Mubahila (Imprecation) Eid

Mubahila is an important historical event in which a group of Christians from Najran[1] visited Prophet Muhammad^-saww in Medina to renounce Islam. This debate continued until all the arguments given by Prophet Muhammad^-saww – against the Christian belief that Prophet Isa^-as is the son of God- were denied by the Christians. The final step of this involved the Christians being invited for an imprecation by the Prophet Muhammad^-saww as per Divine Commands. This event is also referred to in the Holy Quran, in Chapter 3 Verses 59-61:

إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ ۖ خَلَقَهُ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ {59}

Surely the example of Isa with Allah is like the example of Adam; He Created him from dust, then said to him, “Be”, so he became [3:59]

الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ {60}

(This is) the Truth from your Lord, so be not of the disputers [3:60]

فَمَنْ حَاجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَنِسَاءَنَا وَنِسَاءَكُمْ وَأَنْفُسَنَا وَأَنْفُسَكُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَلْ لَعْنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكَاذِبِينَ {61}

So the one who argues with you in this matter after what has come to you from the 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 imprecate and make the Curse of Allah to be upon the liars [3:61]

A short account of the whole event is highlighted in the Ahadith cited below.  Some additional information of the event may be found in Ahadith given in the Appendix:

عم، إعلام الورى‏ قدم على رسول الله ص وفد نجران فيهم بضعة عشر رجلا من أشرافهم و ثلاثة نفر يتولون أمورهم العاقب و هو أميرهم و صاحب مشورتهم الذي لا يصدرون إلا عن رأيه و أمره و اسمه عبد المسيح و السيد و هو ثمالهم و صاحب رحلهم و اسمه الأيهم و أبو حارثة بن علقمة الأسقف و هو حبرهم و إمامهم و صاحب مدارسهم و له فيهم شرف و منزلة و كانت ملوك الروم قد بنوا له الكنائس و بسطوا عليه الكرامات لما يبلغهم من علمه و اجتهاده في دينهم

(It is in the book) ‘Alaam Al-Wara’ – ‘A delegation of Najran arrived to Rasool-Allah^-saww. (There were) some ten men from the nobles and three persons, their affairs being under Al-Aaqib, their commander. Abdul Maseeh was in charge of their consultations, which they did not implement except upon his view and his orders. Al-Ayham was the chief in charge of their camel and Abu Haris Bin Alqama was the Bishop, and he was their priest and their leader and in charge of their schools, and there was nobility for him among them and a status, and the kings of Rome had built Churches for him and spread the honours upon him when it reached of his knowledge and his striving in their religion.

فلما وجهوا إلى رسول الله جلس أبو حارثة على بغلة و إلى جنبه أخ له يقال له كرز أو بشر بن علقمة يسايره إذ عثرت بغلة أبي حارثة فقال كرز تعس الأبعد يعني رسول الله ص و قال له أبو حارثة بل أنت تعست قال له و لم يا أخي فقال و الله إنه للنبي الذي كنا ننتظر فقال كرز فما يمنعك أن تتبعه

When they headed to Rasool-Allah^-saww, Abu Haris sat upon a mule and to his left side was a brother of his called Karz or Bishr Bin Alqama. When his mule stumbled, Karz said, ‘May the servant be ruined!’ – meaning Rasool-Allah^-saww; and Abu Haris said to him, ‘But you will be ruined’. He asked him, ‘And why, O my brother?’ He said, ‘By Allah^-azwj! He^-saww is the one whom we had been waiting for’. Karz said, ‘So, what prevents you from following him^-saww?’

فقال ما صنع بنا هؤلاء القوم شرفونا و مولونا و أكرمونا و قد أبوا إلا خلافه و لو فعلت نزعوا منا كل ما ترى فأضمر عليها منه أخوه كرز حتى أسلم ثم مر يضرب راحلته و يقول‏

إليك تغدو قلقا وضينها		معترضا في بطنها جنينها
مخالفا دين النصارى دينها.

He said, ‘What will these people do with us? They are ennobling us, and befriending us, and honouring us, and they oppose him^-saww, and if I were to do so (become a Muslim), they will snatch away from us all that you see’. His brother Karz cherished it more than him until he became a Muslim. Then he passed on, striking his camel and saying, (a poem), ‘We come to you^-saww worried, objecting its seed in its belly, opposing the religion of the Christians, its religion’.

فلما قدم على النبي ص أسلم قال فقدموا على رسول الله وقت العصر و في لباسهم الديباج و ثياب الحيرة على هيئة لم يقدم بها أحد من العرب فقال أبو بكر بأبي أنت و أمي يا رسول الله لو لبست حلتك التي أهداها لك قيصر فرأوك فيها

When he arrived to the Prophet^-saww, he became a Muslim. He (the narrator) said, ‘They arrived to Rasool-Allah^-saww at the time of Al-Asr and in their clothes was the brocade- and no one from the Arabs would come forward with clothes of silk upon the body. Abu Bakr said, ‘May my father and my mother be (sacrificed for) you^-saww O Rasool-Allah^-saww! If you^-saww could wear your^-saww garment which Caesar has gifted to you^-saww, so they can see you^-saww in it’.

قال ثم أتوا رسول الله ص فسلموا عليه فلم يرد ع و لم يكلمهم فانطلقوا يبتغون‏ عثمان بن عفان و عبد الرحمن بن عوف و كانا معرفة لهم فوجدوهما في مجلس من المهاجرين فقالوا إن نبيكم كتب إلينا بكتاب‏ فأقبلنا مجيبين له فأتيناه فسلمنا عليه فلم يرد سلامنا و لم يكلمنا فما الرأي

He (the narrator) said, ‘They came to Rasool-Allah^-saww and greeted to him^-saww, but he^-saww did not return (the greeting) and did not speak to them. They went to seek Usman Bin Affan and Abdul Rahman Bin Awf, as they knew them, and found them in a gathering of the Emigrants. They said, ‘Your Prophet^-saww wrote a letter to us and we came answering to him^-saww. We went to him^-saww and greeted him^-saww, but he^-saww did not return our greetings and did not speak to us. So, what is the opinion?’

فقالا لعلي بن أبي طالب ما ترى يا أبا الحسن في هؤلاء القوم قال أرى أن يضعوا حللهم هذه و خواتيمهم‏ ثم يعودون إليه ففعلوا ذلك فسلموا فرد سلامهم‏ ثم قال وَ الَّذِي بَعَثَنِي بِالْحَقِّ لَقَدْ أَتَوْنِي الْمَرَّةَ الْأُولَى وَ إِنَّ إِبْلِيسَ لَمَعَهُمْ ثُمَّ سَاءَلُوهُ وَ دَارَسُوهُ يَوْمَهُمْ

They asked Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws, ‘What is your^-asws view, O Abu Al-Hassan^-asws, regarding these people?’ He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws view that you should replace these clothes of yours and your rings, then you return to him^-saww’. They did that and offered their greetings, and he^-saww returned their greetings, then said: ‘By the One^-azwj Who Sent me^-saww with the Truth! They had come to me^-saww the first time and Iblees^-la had clothed them’. Then they asked him^-saww and learnt from him^-saww.

