False Prophet al-Harith bin Sa'id of Damascus

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلاة والسلام عليك يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

The false prophet al-Harith bin Sa’id of Damascus was known to be extremely devout and ascetic:

وَكَانَ مُتَعَبِّدًا زَاهِدًا لَوْ لَبِسَ جُبَّةً مِنْ ذَهَبٍ لَرُؤيَتْ عَلَيْهِ زُهَادَةٌ

"He was a devout ascetic. If he had worn a golden robe, asceticism would have still been observed upon him.” (Tarikh al-Islam, v.5, p.386)

So one should not be deceived by the outward piety and appearance of holiness that characterizes many of these Antichrists. Jesus Christ famously said, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matthew 7:15)

Before announcing himself as a prophet he wrote a letter to his father, saying:

يَا أَبَتَاهُ أَعْجِلْ عَلَيَّ فَقَدْ رَأَيْتَ أَشْيَاءَ أَتَخَوَّفُ أَنْ يكون الشيطان قد عَرَضَ لِي

"O father! Make haste, for I have seen things that make me fear that Satan has come to me.”

But his father increased him in misguidance, and replied to him, saying:

أَقْبِلْ عَلَى مَا أُمِرْتَ بِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ فِي الشَّيَاطِينِ تَنَزَّلُ عَلى كُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيمٍ وَلَسْتَ بِأَفَّاكٍ وَلا أَثِيمٍ

"Accept what you have been commanded with, for Allah says, ‘The Devils descend upon every slanderer and sinner’ (26:222) but you are neither a slanderer nor a sinner.” (Tarikh al-Islam, v.5, pp.386-387)

We Muslims believe that the Devil was indeed showing al-Harith bin Sa’id false visions, as Allah says:

ؕ وَاِنَّ الشَّیٰطِیۡنَ لَیُوۡحُوۡنَ اِلٰۤی اَوۡلِیٰٓئِہِمۡ لِیُجَادِلُوۡکُمۡ

And certainly the Devils inspire their friends that they may dispute with you

(6:121)

Apparently, al-Harith bin Sa’id was able to acquire a considerable following in the vicinity of Damascus and Jerusalem, due largely to his performing of marvels or wonders, such as making marbles audibly glorify Allah and feeding the people summer fruits in the winter. These are what we term Istidraj—extraordinary or apparently supernatural feats performed by false prophets and other callers to misguidance. It is not a valid reason to believe in such charlatans, for even the one-eyed Dajjal will perform such apparently supernatural wonders and deceive much of the world thereby.

When al-Harith bin Sa’id was captured in Jerusalem and was being taken to Damascus to be executed, he said:

أَتَقْتُلُونَ رَجُلًا أَنْ يَقُولَ رَبِّيَ اللَّهُ وَقَدْ جاءَكُمْ بِالْبَيِّناتِ من رَبِّكُمْ

"Would you kill a man because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah,’ and he has come to you with clear proofs from your Lord?” (Tarikh al-Islam, v.5, p.388)

Here we see that the false prophet al-Harith bin Sa’id echoed many Islamic themes and motifs, such as this Ayah in the Quran about the Prophet Moses:

وَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مُّؤۡمِنٌ ٭ۖ مِّنۡ اٰلِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ یَکۡتُمُ اِیۡمَانَہٗۤ اَتَقۡتُلُوۡنَ رَجُلًا اَنۡ یَّقُوۡلَ رَبِّیَ اللّٰہُ وَقَدۡ جَآءَکُمۡ بِالۡبَیِّنٰتِ مِنۡ رَّبِّکُمۡ

And a believing man from among the people of Pharaoh, who concealed his faith, said, “Will you slay a man because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah,’ while he has brought you clear proofs from your Lord?”

(40:28)

And Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, radi Allahu anhu, quoted this Ayah in respect to the Holy Prophet Muhammad, sall Allahu alaihi wasallam, when the vile and obstinate pagan Uqbah bin Abi Mu’ait attempted to kill him by strangulation:

فَجَاءَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَتَّى دَفَعَهُ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ أَتَقْتُلُونَ رَجُلاً أَنْ يَقُولَ رَبِّيَ اللَّهُ‏‏ وَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ

Abu Bakr came and pulled Uqbah away from the Prophet and said, “Will you slay a man because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah,’ and he has brought you clear proofs from your Lord?” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

As for the false prophet al-Harith bin Sa’id, he was first imprisoned by Abd-al-Malik bin Marwan, who had some of the Ulama preach to him that he should recant and give up his false claim to prophesy. But al-Harith refused and so his execution was ordered by means of crucifixion. It is mentioned that when a man thrust a spear into him, it was deflected by one of his ribs. The people marvelled at that and said:

مَا يَنْبَغِي لِمِثْلِ هَذَا أَنْ يُقْتَلَ

"One like this cannot be killed!”

Abd-al-Malik bin Marwan, who was present, asked that man tasked with killing the false prophet while he was being crucified:

أذَكَرْتَ اللَّهَ حِينَ طَعَنْتَهُ قَالَ نَسِيتُ أَوْ قَالَ لا قَالَ فَاذْكُرِ اللَّهَ ثُمَّ اطْعَنَهُ قَالَ فَطَعَنَهُ فَأَنْفَذَهَا

"Did you remember Allah when you stabbed him?” He said, “I forgot” or he said, “No.” He [Abd-al-Malik] said, “So remember Allah then stab him!” So he stabbed him and it penetrated (Tarikh al-Islam, v.5, p.390) Thus al-Harith bin Sa’id was executed in the year 79 after Hijrah.

The apparent asceticism, miracles, and settling in Jerusalem of al-Harith bin Sa’id are what seem to have convinced many people he was a prophet of God. The pious elder from the Salaf, Abu Idris al-Khawlani, said about the false prophet al-Harith bin Sa’id:

إِنَّهُ أَحَدُ الدَّجَّالِينَ الَّذِينَ أَخْبَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّ السَّاعَةَ لا تَقُومُ حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ ثَلاثُونَ دَجَّالا كُلُّهُمْ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ وَهُوَ أَحَدُهُمْ

He is one of the dajjals about whom the Apostle of Allah, sall Allahu alaihi wasallam, said that the Hour will not be established until thirty dajjals emerge, each of whom will claim to be a prophet, and he is one of them (ibid, p.389)