Mission: Mubahala
The Prophet (S) goes for Mubahala
Towards the close of the ninth year of Hijra, embassies from all
parts of Arabia came uninterruptedly to the Holy Prophet at
Medina, to profess Islam and to declare the adherence of their
tribes to Prophet Muhammad(S). (Mention is made in the Holy
Qur’an as below about this in Sura An-Nasr (Succor, Divine
support)
When there comes the help of Allah and the victory, And you see
men entering the religion of Allah in companies, Then celebrate
the praise of your Lord, and ask His forgiveness; surely He is
oft-returning (to mercy).
(Quran, Surah an-Nasr (110) , Verses 1-3 Until now, the Christians of Najran (a city in the province of Yemen) had kept themselves aloof. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W)
sent a letter, inviting them to embrace Islam. In response to that
letter the Christians counseled among themselves the course of
their action and did ultimately send a representative deputation
of fourteen members to Medina to study the facts pertaining to
Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W) and his mission. Three Christian
scholars, viz. Abdul Maseeh Aaquib, Saiyed and Abdul Haris,
headed the deputation.
When these deputies reached Medina, they changed their
clothes, which they had worn on the journey, dressed themselves
in silken garments, put rings of gold on their fingers, and went to
the mosque to greet the Holy Prophet(S). All of them greeted the
Prophet(S) traditionally, but the Apostle of God(S) did not
respond and turned his face away from them.
They left the mosque and approached Osman and Abdul
Rahman Ibn Auf, complaining "your Apostle wrote to us and
invited us, but when we went to see him and wished him, he
neither reciprocated our wishes nor replied to us. Now what do
you advise us to do? Should we go back or wait for another
opportunity?" Osman and Abdul Rehman could not comprehend
the situation. At last they took the disputes to Ali(A), who
advised them to remove the clothes of silk and the rings of gold
that they were wearing and to put on their priestly robes. The
Holy Prophet(S) would then willingly see them.
Thereupon the Christian delegates changed into humble
garments and presented themselves to the Apostle(S) who then
responded to their salutations and said, "By the Lord who has
appointed me His Messenger, when they first came to me they
were accompanied by Satan".
Thereafter the Apostle(S) preached to them and requested them
to accept Islam. They asked, "What is your opinion about Jesus
Christ?" The Apostle(S) said, "You may rest today in this city
and after being refreshed you will receive the replies to all your
questions from me."
The Apostle was awaiting a revelation in this matter, and the
next day the verses of the Holy Qur’an Sura No.3 (Al-e-Imraan)
verses 59-60 were revealed to him to show the true position of
Jesus Christ.
Surely the likeness of Jesus is with Allah as the likeness of
Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him ‘Be’, and he
was. (This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of the
disputers.
(Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3), Verses 59-60)
When they reappeared before the Holy Prophet(S), The Holy
Prophet(S) recited the above verses before the visiting Christians
explaining that Christ was a Prophet like Adam(A) and like
Adam(A), created from dust and therefore could not be the son
of God. After this, the Holy Prophet(S) invited them to embrace
Islam. The Christians remained obstinate and refused to be
convinced by anything. Thereupon the following verse No. 61
from Sura No.3 was revealed:
But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has
come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons
and your sons and our women and your women and ourselves
and yourselves, then let us be earnest in prayer, and invoke the
curse of Allah on the liars.
(Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3), Verse 61)
Now the Holy Prophet(S) reproduced the Quranic verse before
the deputation of the Christians and declared the challenge of
‘Mubahala’. The term ‘Mubahala’ is derived from its Arabic
root ‘Bahlah’ meaning ‘curse’. Thus the word ‘Mubahala’
literally means cursing each other. The Christians consulted
each other and ultimately announced their acceptance of the
challenge.
Early next morning the Holy Prophet (S) sent Salman al
Farsi(A) to the open place, fixed outside the city for the historic
event, to erect a small shelter for himself and those he intended
to take along with him for the contest. However, it was on the
morning of 24th Zilhajj that the Holy Prophet(A) emerged at the
appointed time and place, from his sacred abode with Imam
Hussain(A) in his arms and holding Imam Hasan(A)’s hand and
Janab-e-Fatima(A) followed by Hazrat Ali(A) (styled as the
Holy Panjetan). The Holy Prophet(S) then directed them to utter
"Ameen" when he prayed to God.
No sooner had the sacred caravan of the Holy Prophet(S)
appeared to the sight of the opposing group of the Christians of
Najran then they were awestruck and spellbound. Abdul Haris
lbne Alqama, the greatest scholar among them, addressed his
people:
"Verily I see a divine light on the face of our combatants; I am
beholding such faces among them as can make the mountains
move from their spots if they pray to God. So beware! Never try
to contest with them, otherwise you will perish and the entire
nation of Christians will succumb to extinction!"
Thereupon the Holy Prophet(S) reiterated, "By God! Had the
Christians of Najran contested with us, they would have been
transformed into monkeys and swans. Fire would have rained
over them from the sky and they would have been doomed."