وَ قَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ مَا تَقُولُ فِي السَّيِّدِ الْمَسِيحِ يَا مُحَمَّدُ قَالَ هُوَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَ رَسُولُهُ قَالَ بَلْ هُوَ كَذَا وَ كَذَا فَقَالَ ع بَلْ هُوَ كَذَا وَ كَذَا فترادا فنزل على رسول الله من صدر سورة آل عمران نحو من سبعين آية يتبع بعضها بعضا و فيما أنزل الله‏ إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسى‏ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِنْ تُرابٍ‏ إلى قوله‏ عَلَى الْكاذِبِينَ‏

And the Bishop said, ‘What are you^-saww saying regarding the Master, the Messiah^-as, O Muhammad^-saww?’ He^-saww said: ‘He^-as is a servant of Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Rasool^-as’. He said, ‘he^-as is such and such’. He^-asws said: ‘But he^-as is such and such’. They argued. Then it was Revealed unto Rasool-Allah^-saww from the middle of Surah Aal-e-Imran, approximately seventy Verses following each other, and among what Allah^-azwj Revealed was: Surely the example of Isa with Allah is like the example of Adam [3:59] – up to His^-azwj Words and make the Curse of Allah to be upon the liars [3:61].

فقالوا للنبي ص نباهلك غدا و قال أبو حارثة لأصحابه انظروا فإن كان محمد غدا بولده‏ و أهل بيته فاحذروا مباهلته و إن غدا بأصحابه و أتباعه فباهلوه.

They said to the Prophet^-saww, ‘We shall imprecate with you^-saww tomorrow’, and Abu Haris said to his companions, ‘Look, if Muhammad^-saww comes with his^-saww children and family members, then be cautious of imprecating with him^-saww, and if he^-saww comes with his^-saww companions and his^-saww followers, then imprecate with him^-saww’.

قَالَ أَبَانٌ حَدَّثَنِي الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ دِينَارٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ الْبَصْرِيِّ قَالَ: غَدَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ آخِذاً بِيَدِ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ تَتْبَعُهُ فَاطِمَةُ وَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ عَلِيٌّ وَ غَدَا الْعَاقِبُ وَ السَّيِّدُ بِابْنَيْنِ عَلَى أَحَدِهِمَا دُرَّتَانِ كَأَنَّهُمَا بَيْضَتَا حَمَامٍ فَحَفُّوا بِأَبِي حَارِثَةَ فَقَالَ أَبُو حَارِثَةَ مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ مَعَهُ قَالُوا هَذَا ابْنُ عَمِّهِ زَوْجُ ابْنَتِهِ وَ هَذَانِ ابْنَا ابْنَتِهِ وَ هَذِهِ بِنْتُهُ أَعَزُّ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ وَ أَقْرَبُهُمْ إِلَى قَلْبِهِ

Aban said, ‘It was narrated to me by Al Husayn Bin Dinar, from Al Hassan Al Basry who said,

‘Rasool-Allah^-saww came holding the hands of Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws, followed by (Syeda) Fatima^-asws, and Ali^-asws was in front of him^-saww, and Al-Aaqib and the chief came with two sons, upon one of them were two armours as if they were two white pigeons, and they whispered with Abu Haris. Abu Haris said, ‘Who are they^-asws with him^-saww?’ They said, ‘This one is his^-saww cousin^-asws husband of his^-saww daughter^-asws, and these two are sons^-asws of his^-saww daughter^-asws, and this is his^-saww daughter^-asws, the dearest of the people to him^-saww and closest to his^-saww heart’.

وَ تَقَدَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فَجَثَا عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو حَارِثَةَ جَثَا وَ اللَّهِ كَمَا جَثَا الْأَنْبِيَاءُ لِلْمُبَاهَلَةِ فَكَعَّ وَ لَمْ يُقْدِمْ عَلَى الْمُبَاهَلَةِ فَقَالَ لَهُ السَّيِّدُ ادْنُ يَا بَا حَارِثَةَ لِلْمُبَاهَلَةِ فَقَالَ لَا إِنِّي لَأَرَى رَجُلًا جَرِيئاً عَلَى الْمُبَاهَلَةِ وَ أَنَا أَخَافُ أَنْ يَكُونَ صَادِقاً فَلَا يَحُولُ وَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْنَا الْحَوْلُ وَ فِي الدُّنْيَا نَصْرَانِيٌّ يَطْعَمُ الْمَاءَ

Rasool-Allah^-saww came and knelt upon his^-saww knees. Abu Haris said, ‘By Allah^-azwj, he^-saww knelt just as the Prophets^-as tend to kneel for the imprecation’. He paused and did not go ahead upon the imprecation. The chief said to him, ‘Approach, O Abu Haris, for the imprecation’. He said, ‘No, I see a man bold upon the imprecation and I fear that he^-saww would happen to be truthful, so by Allah^-azwj, a year will not pass upon us in the world and the Christians would not be eating and drinking’.

قَالَ وَ كَانَ نَزَلَ الْعَذَابُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ لَوْ بَاهَلُوهُ فَقَالُوا يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ إِنَّا لَا نُبَاهِلُكَ وَ لَكِنْ نُصَالِحُكَ فَصَالَحَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَلَى أَلْفَيْ حُلَّةٍ مِنْ حُلَلِ الْأَوَاقِيِّ قِيمَةُ كُلِّ حُلَّةٍ أَرْبَعُونَ دِرْهَماً جِيَاداً وَ كَتَبَ لَهُمْ بِذَلِكَ كِتَاباً وَ قَالَ لِأَبِي حَارِثَةَ الْأُسْقُفِّ لَكَأَنَّنِي بِكَ قَدْ ذَهَبْتَ إِلَى رَحْلِكَ وَ أَنْتَ وَسْنَانُ‏ فَجَعَلْتَ مُقَدَّمَهُ مُؤَخَّرَهُ فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ قَامَ يُرَحِّلُ رَاحِلَتَهُ فَجَعَلَ رَحْلَهُ مَقْلُوباً فَقَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‏.

He (the narrator) said, ‘And the Punishment would have descended from the sky if they had imprecated with him^-saww. They said, ‘O Abu Al-Qasim^-saww! We will not imprecate with you^-saww, but we shall reconcile with you^-saww’. Rasool-Allah^-saww reconciled with them upon the two thousand garments from the new Al-Awaqy garments, the value of each garment being forty Dirhams, and he^-saww wrote out a letter for them and said to Abu Haris the Bishop: ‘It is as if I^-saww am with you and you have gone to your ride and you are sleeping, and I^-saww went to its front and its back’. When he returned to prepare his ride, his ride he came to (started) turning back and said, ‘I testify that Muhammad^-saww is a Rasool^-saww of Allah^-azwj’’.[2]

Who did Rasool Allah^-saww take with him^-saww for Imprecation?

ما، الأمالي للشيخ الطوسي أَبُو عَمْرٍو عَنِ ابْنِ عُقْدَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ‏ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ هَاشِمِ بْنِ الْمُنْذِرِ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْحُصَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِي صَادِقٍ عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ نَاجِدٍ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ع قَالَ: خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص حِينَ خَرَجَ لِمُبَاهَلَةِ النَّصَارَى بِي وَ بِفَاطِمَةَ وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ رِضْوَانُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ‏.

