Foaming at the Mouth: Sign of a False Prophet

 بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

والصلاة والسلام على نبيه الكريم

One of the false allegations levelled against our most holy Prophet Muhammad (sall Allahu alaihi wasallam) by the pagan Christians is that he (sall Allahu alaih wasallam) would foam at the mouth when receiving Wahi or divine Revelation. They base this accusation on an English translation of Imam as-Suyuti’s al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran:

Ibn Sa'd related that A'ishah said: "Whenever the Prophet received Inspiration his head would twitch he would foam at the sides of his mouth, he would feel cold in his incisors, and he would break into a sweat until it flowed down like pearls." (Imam Jalal-al-Din ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Suyuti, The Perfect Guide to the Sciences of the Qur'an: Al-Itqan fi 'Ulum Al-Qur'an (Great Books of Islamic Civilization), translated by Professor Hamid Algar, Dr. Michael Schub and Mr. Ayman Abdel Haleem, reviewed by Professor Osman S. A. Isma’il al-Bili [Garnet Publishing Limited, UK 2011], Volume 1, p. 104.

However, the words “he would foam at the sides of his mouth” is clearly a fabrication and a baseless addition to what actually occurs in the text:

أَخْرَجَ ابْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‌إِذَا ‌نَزَلَ ‌عَلَيْهِ ‌الْوَحْيُ يَغُطُّ فِي رَأْسِهِ وَيَتَرَبَّدُ وَجْهُهُ أَيْ يَتَغَيَّرُ لَوْنُهُ بِالْجَرِيدَةِ وَيَجِدُ بَرْدًا فِي ثَنَايَاهُ وَيَعْرَقُ حَتَّى يَتَحَدَّرَ مِنْهُ مِثْلُ الجمان

The correct translation of this text is as follows: “When the Revelation was sent down upon the Messenger of Allah sall Allahu alaihi wasallam he would cover his head (or he would be immersed in his head, meaning he would be in a trance like state), his face would become pale, he would sense coolness in his incisors and he would perspire until the beads of perspiration would flow down from him like pearls” (al-Itqan, p.131; Tabaqat al-Kubra, v.8, p.282)

Incidentally, it was the false prophet Musaylimah bin Habib concerning whom the most holy Prophet Muhammad (sall Allahu alaihi wasallam) is reported to have said:

إِنْ مَعَ مُسَيْلِمَةَ شَيْطَانًا لا يَعْصِيهِ فَإِذَا اعْتَرَاهُ أَزْبَدَ كَأَنَّ شِدْقَيْهِ زَبِيبَتَانِ

With Musaylimah is a devil that he does not disobey, and whenever (the devil) comes to him, he foams (at the mouth) such that his cheeks are two gobs of froth

(Tarikh at-Tabari; v.3, p.293)

And Musaylimah was apparently in this state of demonic possession, foaming at the mouth, when Wahshi advanced to kill him at the Battle of Yamama:

وَيَأْتِي وَحْشِيٌّ عَلَى مُسَيْلِمَةَ وَهُوَ مُزْبِدٌ مُتَسَانِدٌ لا يَعْقِلُ مِنَ الْغَيْظِ فَخَرَطَ عَلَيْهِ حَرْبَتَهُ فَقَتَلَهُ

Now Wahshi was coming upon Musaylimah while he was foaming (at the mouth), barely able to stand and unthinking from the fit (that had overtaken him), so he bared his lance on him and killed him (ibid, p.294)

Undoubtedly, foaming at the mouth is a sign of demonic possession and it is evident from those who claim to be prophets but are in fact receiving revelation from a devil, as Allah Most High says:

ؕ وَاِنَّ الشَّیٰطِیۡنَ لَیُوۡحُوۡنَ اِلٰۤی اَوۡلِیٰٓئِہِمۡ لِیُجَادِلُوۡکُمۡ

And certainly the devils inspire their friends that they may dispute with you (O my beloved Prophet!)

(Surah 6, Ayah 121)