gate of the fort of Moseylamah, which he had ordered to be closed, and, mounting to the top of it, asked for the reason of her coming. Sajâh then stated her demand, whereon he asked who her Mueddhin was, and she replied that his name was Shith B. Rub´ay. Moseylamah then asked her to call him, and when he came Moseylamah said: ‘Proclaim among thy people that Moseylamah the apostle of God has absolved them from holding two prayers, namely, those of the morning and of bedtime, which were consonant with the religion of Muhammad.’ Sajâh then returned and brought her army, with which she encamped near the fort of Moseylamah for several days, till he agreed to give her one-half of the date-crop of Yamâmah as a marriage-gift.
It is recorded in chronicles that when the sexual connection of Sajâh with Moseylamah had become known to the Arab chiefs who followed her, they repented of what they had done, and said to each other: ‘We have committed a mistake to come out from our tribes, accepting the religion of this woman and conveying her to the fort of Yamâmah so as to enable Moseylamah to have connection with her. How can we now remedy this affair, and how shall we have the courage to encounter Khâled?’ After having consulted with each other the Arab chiefs dispersed, returned to their tribes, took rest in their homes, and sent letters of apology to Abu Bakr. When Sajâh perceived the turn affairs were taking, she departed with four hundred of her intimate adherents to her own home; but according to some traditions she ultimately became adorned with the decoration of the Faith, and was received into the community of the professors of Islâm.