(The book) ‘Al Amaali’ of the sheykh Al Tusi – ‘Abu Amro, from Ibn Uqda, from Muhammad Bin Ahmad Bin Al Husayn, from his father, from Hashim Bin Al Munzir, from Al Haris Bin Al Husayn, from Abu Sadiq, from Rabie Bin Najid,

‘From Ali^-asws: ‘When Rasool-Allah^-saww went out for imprecation with the Christians, he^-saww came out with me^-asws and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws and Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws, may Allah^-azwj be Pleased with them^-asws’’.[3]

ما، الأمالي للشيخ الطوسي أَبُو عَمْرٍو وَ ابْنُ الصَّلْتِ مَعاً عَنِ ابْنِ عُقْدَةَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ يَحْيَى‏ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يُوسُفَ الضَّبِّيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ هِلَالِ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْكَرِيمِ عَنْ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ مَنِ الَّذِينَ أَرَادَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَنْ يُبَاهِلَ بِهِمْ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ وَ فَاطِمَةُ وَ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ وَ الْأَنْفُسُ النَّبِيُّ ص وَ عَلِيٌّ ع‏.

(The book) ‘Al Amaali’ of the sheykh Al Tusi – ‘Abu Amro and Ibn Al Salt both together from Ibn Uqada, from Ahmad Bin Yahya, from Yaqoub Bin Yusuf Al Zahy, from Muhammad Bin Is’haq Bin Ammar, from Hilal Bin Ayoub, from Abdul Kareem, from Abu Umayya, from Mujahid who said,

‘I said to Ibn Abbas, ‘Who are the ones whom Rasool-Allah^-saww wanted to imprecate with them?’ He said, ‘Ali^-asws, and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws, and Al-Husayn^-asws, and the (word) ‘yourselves [3:61]’ (refers to) the Prophet^-saww and Ali^-asws’’.[4]

ما، الأمالي للشيخ الطوسي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي الْفَوَارِسِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّائِغِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ‏ إِسْحَاقَ السَّرَّاجِ عَنْ قُتَيْبَةَ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ حَاتِمٍ عَنْ بُكَيْرِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ نَدْعُ أَبْناءَنا وَ أَبْناءَكُمْ‏ دَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَلِيّاً وَ فَاطِمَةَ وَ حَسَناً وَ حُسَيْناً ع وَ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ هَؤُلَاءِ أَهْلُ بَيْتِي.

(The book) ‘Al Amaali’ of the sheykh Al Tusi – ‘Muhammad Bin Ahmad Bin Abu Al Fawaris, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Al Saig, from Muhammad Bin Is’haq Al Sarraj, from Quteyba Bin Saeed, from Hatim, from Bukeyr Bin Yasaar, from Aamir Bin Sa’ad, from his father who said,

‘When this Verse was Revealed: Come, let us call our sons and your sons [3:61], Rasool-Allah^-saww called Ali^-asws, and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws, and Hassan^-asws and Husayn^-asws and said: ‘O Allah^-azwj! They are the people^-asws of my^-saww Household’’.[5]

قب، المناقب لابن شهرآشوب تَفْسِيرُ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَ قَتَادَةَ وَ مُجَاهِدٍ وَ ابْنِ جُبَيْرٍ وَ الْكَلْبِيِّ وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ أَبِي صَالِحٍ وَ الْقَزْوِينِيِّ وَ الْمَغْرِبِيِّ وَ الْوَالِبِيِّ وَ فِي صَحِيحِ مُسْلِمٍ وَ شَرَفِ الْخَرْكُوشِيِ‏ وَ اعْتِقَادِ الْأُشْنُهِيِ‏ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى‏ وَ نِساءَنا وَ نِساءَكُمْ‏ كَانَتْ فَاطِمَةُ ع فَقَطْ- وَ هُوَ الْمَرْوِيُّ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ وَ سَائِرِ أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ ع‏

(The books) ‘Al-Manaqib’ of Ibn Shehr Ashub, Tafseer Ibn Abbas, and Qatadah, and Mujahid, and Ibn Jubeyr, and Kalby, and Al-Hassan, and Abu Salih, and Al-Qazruni, and Al-Magribi, and Al-Walie, and in Saheeh Muslim, and Sharaf Al-Kharkushi, and Itiqad Al-Ashnahi, – regarding the Words of the Exalted: and our women and your women, [3:61], it was (Syeda) Fatima^-asws only – and it is reported from Al-Sadiq^-asws and the rest of the People^-asws of the Household’’.[6]

فر، تفسير فرات بن إبراهيم الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ مُعَنْعَناً عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع‏ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى‏ أَبْناءَنا وَ أَبْناءَكُمْ‏ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ‏ وَ أَنْفُسَنا وَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ‏ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع‏ وَ نِساءَنا وَ نِساءَكُمْ‏ فَاطِمَةُ الزَّهْرَاءِ ع‏.

Tafseer Furaat Bin Ibrahim – Al-Husayn bin Saeed transmitting from Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding the Words of the Exalted: our sons and your sons [3:61] – Al Hassan^-asws and Al Husayn^-asws; and ourselves and yourselves [3:61] – Rasool-Allah^-saww and Ali^-asws.[7]

Background to Imprecation:

The following Holy Verses (3:59-61) were revealed regarding ‘Mubahila/Imprecation’:

عن ابن عباس و قتادة و الحسن‏ فلما دعاهم رسول الله ص إلى المباهلة استنظروه إلى صبيحة غد من يومهم ذلك فلما رجعوا إلى رحالهم قال لهم الأسقف انظروا محمدا في غد فإن غدا بولده و أهله فاحذروا مباهلته و إن غدا بأصحابه فباهلوه فإنه على غير شي‏ء

From Ibn Abbas and Qatadah and Al-Hassan – When Rasool-Allah^-saww called them to ‘المباهلة’ (the imprecation) they made him^-saww wait until the next morning. When they returned to their rides, the Bishop said to them, ‘Look at Muhammad^-saww in the morning, if he^-saww comes with his^-saww children and his^-saww family then be cautious of imprecating with him^-saww, and if he^-saww comes with his^-saww companions, then imprecate with him^-saww, for he^-saww is upon another thing.

فلما كان من الغد جاء النبي ص آخذا بيد علي بن أبي طالب ع و الحسن و الحسين ع بين يديه يمشيان و فاطمة ع تمشي خلفه و خرج النصارى يقدمهم أسقفهم فلما رأى النبي قد أقبل بمن معه سأل عنهم فقيل له هذا ابن عمه و زوج ابنته و أحب الخلق إليه و هذان ابنا بنته من علي و هذه الجارية بنته فاطمة أعز الناس عليه و أقربهم إليه‏

When it was the next morning, the Prophet^-saww came having grasped the hand of Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws were walking in front of him^-saww, and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws was walking behind him^-saww. The Christians came out with their Bishop in front of them. When he saw the Prophet^-saww, he asked about those^-asws whom the Prophet^-saww had come with. It was said to him, ‘This one is his^-saww cousin and husband of his^-saww daughter and the most beloved of the people to him^-saww, and these two are sons^-asws of his^-saww daughter^-asws from Ali^-asws, and this girl is his^-saww daughter^-asws (Syeda) Fatima^-asws, the dearest of the people to him^-saww and closest to him^-saww’.

