Eid al-Mubahila
The
Historical Occasion of the Victory of Islam
In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
O Allah! Send your blessings to the head of your Messengers and the Last
of your Prophets Muhammad ( S.A..W. ), and his pure and cleansed
progeny.
Glorious Quran Chapter 3 Verse 61:
And unto him who disputeth with thee therein after the knowledge hath
come unto thee, Say ! ( O' Our Apostle Muhammad ! ) ( Unto them ) come
ye, let us summon our sons, and ( ye summon ) your sons, and ( we summon
) our women and ( ye ) your women, and ( we summon ) ourselves and then
let us invoke the curse of God on the liars !
Sixty chiefs and `Ulama of Najran, headed by Sayyid, Aqib, and Usquf
(religious personalities) of the region in the 10th year A.H. came to
Medina to clarify their religious and political stance vis-a-vis Islam
which had spread over the Arab peninsula and to engage in discussions
with the Holy Prophet of Islam(S.A.W.) to realize the essence and truth
of Islam.
After lengthy discussions which have been presented in details in Ibn
Husham's "Sirah" 573/1, no agreement was reached on the position and
standing of Jesus. The Christians of Najran believed in the divinity of
Jesus and considered him as the son of God. This is while, based on the
explicit wording of the Holy Qur'an (3:59), the Holy Prophet of
Islam(S.A.W.) considered him as a prophet and the servant of God. At the
end of the discussions, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) suggested that the two
sides engage in "mubahalah", in other words, to invoke divine
malediction for the lying side. The following verse was descended in
this regard:
"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 our near people and your near people, then let
us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars."
(3:61)
This verse refers to the famous event of ' Mubahila ' which took place
in the year 10 A.H against the Christians of Najran. A deputation of 60
Christians of Najran headed by Abdul Masih their chief monkpriest came
and discussed with the Holy Prophet (S.A.W. ) the personality of Hazrat
Eesa ( A.S. ). The Holy Prophet ( S.A.W. ) told them not to deify Jesus
for he was only a mortal created by God, and not God Himself. Then they
asked who the father of Jesus was. By this, they thought that since he
was born without a father the Holy Prophet ( S.A.W. ) would helplessly
accept Jesus' father being God himself. In reply to this question was
revealed the Verse
Verily, similitude of Jesus with God is as the similitude of Adam; He
created him out of dust then said He unto him BE, and he became.
When the Christians did not agree to this line of reasoning, then this
verse was revealed enjoining upon the Holy Prophet ( S.A.W. ) to call
the Christians to Mubahila. To this the Christians agreed and they
wanted to return to their place and would have the Mubahila the next
day.
Early next morning the Holy Prophet ( S.A.W. ) sent Salman al Farsi (
May Allah be well pleased with him ) 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. On the
opposite side appeared the Christian priests, while at the appointed
hour the Christians witnessed the Holy Prophet (S.A.W. ) entering the
field with Imam Hussain ( A.S.) in his lap, Imam Hasan ( A.S. ) holding
his finger, and walking beside him, Lady Fatima ( A.S. ) and followed by
Imam Ali al Murtaza ( A.S.). The Holy Prophet ( S.A.W. ) on reaching the
appointed spot stationed himself with his daughter, her two sons and her
husband, raising his hands towards the heaven said :
Lord these are the People of my House
The Chief Monk on knowing that the baby in the lap of the Holy Prophet
(S.A.W. ) was his young grandson, Imam Hussain ( A.S. ), the child
walking holding the Prophet's ( S.A.W. ) hand was his first grandson,
Imam Hasan ( A.S. ), the Lady behind him was daughter, his only
surviving issue was Fatima ( A.S. ) the mother of the two children and
the one who followed the Lady was his son in law, the husband of Fatima
( A.S. ), addressed the huge crowd of the people who had gathered on the
spot, and addressed them saying
By God, I see the faces which, if they pray to God for mountains to move
from their places, the mountains will immediately move !
O believers in the Jesus of Nazareth, I will tell you the truth that
should ye fail to enter into some agreement with Muhammad(S.A.W.) and if
these souls whom Muhammad(S.A.W.) has brought with him, curse you, ye
will be wiped out of existence to the last day of the life of the earth
!
The people readily agreed to the advice counseled by their Leader. They
beseeched the Holy Prophet ( S.A.W. ) to give up the idea of the agreed
Mubahila and requested for themselves to be allowed to continue their
faith, offering to pay ' Jizya '.
- Al Tabari, Commentary of the Quran, v 2 p 192 - 193
The Christians were to annually offer twelve thousand exquisite clothes,
a thousand mithqal of gold, and some other items to remain Christians
under the umbrella of Islam.
On the basis of the "mubahalah verse", Sunni interpreters such as
Zamakhshari, Baydawi, Imam Fakhr Razi and others regard `Ali, Fatimah,
Hasan and Husayn (A.S.) superior to all other people and argue that
Hassan and Husayn are the sons of the Messenger (S.A.W.) of Allah.
The term "anfusina" in the "mubahalah verse" proves the unity of the
heart and soul of Prophet Muhammad and `Ali. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)
stated: "`Ali is of me and I am of `Ali." ("Fadail al-Khamsah" 343/1).
