But Musaylimah’s apostasy and al-Siddīq’s fighting and waging war [against him] (1) are established by mass transmission, just as are the accounts of Heraclius, Chosroes, Caesar and others whom al-Siddīq, Umar and Uthmān fought; the unbelief of those Jews and polytheists whom the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—fought, such as Utbah, Ubayy ibn Khalaf and Huyayy ibn Akhtab; and the hypocrisy of Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salūl, and similar matters.

Indeed, the mass transmission establishing Musaylimah’s apostasy and al-Siddīq’s fighting against him is more evident to people than that establishing the battles of the Camel and Siffīn, that Talhah and al-Zubayr fought against Ali, or that Saʿd and others refrained from pledging allegiance to Ali.

In the two Sahīh collections, Ibn Abbās is reported to have said:

Musaylimah the Liar came to Medina during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and began saying, “If Muhammad grants me authority after him, I will follow him.” He came there with a large company of his people. The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—approached him, accompanied by Thābit ibn Qays ibn Shammās. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—held a piece of a palm branch in his hand. He stopped before Musaylimah, who was among his companions, and said:

“Were I asked for this piece, I would not give it to you. You will not escape what Allah has decreed concerning you, and if you turn away, Allah will surely destroy you. Indeed, I believe you to be the one concerning whom I was shown (2) what I saw. Here is Thābit; he will answer you on my behalf.”

Then he turned away from him. Ibn Abbās said: I asked about the Prophet’s words—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—“I was shown (3) what I saw concerning you.”