و تقدم رسول الله فجثا على ركبتيه فقال أبو حارثة الأسقف جثا و الله كما جثا الأنبياء للمباهلة فرجع‏ و لم يقدم على المباهلة فقال له السيد ادن يا حارثة للمباهلة قال لا إني لأرى رجلا جريئا على المباهلة و أنا أخاف أن يكون صادقا و لئن كان صادقا لم يحل علينا الحول و الله و في الدنيا نصراني يطعم الماء

And Rasool-Allah^-saww came forward and kneeled upon his^-saww knees. Abu Haris the Bishop said, ‘By Allah^-azwj! He^-saww knelt just as the Prophets^-as tend to kneel for the imprecation’. So, he returned and did not come forward for the imprecation. The chief said to him, ‘Approach, O Haris, for the imprecation’. He said, ‘No, I see a man who is bold upon the imprecation and I fear that he^-saww would happen to be truthful, and if he^-saww was truthful, then the year would not turn upon us, by Allah^-azwj, and in the world there would be any Christian eating (and drinking) the water’.

فقال الأسقف يا أبا القاسم إنا لا نباهلك و لكن نصالحك فصالحنا على ما ننهض به فصالحهم رسول الله على ألفي حلة من حلل الأواقي قيمة كل حلة أربعون درهما فما زاد أو نقص فعلى حساب ذلك و على عارية ثلاثين درعا و ثلاثين رمحا و ثلاثين فرسا إن كان باليمن كيد و رسول الله ص ضامن حتى يؤديها و كتب لهم بذلك كتابا

The Bishop said, ‘O Abu Al-Qasim^-saww! We will not imprecate with you^-saww, but we shall reconcile (with) what we can withstand’. So, Rasool-Allah^-saww reconciled upon the thousand garments from Al-Awaqy garments, the value of each garment being forty Dirhams. So whatever increases or decreases, it would be upon the accounting of that, and upon the weapons; thirty armours, and thirty spears, and thirty horses even though these may be at Yemen, and Rasool-Allah^-saww was a guarantor until it is performed, and he^-saww wrote out an agreement for them with that.

و روي أن الأسقف قال لهم إني لأرى وجوها لو سألوا الله أن يزيل جبلا من مكانه لأزاله فلا تبتهلوا فتهلكوا و لا يبقى على وجه الأرض نصراني إلى يوم القيامة

And it is reported that the Bishop said to them, ‘I see such faces, if they were to ask Allah^-azwj to move a mountain from its place, He^-azwj would Move it, so do not imprecate for you will be destroyed and there will not remain upon the surface of the earth any Christian up to the Day of Qiyamah’.

و قال النبي ص و الذي نفسي بيده لو لاعنوني لمسخوا قردة و خنازير و لاضطرم الوادي عليهم نارا و لما حال الحول على‏ النصارى حتى هلكوا كلهم‏ قالوا فلما رجع وفد نجران لم يلبث السيد و العاقب إلا يسيرا حتى رجعا إلى النبي ص و أهدى العاقب له حلة و عصا و قدحا و نعلين و أسلما.

And the Prophet^-saww said: ‘By the One^-azwj in Whose Hand is my^-saww soul! If they had cursed me^-saww, they would have been morphed into monkeys and pigs and the valley would rain fire upon them, and a year would not pass by upon them until they would be destroyed, all of them!’ They said, ‘When the delegation of Najran returned, the chief and Al-Aqib did not wait except for a little while until they both returned to the Prophet^-saww and Al-Aqib gifted him^-saww a garment, and a stick, and a cup, and two slippers, and they both became Muslims.

قَوْلُ النَّبِيِّ ص‏ ابْنَايَ هَذَانِ إِمَامَانِ قَامَا أَوْ قَعَدَا.

The words of the Prophet^-saww: ‘These two (Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws) are two Imams^-asws, whether they^-asws are standing (in battle) or sitting (in Taqiyyah)’’.

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ص قَالَ: فَاطِمَةُ بَضْعَةٌ مِنِّي يُرِيبُنِي مَا رَابَهَا.

The Prophet^-saww said: ‘Fatima^-asws is a part of me^-saww. Allah^-azwj Nourished me^-saww (with) what nourished her^-asws’ (with).

وَ قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْضَبُ لِغَضَبِ فَاطِمَةَ وَ يَرْضَى لِرِضَاهَا.

And he^-saww said: ‘Allah^-azwj is Angered to an anger of (Syeda) Fatima^-asws and is Pleased to her^-asws pleasure’’.

وَ قَدْ صَحَّ عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ ص يَقُولُ‏ أَتَانِي مَلَكٌ فَبَشَّرَنِي أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ سَيِّدَةُ نِسَاءِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَ نِسَاءِ أُمَّتِي.

And it has held good from Huzeyfa that he said, ‘I heard the Prophet^-saww saying: ‘An Angel came to me^-saww and gave me^-saww the glad tidings that (Syeda) Fatima^-asws is the Chieftess of the women of the inhabitants of the Paradise and womenfolk of my^-saww community’’.

وَ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ‏ أَسَرَّ النَّبِيُّ ص إِلَى فَاطِمَةَ شَيْئاً فَضَحِكَتْ فَسَأَلْتُهَا قَالَتْ‏ قَالَ لِي أَ لَا تَرْضَيْنَ أَنْ تَكُونِي سَيِّدَةَ نِسَاءِ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ أَوْ نِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ‏ فَضَحِكْتُ لِذَلِكِ.

And from Al-Shaby, from Amsrouq, from Ayesha who said, ‘The Prophet^-saww divulged a secret to (Syeda) Fatima^-asws of something, and she^-asws laughed. She^-asws said: ‘He^-saww said to me^-asws: ‘Are you^-asws not pleased that you^-asws happen to be the Chieftess of the women of this community, or women of the Momineen?’ So I^-asws laughed at that’’.

مَا صَحَّ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ص‏ أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ قَائِلٌ فَعَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا سَأَلْتَنِي عَنِ النَّاسِ وَ لَمْ تَسْأَلْنِي عَنْ نَفْسِي..

He^-saww was asked about one of his^-saww companions, what holds good from the Prophet^-saww?  A speaker said to him^-saww, ‘So, Ali^-asws?’ He^-saww said: ‘But rather you asked me^-saww about the people and did not ask me^-saww about my^-saww self’.

وَ قَوْلُهُ ص لِبُرَيْدَةَ لَا تُبْغِضْ عَلِيّاً فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي وَ أَنَا مِنْهُ وَ إِنَّ النَّاسَ‏ خُلِقُوا مِنْ شَجَرٍ شَتَّى وَ خُلِقْتُ أَنَا وَ عَلِيٌّ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ.

And his^-saww words to Bureyda: ‘Do not hate Ali^-asws for he^-asws is from me^-saww and I^-saww am from him^-saww, and that the people have been Created from various trees (of lineages) while I^-saww and Ali^-asws have been Created from one tree (lineage)’’.