The "mubahalah tradition" has been recounted in different books of "sirah"
and history with various wordings. These include those of Tirmidhi ("Sahih"
166/2) which quotes S`ad ibn Abi Waqqas as follows: "When the mubahalah
verse was recited, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) summoned `Ali, Fatimah,
Hasan, and Husayn and said: `O Allah, these are the Members of my
Household." This tradition has been narrated by Hakim Nishaburi in "Al-Mustadrak"
150/3 and Bayhaqi in "Sunan" 63/7. Hakim regards this tradition as
authentic.
The Verse of Malediction (mubahilah): "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, and let us beseech Allah and invoke His curse
upon the liars'." This milestone event in Islamic history has been
narrated by all the historians, narrators, and commentators of the
Qur'an and is an event which reveals the exalted status of the Family of
the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.).
The narrations say that a delegation of Christians from Najran came to
the city of Madinah in order to meet with the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) to
discuss his prophethood and the new religion he was bringing. The Holy
Prophet (S.A.W.) proved to them that Jesus (A.S.) was the son of Mary -
a human being, a prophet, and a servant of Allah, as the Qur'an states -
and that regarding him as the son of God is blasphemy since Allah, the
Exalted, is high above such human characteristics.
After discussing these points fully and convincingly, when the Holy
Prophet (S.A.W.) found them still deliberately persisting in their false
beliefs and traditions - namely, the deification of Prophet Jesus (A.S.)
- Allah revealed this verse which was a major challenge to the
Christians to pray and invoke Allah that a curse may overtake the party
that insists on falsehood. Early the next morning, on the 24th of the
lunar month of Dhul Hijjah, in accordance with Allah's command, the Holy
Prophet (S.A.W.) arrived at the meeting holding Husayn in his arms and
leading Hasan by his hand, followed by his beloved daughter Lady Fatima,
behind whom came his son-in-law and cousin 'Ali ibn Abi Talib carrying
the banner of Islam. Seeing that the Prophet (S.A.W.) was accompanied
only by his immediate family, the Christians were convinced that he was
truthful; otherwise, he would never have dared to bring his dearest kin
along. The Christian delegation backed away from the maledictory
confrontation and agreed to retreat back to Najran.
Although other women were present in the family the Prophet (S.A.W.) at
that time, all the commentators, narrators, and historians agree that,
in this Qur'anic verse, "our women" refers only to Lady Fatima al-Zahra'
(A.S.), "our children" refers only to Hasan and Husayn (A.S.), and
"ourselves" refers only to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) and Imam 'Ali
(A.S.).
Zamakhshari, in his Tafsir al-Kashshaf, narrates the event in this way:
When this verse was revealed, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) asked the
Christians to the malediction to invoke the curse of Allah upon the
liars. The Christians held a discourse among themselves that night in
which their leader, 'Abd al-Masih, states his views as follows. He said:
"O Christians, know that Muhammad(S.A.W.) is a God-sent prophet who has
brought you the final message from your Lord. By God, no nation ever
dared to challenge a prophet with malediction but that woe befell them.
Not only would they perish, but their children would also be afflicted
with the curse." Saying this - that it is better to reach a compromise
with the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) rather than challenge his truth and
perish - 'Abd al-Masih advised his party to stop hostilities and retain
their religion by submitting to the Prophet's terms. "So if you persist
(for a confrontation) we will all perish. But if you, to keep your
faith, refuse (to have a showdown) and remain as you are, then make
peace with the man (the Holy Prophet) and return to your land."
The next day, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), carrying Husayn in his arms,
leading Hasan by the hand, followed by his daughter Lady Fatima, behind
whom came 'Ali, entered the appointed place and was heard saying to his
family: "When I invoke Allah, second this invocation." The Pontiff of
Najran, upon seeing the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) and his family, addressed
the Christians: "O Christians! I am beholding such faces that if God
wishes, for their sake, He would move mountains for them. Do not accept
their challenge for malediction, for if you do, you would all perish,
and there would remain no Christians on the face of the earth till the
Day of Resurrection." Heeding his advice, the Christians said to the
Holy Prophet (S.A.W.):
"O Abul-Qasim, we have decided not to hold malediction with you. You
keep your religion, and we will keep ours." The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.
told them: "If you refuse to hold malediction, then submit to Allah, and
you will receive what the Muslims receive and contribute what the
Muslims contribute." The Christians delegates, saying that they had no
desire to fight the Muslims, proposed a treaty asking for peace. The
Prophet of Islam (S.A.W.) accepted.
This historic event of a unique triumph of Islam is taken by the Shias
as a religious thanksgiving festival of the triumph against falsehood.
Some of the significance of this event are as follows :
· this event un-questionably establishes the truth about the spiritual
purity of the Ahl al Bayt (A.S.)
· it proves beyond any doubt as to who are the members of the house of
the Holy Prophet ( S.A.W. )
· the seriousness and the solemnity of the occasion demands absolute
purity, spiritual as well as physical in the individuals to serve in the
fateful occasion for the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.) to present them to God as
the best one of His creation to be heard in the prayers of Truth ! |