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 24th 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.