When the Christians refrained from ‘Mubahala’, the Holy
Prophet(S) put before them two alternatives: either to embrace
Islam or to be prepared to come to terms. But the Christians
would not agree till the matter was finally decided by an offer of
treaty from their side. Thus a peace treaty was signed on the
terms that the Christians of Najran would thereby be committed
to pay the Holy Prophet(S) an annual tribute consisting of two
thousand costumes-worth: forty thousand Dinars, thirty horses,
thirty camels, thirty armors and thirty spears. (Ref: Meraj-un-
Nabuwat)
Authentic Proofs are quoted below regarding the Ayat of the
Holy Qur’an-Sura 3-verse 61 as given on page 73 Imam
Fakhruddin Razi writes in his Tafseer-e-Kabeer (volume 2):
"When this verse was revealed to the Holy Prophet(S), the
Christians of Najran accepted the challenge of ‘Mubahala’ and
the Holy Prophet took along with him Imam Hussain, Imam
Hasan, Janab-e-Fatima and Hazrat Ali to the field of Mubahala."
To quote Allama Zamakhshari in his ‘Tafseer-e-Kashshaf’.
"There can be no more authentic and stronger evidence for the
integrity of Ashab-e-Kisa, i.e., Hazrat Ali(A), Janab-e-
Fatima(A), Imam Hasan(A) and Imam Hussain(A) than this
Qur’anic verse. For in compliance with the order of God the
Holy Prophet(S) summoned his Ahl-ul-Bait(A), took
Hussain(A) in his arms, and grasped Imam Hasan(A)’s hand in
his own, asked Janab-e-Fatima(A) to follow him and Hazrat
Ali(A) to follow her. This proved that the Holy Ahl-ul-Bait(A)
were those to whom the Qur’anic verse was directed."
It is related by Soad Ibne Waqas that: "When this verse was
revealed, the Holy Prophet(S) sent for Hazrat Ali(A), Janab-e-
Fatima(A), Imam Hasan(A) and Imam Hussain(A) and prayed to
God thus: "O My God! These are the very Ahl-ul-Bait of mine!"
(Sahih Muslim. Vol. 1, Sahih Tirmizi.)
Abdullah Ibne Umar quotes the Holy Prophet(S) to have
commented:
"Had there been any soul on the whole earth better than Ali(A),
Fatima(A), Hasan(A) and Hussain(A), God would have
commanded me to take them along with me to ‘Mubahala’. But
as they were superior in dignity and respect to all human beings,
God confined His Choice on them only for participation in
‘Mubahala’". (Tasfeer-e-Baizavi)
According to some versions it is stated that on the morning of
24th Zilhajj, a large number of people thronged the door of the
Holy Prophet(S), every one anticipating his chance to be
selected for the team of ‘Mubahala’. But when the Holy
Prophet(S) emerged out of his house accompanied by his Ahlul-
Bait(A). They were all stunned.
The event of the Mubahala is important for the following
reasons:
1. It proved to be a silencing lesson for all the Christians of
Arabia who no longer dared any competition with the Holy
Prophet (S).
2. The invitation of ‘Mubahala’ was directed by God, and it
was in compliance with His Command that the Holy
Prophet took his Ahl-ul-Bait(A) along with him to the field
of ‘Mubahala’. This serves to generalize how affairs
pertaining to Apostleship and the religion of God are
determined by the Will of God; allowing no margin of
interference from the common people (Ummat). The matter
of Hazrat Ali(A)’s succession followed by eleven
Imam(A)s to the office of religious leadership should be
viewed in this perspective.
3. The indispensability of Hazrat Ali(A), Janab-e-Fatima(A),
Imam Hasan(A) and Imam Hussain(A) in following the
precepts of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) could no longer be
disputed.
4. That notwithstanding their childhood, Imam Hasan(A) and
Imam Hussain(A) did nevertheless, serve as the active
partners of the Holy Prophet(S) in the field of ‘Mubahala’.
This yields the conclusion that age is no criteria for the
greatness of the infallibles (Masoomeen). They are born
adorned with virtues and knowledge.
5. That the Holy Prophet’s act of having preferred a few
obviously elevates their status above all others.
As Islam had emerged triumphantly against Christianity on the
occasion of ‘Mubahala’, this day assumes the significance of an
Eid day in Islamic history.
Why was Imam Ali(A) included?
The Almighty commanded His Messenger to say to the
delegation of Najran: "Come! We will summon our Sons and
your Sons, our women and your women; and ourselves and
yourselves…."
In compliance with this command, the Prophet brought with
him, Al-Hasan and Al-Hussain, because they were the sons of
his daughter Fatima, and for this they are his sons. He brought
Fatima with him because she represents the women from the
members of his House. But why did he bring with him Imam Ali
who was neither from the sons nor from the women?
Imam Ali(A) has no place in the verse unless he is included in
the word "ourselves."
Bringing Imam Ali(A) with him indicates that the Messenger of
God(S) considered Imam Ali(A) an extension of his personality.
By considering him so, he elevated him above all the Muslims.
The Messenger(S) said on many occasions:
"Ali is from me and I am from him."
Hubshi Ibn Janadah reported that he heard the Messenger of
God, saying: "Ali is from me and I am from him, and no one
represents me but Ali."