وَ رُوِيَ‏ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا دَعَاهُمْ إِلَى الْمُبَاهَلَةِ قَالُوا حَتَّى نَرْجِعَ وَ نَنْظُرَ فَلَمَّا تَخَالَوْا قَالُوا لِلْعَاقِبِ وَ كَانَ ذَا رَأْيِهِمْ يَا عَبْدَ الْمَسِيحِ مَا تَرَى فَقَالَ وَ اللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَرَفْتُمْ يَا مَعْشَرَ النَّصَارَى أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ وَ لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بِالْفَصْلِ مِنْ أَمْرِ صَاحِبِكُمْ وَ اللَّهِ مَا بَاهَلَ قَوْمٌ نَبِيّاً قَطُّ فَعَاشَ كَبِيرُهُمْ وَ لَا ثَبَتَ صَغِيرُهُمْ وَ لَئِنْ فَعَلْتُمْ لَتَهْلِكُنَّ فَإِنْ أَبَيْتُمْ إِلَّا إِلْفَ دِينِكُمْ وَ الْإِقَامَةَ عَلَى مَا أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ فَوَادِعُوا الرَّجُلَ وَ انْصَرِفُوا إِلَى بِلَادِكُمْ

And it is reported that when he^-saww called them to the imprecation, they said, ‘Until we return and consider’. When they were alone, they said to Al-Aqib, and he was with their view, ‘O servant of the Messiah! What is your view?’ He said, ‘By Allah^-azwj, I have recognised them^-asws. O community of Christians! Surely, Muhammad^-saww is a Sent Prophet^-saww, and he^-saww has come to you with the decisiveness from the matter of your master. By Allah^-azwj! No people have imprecated with a Prophet^-as at all and their elders have lived nor their young ones affirmed, and if you were to do so, you will be destroyed, and if you refuse then your Religion will survive and the standing upon what you are upon. So bid farewell to the (holy) man^-saww and leave to go to your cities’.

فَأَتَوْا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص وَ قَدْ غَدَا مُحْتَضِناً الْحُسَيْنَ آخِذاً بِيَدِ الْحَسَنِ وَ فَاطِمَةُ تَمْشِي خَلْفَهُ وَ عَلِيٌّ خَلْفَهَا وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ إِذَا أَنَا دَعَوْتُ فَأَمِّنُوا

They came to Rasool-Allah^-saww and he^-saww had come carrying Al-Husayn^-asws, grabbing a hand of Al-Hassan^-asws, and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws walking behind him^-saww and Ali^-asws being behind her^-asws, and he^-saww was saying: ‘When I^-saww supplicate then you^-asws all say ‘Ameen’’.

فَقَالَ أُسْقُفُّ نَجْرَانَ يَا مَعْشَرَ النَّصَارَى إِنِّي لَأَرَى وُجُوهاً لَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُزِيلَ جَبَلًا مِنْ مَكَانِهِ لَأَزَالَهُ بِهَا فَلَا تُبَاهِلُوا فَتَهْلِكُوا وَ لَا يَبْقَ‏ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ نَصْرَانِيٌّ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

The Bishop of Najran said, ‘O community of Christians! I see such faces, if they^-asws so desire for Allah^-azwj to move a mountain from its place, He^-azwj would Move it, due to these, so do not imprecate, you will be destroyed and there will not remain upon the surface of the earth any Christian up to the Day of Qiyamah’.

فَقَالُوا يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ رَأَيْنَا أَنْ لَا نُبَاهِلَكَ وَ أَنْ نُقِرَّكَ عَلَى دِينِكَ وَ نَثْبُتَ عَلَى دِينِنَا فَقَالَ فَإِنْ أَبَيْتُمُ‏ الْمُبَاهَلَةَ فَأَسْلِمُوا يَكُنْ لَكُمْ مَا لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَا عَلَيْهِمْ فَأَبَوْا

They said, ‘O Abu Al-Qasim^-saww! We view that we should not imprecate with you^-saww and that we acknowledge you^-saww upon your^-saww Religion and we shall be upon our Religion’. He^-saww said: ‘So, if you are refusing the imprecation, then become Muslims, there would happen to be for you what is for the Muslims and against you what is against them’. They refused.

قَالَ فَإِنِّي أُنَاجِزُكُمْ فَقَالُوا مَا لَنَا بِحَرْبِ الْعَرَبِ طَاقَةٌ وَ لَكِنْ نُصَالِحُكَ عَلَى أَنْ لَا تَغْزُوَنَا وَ لَا تُخِيفَنَا وَ لَا تَرُدَّنَا عَنْ دِينِنَا عَلَى أَنْ نُؤَدِّيَ إِلَيْكَ كُلَّ عَامٍ أَلْفَيْ حُلَّةٍ أَلْفٌ فِي صَفَرٍ وَ أَلْفٌ فِي رَجَبٍ وَ ثَلَاثِينَ دِرْعاً عَادِيَةً مِنْ حَدِيدٍ

He^-saww said: ‘Then I^-saww shall overcome you all’. They said, ‘There is no strength for us to battle the Arabs, but we shall reconcile with you^-saww upon that you^-saww will not battle us nor return us from our Religion upon that we shall give to you^-saww, every year, two thousand garments – a thousand during Safar and a thousand during Rajab, and thirty state of the art iron shields’.

فَصَالَحَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَ قَالَ وَ الَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنَّ الْهَلَاكَ قَدْ تَدَلَّى عَلَى أَهْلِ نَجْرَانَ وَ لَوْ لَاعَنُوا لَمُسِخُوا قِرَدَةً وَ خَنَازِيرَ وَ لَاضْطَرَمَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْوَادِي نَاراً وَ لَاسْتَأْصَلَ اللَّهُ نَجْرَانَ وَ أَهْلَهُ حَتَّى الطَّيْرَ عَلَى رُءُوسِ الشَّجَرِ وَ لَمَا حَالَ الْحَوْلُ عَلَى النَّصَارَى كُلِّهِمْ حَتَّى يَهْلِكُوا.

He^-saww reconciled with them upon that and said: ‘By the One^-azwj in Whose Hand is my^-saww soul! The destruction had dangled upon the people of Najran, and if they had cursed me^-saww, they would have been morphed into monkeys and pigs and the valley would have rained fire upon them, and Allah^-azwj would have Eradicated Najran and Destroyed it to the extent of the bird upon the top of the tree, a year would not have passed by upon the Christians until they would have been destroyed’.

وَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص خَرَجَ وَ عَلَيْهِ مِرْطٌ مُرَحَّلٌ‏ مِنْ شَعْرٍ أَسْوَدَ فَجَاءَ الْحَسَنُ فَأَدْخَلَهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَ الْحُسَيْنُ فَأَدْخَلَهُ ثُمَّ فَاطِمَةُ ثُمَّ عَلِيٌّ ثُمَّ قَالَ‏ إِنَّما يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيراً.

And from Ayesha – Rasool-Allah^-saww went out and upon him^-saww was a cloak made of black hair with prints of camel. Al-Hassan^-asws came and he^-saww entered him^-asws into it, then Al-Husayn^-asws came, and he^-saww entered him^-asws into it, then (Syeda) Fatima^-asws, then Ali^-asws. Then he^-saww said: ‘But rather, Allah Intends to Keep the uncleanness away from you, People of the Household, and Purify you (with) a Purification [33:33]’’.

قَوْلُهُ ع‏ مَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرَى آدَمَ فِي عِلْمِهِ وَ نُوحاً فِي طَاعَتِهِ وَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي خَلَّتِهِ وَ مُوسَى فِي قُرْبَتِهِ وَ عِيسَى فِي صَفْوَتِهِ فَلْيَنْظُرْ إِلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع.

His^-saww words: ‘One who wants to see Adam^-as in his^-as knowledge, and Noah^-as in his^-as obedience, and Ibrahim^-as in his^-as mannerisms, and Musa^-as in his^-as proximity, and Isa^-as in his^-as description, then let him look at Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws’’.

