Eid al-Mubahila
In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
The Historical Occasion of the Victory of Islam
"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 monk priest came and
discussed with the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) the personality of Hazrat Eesa
(pbuh). The Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) 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 (pbuh&hp) 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 (pbuh&hp) 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 (pbuh&hp) 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 (pbuh&hp) entering the field with Imam Hussain
(pbuh) in his lap, Imam Hasan (pbuh) holding his finger, and walking beside
him, Lady Fatima (pbuh) and followed by Imam Ali al Murtaza (pbuh). The Holy
Prophet (pbuh&hp) 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
(pbuh&hp) was his young grandson, Imam Hussain (pbuh), the child walking
holding the Prophet's (pbuh&hp) hand was his first grandson, Imam Hasan
(pbuh), the Lady behind him was daughter, his only surviving issue was
Fatima (pbuh) the mother of the two children and the one who followed the
Lady was his son in law, the husband of Fatima (pbuh), 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 (pbuh&hp) and if these
souls whom Muhammad (pbuh&hp) 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 (pbuh&hp) 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
On the basis of the "mubahalah verse", Sunni interpreters such as
Zamakhshari, Baydawi, Imam Fakhr Razi and others regard `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan
and Husayn (pbuh) superior to all other people and argue that Hassan and
Husayn are the sons of the Messenger (pbuh&hp) 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 (pbuh&hp) 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 (pbuh&hp) 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.
Although other women were present in the family the Prophet (pbuh&hp) 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'
(pbuh), "our children" refers only to Hasan and Husayn (pbuh), and
"ourselves" refers only to the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) and Imam 'Ali (pbuh).
Zamakhshari, in his Tafsir al-Kashshaf, narrates that; the Christians said
to the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp):
"O Abul-Qasim, we have decided not to hold malediction with you. You keep
your religion, and we will keep ours." The Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) 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
(pbuh&hp) accepted."
This historic event of a unique triumph of Islam is 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 (pbuh)
* It proves beyond any doubt as to who are the members of the house
of the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp)
* 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 (pbuh&hp) to present them to God as
the best one of His creation to be heard in the prayers of Truth !
Source: imamreza.net
Quran and Etrat Internet University
http://university.etrat.net <http://university.etrat.net/>
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