The event was the result of a delegation led by Abdul Masihm and 60 Christian followers addressing Muhammad regarding the nature of Jesus. Then, according to Qur'an Muhammad invited them to imprecation:
"If any one disputes in this matter with thee, now after (full) knowledge Hath come to thee, say: "Come! let us gather together,- our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves: Then let us earnestly pray, and invoke the curse of Allah on those who lie! 3:61"
Though the verse calls for (in 'Arabic) at least 3 "sons", at least 3 "women", and at 3 least "selves" from each side in the Mubahila, only Imam Hasan ibn 'Ali and Imam Husain ibn 'Ali represented the "sons" of the Prophet, only Fatima al-Zahra represented the "women", and only 'Ali ibn Abi Talib represented as the "self" or "soul" of the Prophet.
Towards the close of the ninth year of Hijra, embassies from all parts of Arabia came uninterruptedly to Muhammad at Medina, to profess Islam and to declare the adherence of their tribes to Muhammad. (Mention is made in the 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 110:1-3
Until now, the Christians of Najran (a city in the province of Yemen) had kept themselves aloof. Muhammad 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 Muhammad 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 Prophet. All of them greeted the Prophet traditionally, but the Apostle of God 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 deputies to Ali, 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. Muhammad would then willingly see them. Thereupon the Christian delegates changed into humble garments and presented themselves to the Apostle 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 preached to them and requested them to accept Islam. They asked, "What is your opinion about Jesus Christ?" The Apostle 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 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.[/b] Quran 3:59-60
When they reappeared before Muhammad, he recited the above verses before the visiting Christians explaining that Christ was a Prophet like Adam and like Adam, created from dust and therefore could not be the son of God. After this, Muhammad invited them to embrace Islam. The Christians refused. 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. 3:61
Now Muhammad 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 Muhammad 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. However, early next morning, the 24th of the month of Dhilhijjah, Muhammad sent Salman to the selected site, outside the city area, to set up a shelter for those whom he would take with him, as his sons, women and selves.
A large number of companions assembled in the masjid, making themselves available for the selection. On the opposite side of the field, selected for the contest, the Christians, with their selected men, women and children appeared on the scene.
At the appointed hour, a huge crowd, standing in wait, saw Muhammad coming in, Imam Husayn in his arms, Imam Hasan holding his index finger, walking beside him, Bibi Fatimah Zahra, close to his heels and Imam Ali just behind her-as his sons, women, and selves. Muhammad then directed them to utter "Ameen" when he prayed to God.
No sooner had the sacred caravan of Muhammad 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 Muhammad reiterated, "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 from the sky and they would have been doomed."
When the Christians refrained from ‘Mubahala’, Muhammad 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 Muhammad an annual tribute consisting of two thousand costumes-worth: forty thousand Dinars, thirty horses, thirty camels, thirty armors and thirty spears. (Meraj-un-Nabuwat)
Authentic Proofs are quoted below regarding the Ayat of the 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, 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, Janab-e-Fatima, Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain than this Qur’anic verse. For in compliance with the order of God the Holy Prophet summoned his Ahl-ul-Bait, took Hussain in his arms, grasped Imam Hasan’s hand in his own, asked Janab-e-Fatima to follow him and Hazrat Ali to follow her. This proved that the Holy Ahl-ul-Bait 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 sent for Hazrat Ali, Janab-e-Fatima, Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain and prayed to God thus: "O My God! These are the very Ahl-ul-Bait of mine!" (Sahih Muslim. Vol. 1, Sahih Tirmizi.)
According to some versions it is stated that on the morning of 24th Zilhajj, a large number of people thronged the door of Muhammad, every one anticipating his chance to be selected for the team of ‘Mubahala’. But when Muhammad emerged out of his house accompanied by his ‘Ahl-ul-Bait’. They were all stunned.
When the event of the mubahila took place, the prophet was accompanied by a great number of Sahaba. The Sahaba's wanted to go out in a show of numbers and force so that the christians would be intimidated when they see how many followers the prophet of islam has got with him.
However when they got to a certain point, Muhammad thanked them all for their support but told them not to step any further, and that ONLY the following people would accompany him:
Imam Hassan, and Imam Hussain who were only young children at the time, Imam Hussain in his arms, and Imam Hassan holding his index finger; Lady Fatima walking behind him, and Hazrat Ali walking behind her.
The sahaba were in a state of shock. They wanted to know why yet again these members of his family had been singled out.
The prophet explained to them, that from here, they were going to go forward and to invoke ALLAH that WHOSOEVER amongst them is a LIAR then May Allah's curse and wrath be upon him. ANY LIAR would come under that curse.
If ANYONE of them had NEVER told ANY kind of a lie EVER, then they were welcome to step forward, because the curse was going to be on the liar.
What happened? Nobody had the guts to step forward, which is why the prophet took ONLY those who Allah has guaranteed their purification with the ayah of tatheer in Surah 33 Verse 33.
This was a challenge of Truth over Falsehood. Hence only those individuals could accompany the prophet who were singled out under the blanket of the prophet as being those to whom the verse of purification (quran 33:33) applies.
"Had there been any soul on the whole earth better than Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hussain, 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)
Many Muslim scholars, commentators and traditionists whom the ummah acclaim with one voice, have given the details of this event with following conclusions:
- The seriousness of the occasion demanded absolute purity, physical as well as spiritual, to take part in the fateful event.
- Only the best of Allah's creations (the Ahl ul Bayt) were selected by Muhammad under Allah's guidance.
- It, beyond all doubts, established the purity, the truthfulness and the sublime holiness of the Ahl ul Bayt.
- It also unquestionably confirmed as to who were the members of the family of Muhammad.
(References:- Mahmud bin Umar Zamakhshari in al Khashshaf; Fakhr al Din al Razi in Tafsir Kabir; Jalal al Din al Suyuti in Tafsir Durr al Manthur; Tafsir Baydawi; Tafsir Nafsi; Tafsir Ibna Kathir; Sahih al Muslim and Sahih al Tirmidhi.)
A very large number of Muslims (and also nonmuslims) witnessed the contest and came to know that Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn were the "Ahlul Bayt" addressed in verse 33 of al Ahzab, known as ayah al tat-hir or the verse of purification.
In this verse, the divine command allows Muhammad to take with him "sons", "women" and "selves"; therefore, had there been "women" and "selves" worthy to be selected for this symbolic contest, among his companions, he would certainly have selected them, but as it was seen by one and all, only Fatimah and Ali (and their two sons) were chosen, because none of the anxiously waiting companions (among whom were the three caliphs and the wives of Muhammad) was truthful or so thoroughly purified as to deserve selection for an event which was divinely decreed in order to also make known the true ``successors of Muhammad.
Result
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 mubahila verse, Zamakhshari, Baidawi, Fakhruddin Razi and others regard Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hussain superior to all other people and argue that Hasan and Hussain are the sons of the Prophet.
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By God, I see the faces which, if they pray to God for mountains to move from their places, the mountains will immediately move!