Tolerance of Rasool Allah^-saww towards Christians

فس، تفسير القمي أَبِي عَنِ النَّضْرِ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‏ أَنَّ نَصَارَى نَجْرَانَ لَمَّا وَفَدُوا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَ كَانَ سَيِّدُهُمْ الْأَهْتَمَ‏ وَ الْعَاقِبَ وَ السَّيِّدَ وَ حَضَرَتْ صَلَوَاتُهُمْ فَأَقْبَلُوا يَضْرِبُونَ بِالنَّاقُوسِ وَ صَلُّوا فَقَالَ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَذَا فِي مَسْجِدِكَ فَقَالَ دَعُوهُمْ

Tafseer Qummi – ‘My father, from Al Nazar, from Ibn Sinan,

‘From Abu Abdullah^-asws: ‘When the Christians of Najran sent a delegation to Rasool-Allah^-saww, and their chiefs were Al-Ahtam and Al-Aaqib and Al-Seyyid, and their prayer time presented, they went on to ring the bells and prayed. The companions of Rasool-Allah^-saww said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww! This (is happening) in your^-saww Masjid?’ He^-saww said: ‘Leave them’.

فَلَمَّا فَرَغُوا دَنَوْا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَقَالُوا إِلَى مَا تَدْعُو فَقَالَ إِلَى شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ أَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ أَنَّ عِيسَى عَبْدٌ مَخْلُوقٌ يَأْكُلُ وَ يَشْرَبُ وَ يُحْدِثُ قَالُوا فَمَنْ أَبُوهُ فَنَزَلَ الْوَحْيُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ قُلْ لَهُمْ مَا يَقُولُونَ‏ فِي آدَمَ أَ كَانَ عَبْداً مَخْلُوقاً يَأْكُلُ وَ يَشْرَبُ وَ يُحْدِثُ وَ يَنْكِحُ فَسَأَلَهُمُ النَّبِيُّ ص فَقَالُوا نَعَمْ فَقَالَ فَمَنْ أَبُوهُ فَبَقُوا سَاكِتِينَ

When they were free, they came near Rasool-Allah^-saww and said, ‘What are you^-saww calling to?’ He^-saww said: ‘To the testimony that there is no god except Allah^-azwj and I^-saww am Rasool^-saww of Allah^-azwj, and that Isa^-as is a Created being, eating and drinking and excreted’. They said, ‘Yes, so who is his^-as father?’ The Revelation descended unto Rasool-Allah^-saww: ‘Say to them, ‘What are you saying regarding Adam^-as, was he^-as a Created servant, eating and drinking and excreted, and marrying?’ The Prophet^-saww asked them. They said, ‘Yes’. He^-saww said: ‘So who is his^-as father?’ They remained silent.

فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ‏ إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسى‏ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ‏ الْآيَةَ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ‏ فَنَجْعَلْ لَعْنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكاذِبِينَ‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فَبَاهِلُونِي إِنْ كُنْتُ صَادِقاً أُنْزِلَتِ اللَّعْنَةُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ إِنْ كُنْتُ كَاذِباً أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَيَ‏ فَقَالُوا أَنْصَفْتَ فَتَوَاعَدُوا لِلْمُبَاهَلَةِ

Allah^-azwj Revealed: Surely the example of Isa with Allah is like the example of Adam [3:59] – up to His^-azwj Words and make the Curse of Allah to be upon the liars [3:61]. Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘Then imprecate me^-saww. If I^-saww am truthful the Curse would be upon you, and if you are truthful it would befall upon me^-saww’. They said, ‘You are being fair’, and they made an appointment for the imprecation.

فَلَمَّا رَجَعُوا إِلَى مَنَازِلِهِمْ قَالَ رُؤَسَاؤُهُمْ السَّيِّدُ وَ الْعَاقِبُ وَ الْأَهْتَمُ إِنْ بَاهَلَنَا بِقَوْمِهِ بَاهَلْنَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِنَبِيٍّ وَ إِنْ بَاهَلَنَا بِأَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ خَاصَّةً فَلَا نُبَاهِلُهُ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُقْدِمُ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ إِلَّا وَ هُوَ صَادِقٌ

When they returned to their houses, their chiefs Al-Seyyid, and Al-Aaqib and Al-Ahtam said, ‘If he^-saww imprecates us with his^-saww people, imprecate with him^-saww for he^-saww isn’t a Prophet^-saww, and if he^-saww imprecates with us with his^-saww family members in particular, then do not imprecate with him^-saww, for he^-saww would not place his^-saww family ahead unless he^-saww was truthful’.

فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحُوا جَاءُوا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ مَعَهُ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ فَاطِمَةُ وَ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ ع فَقَالَ النَّصَارَى مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ فَقِيلَ لَهُمْ هَذَا ابْنُ عَمِّهِ وَ وَصِيُّهُ وَ خَتَنُهُ‏ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَ هَذِهِ ابْنَتُهُ‏ فَاطِمَةُ وَ هَذَانِ ابْنَاهُ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ

When it was morning, they came to Rasool-Allah^-saww and with him^-saww were Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws. The Christians said, ‘Who are they^-asws?’ It was said to them, ‘This is his^-saww cousin^-asws and his^-saww successor^-asws and his^-saww son-in-law Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws, and this is his^-saww daughter^-asws (Syeda) Fatima^-asws, and these two are his^-saww sons^-asws Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws’.

فَفَرِقُوا وَ قَالُوا لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص نُعْطِيكَ الرِّضَا فَأَعْفِنَا عَنِ الْمُبَاهَلَةِ فَصَالَحَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَلَى الْجِزْيَةِ وَ انْصَرَفُوا.

They dispersed and said to Rasool-Allah^-saww, ‘We shall give you^-saww the pleasing (tribute), so excuse us from the imprecation’. He^-saww reconciled with them upon the tribute and they left’’.[8]

يج، الخرائج و الجرائح رُوِيَ‏ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَدِمَ وَفْدُ نَجْرَانَ دَعَا النَّبِيُّ ص الْعَاقِبَ وَ الطَّيِّبَ‏ رَئِيسَيْهِمْ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ فَقَالا أَسْلَمْنَا قَبْلَكَ فَقَالَ كَذَبْتُمَا يَمْنَعُكُمَا مِنْ ذَلِكَ حُبُّ الصَّلِيبِ وَ شُرْبِ الْخَمْرِ

(The book) ‘Al-Kharaij Wa Al-Jaraih’ – It is reported that when the delegation of Najran arrived, the Prophet^-saww called Al-Aaqib and Al-Atayyiv, their chiefs, to Al-Islam. They said, ‘We became Muslims before (coming to) you^-saww’. He^-saww said: ‘You are both lying. The love of the crucifix and drinking the wine has prevented you from that’.

فَدَعَاهُمَا إِلَى الْمُلَاعَنَةِ فَوَاعَدَاهُ عَلَى أَنْ يُغَادِيَاهُ فَغَدَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ لَقَدْ أَخَذَ بِيَدِ عَلِيٍّ وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ فَاطِمَةَ فَقَالا أَتَى بِخَوَاصِّهِ وَاثِقاً بِدِيَانَتِهِمْ فَأَبَوُا الْمُلَاعَنَةَ فَقَالَ ص لَوْ فَعَلَا لَأَمْطَرَ الْوَادِي عَلَيْهِمْ‏ نَاراً.

