MUBAHELAH

 In the early days of Islam, Najran was a big center of learning whose inhabitants were idol-worshipers. Subsequently, they accepted Christianity. Najran is in the modern Hejaz, south of Jeddah. 

The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) had sent letters to the heads of different countries inviting them to Islam. One such letter was also sent to the bishop of Najran.It read as follows:

In the name of the God of Ibrahim, Is’haaq and Yaqoob. This letter is from Muhammad, the Prophet and Messenger of Allah to the Bishop of Najran. Praise be to the God of Ibrahim, Is’haaq, and Yaqoob. I invite you to worship Allah instead of His servants. I invite you to come out of the rule of servants of Allah and into the rule of Allah Himself.It is also stated that the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) included the following Ayah of the Glorious Qur’an:

“Say, (O’Muhammad) O People of the Book (Bible), come to an agreement that we shall worship none but Allah and that we shall claim no partner to Him, and that none of us shall take others for Lords besides Allah” And if they turn away, then say, “Bear witness that we are Muslims (who have surrendered to Allah).” (3:64) 

This was the event of 10 A.H. Sixty learned priests headed by their chief monk priest, Abdul Masih, came to Madinah and went straight to meet the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) wearing golden ornaments and dressed in silken clothes. He (s.a.w.a.s.) did not like their attire and turned his face away from them. They inquired from a few influential Companions for the reason, but they did not know the state of his (s.a.w.a.s.)’s mind. The Commander of the faithful, Maula Mushkil-Kusha, Imam Ali (a.s.) came to their rescue and advised them to dress in simple clothes. When they returned wearing simple clothes, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) warmly welcomed them. It may be inferred that appearances and attires show the thinking of the person. They wanted to show pride and high status. Following conversation ensued:

The Prophet: I invite you to the belief of Unity of Allah (Tauheed) and the worship of one God and submission to His will.

Abdul Masih: If Islam means faith in one God of the universe, we already believe in Him and follow His commands.

The Prophet: Islam has a few other signs and some of your actions show that you have not accepted true Islam. How do you claim worship of one God when you worship the cross and do not abstain from eating pork and believe that God has a son?

Abdul Masih: Certainly, he (I’sa (a.s.) was the son of God because his mother Mary- Mariyam (s.a.) had given birth to him without marrying anyone in the world. Therefore, obviously his father is the God of this universe. And, because he used to bring the dead back to life, cure the sick and create birds from clay and make them fly. It shows that he is God.

The Prophet: No, he was the servant and creature of God, and placed in the womb of his mother Mariyam (s.a.). All his power and strength were granted to him by God. At this time, Archangel Gabriel brought the following Ayah 59 of Surah Ale Imran: “Surely, the example of I’sa to Allah is like that of Adam; He created him from dust and then said to him, “Be” and he was “It means that if Isa (a.s.) could be called the son of God because he was born without father, then Adam (a.s.) deserves this title more because he was born without a father and a mother. The priests could not reply to this argument and continued to argue out of obstinacy.

Then the following Ayah 61 of Surah Ale Imran was revealed:

              “And whoever argue 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, ourselves, and yourselves, then let us humbly pray (to our Lord) and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars” 

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) produced this verse before the priests and challenged for “Mubahalah”. The priests consulted each other and accepted the challenge. It was agreed that the contest would take place the next day in the open desert outside Madinah. On 24^th Dhul-Hijjah, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) came out for Mubahalah. He was holding Imam Husayn (a.s.) in his arms and held Imam Hasan (a.s.) by his hand; Chief of the women of the world; Sayyida Fatima Zahra (s.a.) was behind him, while the Lion of Allah, Imam Ali (a.s.) was behind her. The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said to them, “When I pray for curse of Allah, you should say Ameen”.

The priests, by seeing these shining faces emitting light, were spellbound. Their hearts trembled, and they began to shake on seeing the light radiating from the faces of The Sacred Panjetan (a.s.).Their leader asked: “who are these persons who have come with Muhammad “A man told their names and their relationship with the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.). He could no longer hold his patience and cried out:

“By God, I am seeing such faces that if they were to pray to God to move the mountain, God Almighty would move the mountain for them. O You People of Najran, if you contest with Muhammad in this prayer of invoking curses on the liars, then I warn you that all of you will be destroyed and not a single soul will remain on this earth. I feel that it would be better to surrender to them and obey them”

After the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) heard these words, he later remarked: “By God, had the Christians of Najran contested with us, they would have been transformed into monkeys and swine. Fire would have rained over them”  

It is a historic event of a unique triumph of Islam. This event unquestionably established the truth about Islam and the spiritual purity of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). It proved beyond doubt as to who were the members of The House of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) and their “unquestionable Truthfulness!”

There is a point to be remembered here that in Arabic language the plural tense is used for more than three persons. Allah had provided the place for three or more than three persons in the categories of “SONS”, “WOMEN”, and “SELVES”. But the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) had to decide as to who were the persons who were “TRUTHFUL” and never lied in their lifetime, because Mubahelah would bring up Allah’s wrath on the “LIARS”. It was a crucial test for Islam. Hence, he picked-up Imam Hasan (a.s.) and Imam Husayn (a.s.); only two persons for the place in “SONS”. While in the place of “WOMEN”, he picked-up only his daughter, The chief of the women of the world, Sayyida Fatima Zahra (s.a.). Similarly, in the place of “SELVES”, he picked up only The Conqueror of Khyber, Imam Ali (a.s.). 

After the sad demise of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.), when Sayyida Fatima Zahra (s.a.) claimed her gifted property of Fadak, which was given to her by her father, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.), the Caliph did not accept their testimony. These were the same Panjetan, whose Truthfulness was accepted by Allah and the Christian priests.