The Impact of Soothsaying on the Emergence of False Prophets in the Early Islamic Era

Throughout history, when prominent religious and political leaders died, people emerged who claimed to be the true leaders. Such an event was likely in the Arabian Peninsula, because of the predominance of the tribal system and sediments of their Jāhilī (Ignorant) culture. False prophets in the early Islamic period exploited laypeople’s belief in magic and spell, and tried to deceive people with certain dramatic moves and rhymed words. What matters is the deep connection between soothsaying (kihāna), and magic in general, on the one hand, and religious headship, on the other. Such a position was occupied by kāhins (soothsayers) who drew upon their knowledge and powers to establish the position of prophethood. In this paper, we identify the features of magic and soothsaying, and then apply them to words and deeds of false prophets. The findings show that their words and deeds fully match two central features of soothsaying: dependence and deception.