Then he^-saww called them to the cursing. They promised him^-asws upon coming in the morning. Rasool-Allah^-saww came holding the hand of Ali^-asws and Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws. They said, ‘He^-saww has come with his^-saww special ones. They have trust upon their^-asws Religion’. They refused the cursing. He^-saww said: ‘Had they done so, the valley would have rained fire upon them’’.[9]

شي، تفسير العياشي عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع سُئِلَ عَنْ فَضَائِلِهِ فَذَكَرَ بَعْضَهَا ثُمَّ قَالُوا لَهُ زِدْنَا فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص أَتَاهُ حِبْرَانِ مِنْ أَحْبَارِ النَّصَارَى مِنْ أَهْلِ نَجْرَانَ فَتَكَلَّمَا فِي أَمْرِ عِيسَى فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسى‏ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ‏ إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ

Tafseer Al Ayyashi – ‘From Hareez,

‘From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Amir Al-Momineen^-asws was asked about his^-asws own merits, so he^-asws mentioned some of them. Then they said him^-asws, ‘Increase us (with knowledge)’. He^-asws said: ‘Two monks from the Christian monks came to Rasool-Allah^-saww and they spoke regarding the matter of Isa^-as. So, Allah^-azwj Revealed this Verse: Surely, the example of Isa with Allah is like the example of Adam [3:59] – up to the end of the Verse.

فَدَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِ عَلِيٍّ وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ فَاطِمَةَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ وَ رَفَعَ كَفَّهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَ فَرَّجَ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِهِ وَ دَعَاهُمْ إِلَى الْمُبَاهَلَةِ.

So, Rasool-Allah^-saww entered holding that hand of Ali^-asws and Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws, then he^-saww went out and raised his^-saww hand towards the sky and separated between his^-saww fingers and called them to the imprecation’.

قَالَ وَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع‏ وَ كَذَلِكَ الْمُبَاهَلَةُ يَشْبِكُ يَدَهُ فِي يَدِهِ يَرْفَعُهُمَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ الْحِبْرَانِ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ وَ اللَّهِ لَئِنْ كَانَ نَبِيّاً لَنَهْلِكَنَّ وَ إِنْ كَانَ غَيْرَ نَبِيٍّ كَفَانَا قَوْمُهُ فَكَفَّا وَ انْصَرَفَا.

He^-asws said, ‘And Abu Ja’far^-asws said: ‘And like that is the imprecation. He^-saww interlocked his^-saww hand in his^-saww hand and raised them towards the sky. When the two monks saw him^-saww, one of them said to his companion, ‘By Allah^-azwj! If he^-saww was a Prophet^-saww, we will be destroyed, and if he^-saww was other than a Prophet^-saww, he^-saww will restrain his^-saww people and we shall restrain’, and they both left’’.[10]

شي، تفسير العياشي عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ قَالَ: قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ لِأَبِي مَا يَمْنَعُكَ أَنْ تَسُبَّ أَبَا تُرَابٍ قَالَ لِثَلَاثٍ رَوَيْتُهُنَ‏ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ص لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ آيَةُ الْمُبَاهَلَةِ تَعالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْناءَنا وَ أَبْناءَكُمْ‏ الْآيَةَ أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ بِيَدِ عَلِيٍّ وَ فَاطِمَةَ وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع قَالَ هَؤُلَاءِ أَهْلِي‏.

Tafseer Al Ayyashi, from Aamir Bin Sa’ad who said,

‘Muawiya said to my father, ‘What prevents you from reviling (abusing – God Forbid) Abu Turab (Ali^-asws)?’ He said, ‘From three things reported from the Prophet^-saww. When the Verse of the imprecation was Revealed: ‘Come, let us call our sons and your sons [3:61] – the Verse. Rasool-Allah^-saww held the hand of Ali^-asws and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws and Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws. He^-saww said: ‘They^-asws are my^-saww family^-asws’’.[11]

قب، المناقب لابن شهرآشوب حَدِيثُ الْمُبَاهَلَةِ رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ فِي جَامِعِهِ وَ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَ ذَكَرَ مُسْلِمٌ‏ أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ أَمَرَ سَعْدَ بْنَ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ أَنْ يَسُبَّ أَبَا تُرَابٍ فَذَكَرَ قَوْلَ النَّبِيِّ ص أَ مَا تَرْضَى أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى الْخَبَرَ وَ قَوْلَهُ لَأُعْطِيَنَّ الرَّايَةَ غَداً رَجُلًا الْخَبَرَ وَ قَوْلَهُ تَعَالَى‏ نَدْعُ أَبْناءَنا وَ أَبْناءَكُمْ‏ الْقِصَّةَ.

(The book) ‘Al-Manaqib’ of Ibn Shehr Ashub – ‘Hadeeth of the imprecation – ‘It is reported by Al-Tirmizi in his (book) ‘Jami’e’ and said, ‘This is a Hadeeth which is good, correct, and Muslim mentioned that Muawiya ordered Sa’ad Bin Abu Waqas to revile (insult – God Forbid) Abu Turab (Ali^-asws), but he remembered the words of the Prophet^-saww: ‘Are you^-asws not pleased that you^-asws happen to be from me^-saww at the status of Harun^-as from Musa^-as, the Hadeeth, and his^-saww words: ‘Tomorrow I^-saww will give the flag to a man’, the Hadeeth, and the Words of the Exalted: let us call our sons and your sons [3:61] – the story.

وَ قَدْ رَوَاهُ أَبُو الْفَتْحِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي الْفَوَارِسِ بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ قَالَ: لِعَلِيٍّ ثَلَاثٌ فَلَأَنْ تَكُونَ لِي وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ حُمْرِ النَّعَمِ ثُمَّ رَوَى الْخَبَرَ بِعَيْنِهِ.

And it has been reported that Abu Al-Fatah Muhammad Bin Ahmad Bin Abu Al-Farous, by his chain from Sa’ad Bin Abu Waqas, ‘He^-saww said, ‘For Ali^-asws there are three (qualities), if one of these happened to be for me^-saww, it would have been more beloved to me than all the bounties’ – then he reported the Hadeeth exactly as it.

عَنْ شَهْرِ بْنِ حَوْشَبٍ وَ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ وَ عَنِ الْكَلْبِيِّ وَ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ وَ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ وَ عَنِ الثُّمَالِيِّ وَ عَنْ شَرِيكٍ وَ عَنْ جَابِرٍ وَ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ وَ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ وَ عَنِ الْبَاقِرِ وَ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ قَدِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الْإِمَامِيَّةُ وَ الزَّيْدِيَّةُ مَعَ اخْتِلَافِ رِوَايَاتِهِمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَ مَجْمَعِ الْحَدِيثِ مِنَ الطُّرُقِ جَمِيعاً

From Shehr Bin Ashub, and from Umar Bin Ali, and from Al-Kalby, and from Abu Salih, and Ibn Abbas, and from Al-Shabi, and from Al-Sumali, and from Shareek, and from Jabir, and from Abu Rafie, and from Al-Sadiq^-asws, and from Al-Baqir^-asws, and from Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, and the Imamates and the Zaydiites are united along with differences in their reporting upon that, and the total of the Hadeeth from all the ways: –

أَنَّ وَفْدَ نَجْرَانَ كَانُوا أَرْبَعِينَ رَجُلًا وَ فِيهِمُ السَّيِّدُ وَ الْعَاقِبُ وَ قَيْسٌ وَ الْحَارِثُ وَ عَبْدُ الْمَسِيحِ بْنُ يُونَانَ أُسْقُفُّ نَجْرَانَ فَقَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ مُوسَى مَنْ أَبُوهُ قَالَ عِمْرَانُ قَالَ فَيُوسُفُ مَنْ أَبُوهُ قَالَ يَعْقُوبُ قَالَ فَأَنْتَ مَنْ أَبُوكَ قَالَ أَبِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ قَالَ فَعِيسَى مَنْ أَبُوهُ

‘There was a delegation of Najran who were forty men, and among them was Al-Seyyid, and Al-Aaqib, and Qays, and Al-Haris, and Abdul Maseeh bin Yunan Bishop of Najran. The Bishop said, ‘O Abu Al-Qasim^-saww! Musa^-as, who is his^-as father?’ He^-saww said: ‘Imran^-as’. He said, ‘Yusuf^-as, who is his^-as father?’ He^-saww said: ‘Yaqub^-as’. He said, ‘So, you^-saww, who is your^-saww father^-as?’ He^-saww said: ‘My^-saww father^-as is Abdullah Bin Abdul Muttalib^-as’. So, Isa^-as, who is his^-as father?’

فَأَعْرَضَ النَّبِيُّ ص عَنْهُمْ فَنَزَلَ‏ إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسى‏ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ‏ الْآيَةَ فَتَلَاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَغُشِيَ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا أَفَاقَ قَالَ أَ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَوْحَى إِلَيْكَ أَنَّ عِيسَى خُلِقَ مِنْ تُرَابٍ مَا نَجِدُ هَذَا فِيمَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَ لَا نَجِدُهُ فِيمَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْنَا وَ لَا يَجِدُهُ هَؤُلَاءِ الْيَهُودُ فِيمَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْهِمْ

The Prophet^-saww turned away from them, and it was Revealed: Surely the example of Isa with Allah [3:59] – the Verse. Rasool-Allah^-saww recited it, and there was fainting upon him. When he woke up, he said, ‘Are you^-saww alleging that Allah^-azwj Revealed to you^-saww that Isa^-as is Created from soil. We do not find this in what is Revealed to you^-saww nor do we find in what is Revealed to us, nor do these Jews find in what is Revealed to them’.

فَنَزَلَ‏ فَمَنْ حَاجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ ما جاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ‏ الْآيَةَ قَالُوا أَنْصَفْتَنَا يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ فَمَتَى نُبَاهِلُكَ فَقَالَ بِالْغَدَاةِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَ انْصَرَفَ النَّصَارَى فَقَالَ السَّيِّدُ لِأَبِي الْحَارِثِ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ بِمُبَاهَلَتِهِ إِنْ كَانَ‏ كَاذِباً مَا نَصْنَعُ بِمُبَاهَلَتِهِ شَيْئاً وَ إِنْ كَانَ صَادِقاً لَنَهْلِكَنَّ

It was Revealed: ‘So the one who argues with you in this matter after what has come to you from the Knowledge, [3:61] – the Verse. They said, ‘You^-saww are being fair with us, O Abu Al-Qasim^-saww! So, when should we imprecate you^-saww?’ He^-saww said: ‘In the morning, if Allah^-azwj so Desires, and the Christians left. Al-Seyyid said to Abu Al-Haris, ‘What are you doing with his^-saww imprecation? If he^-saww was a liar (God Forbid), what do we have to do with his^-saww imprecation, and if he^-saww was truthful, we will be destroyed’.

فَقَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ إِنْ غَدَا فَجَاءَ بِوُلْدِهِ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ فَاحْذَرُوا مُبَاهَلَتَهُ وَ إِنْ غَدَا بِأَصْحَابِهِ فَلَيْسَ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ فَغَدَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مُحْتَضِناً الْحُسَيْنَ آخِذاً بِيَدِ الْحَسَنِ وَ فَاطِمَةُ تَمْشِي خَلْفَهُ وَ عَلِيٌّ خَلْفَهَا

The Bishop said, ‘If tomorrow he^-saww comes with his^-saww children and his^-saww family, then be cautious of imprecating him^-asws, and if he^-saww comes with his^-saww companions, then he^-saww isn’t with anything’. Rasool-Allah^-saww came carrying Al-Husayn^-asws, holding a hand of Al-Hassan^-asws, and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws was walking behind him^-saww, and Ali^-asws (walking) behind her^-asws’.

وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ آخِذاً بِيَدِ عَلِيٍّ وَ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَ فَاطِمَةُ تَتْبَعُهُ ثُمَّ جَثَا بِرُكْبَتَيْهِ وَ جَعَلَ عَلِيّاً ع أَمَامَهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَ فَاطِمَةَ بَيْنَ كَتِفَيْهِ وَ الْحَسَنَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ لَهُمْ إِذَا دَعَوْتُ فَأَمِّنُوا

And in another report: ‘He^-saww was holding the hand of Ali^-asws and Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws were in front of him^-saww, and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws following him^-saww. Then he^-saww knelt on his^-saww knees and made Ali^-asws to be in front of him^-saww, and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws between his^-saww shoulders, and Al-Hassan^-asws on his^-saww right, and Al-Husayn^-asws on his^-saww left, and he^-saww said to them^-asws: ‘When I^-saww supplicate, then say ‘Ameen’’.

فَقَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ جَثَا وَ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدٌ كَمَا يَجْثُو الْأَنْبِيَاءُ لِلْمُبَاهَلَةِ وَ خَافُوا فَقَالُوا يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ أَقِلْنَا أَقَالَ اللَّهُ عَثْرَتَكَ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ قَدْ أَقَلْتُكُمْ فَصَالَحُوهُ عَلَى أَلْفَيْ حُلَّةٍ وَ ثَلَاثِينَ دِرْعاً وَ ثَلَاثِينَ فَرَساً وَ ثَلَاثِينَ جَمَلًا وَ لَمْ يَلْبَثِ السَّيِّدُ وَ الْعَاقِبُ إِلَّا يَسِيراً حَتَّى رَجَعَا إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ص وَ أَسْلَمَا وَ أَهْدَى الْعَاقِبُ لَهُ حُلَّةً وَ عَصاً وَ قَدَحاً وَ نَعْلَيْنِ.

The Bishop said, ‘By Allah^-azwj! Muhammad^-saww kneels just as the Prophet^-as have knelt for the imprecation’, and they feared and said, ‘O Abu Al-Qasim^-saww! Save us, may Allah^-azwj Save your^-saww effects’. He^-saww said: ‘Yes, I^-saww have saved you all’. They reconciled with him^-saww upon two thousand garments, and thirty armours, and thirty horses, and thirty camels; and Al-Seyyid and Al-Aaqib did not wait long except a little until they both returned to the Prophet^-saww and became Muslims; and Al-Aaqib gifted him^-saww a garment, a stick, a cup, and slippers’.

وَ رُوِيَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص‏ وَ الَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنَّ الْعَذَابَ قَدْ تَدَلَّى عَلَى أَهْلِ نَجْرَانَ وَ لَوْ لَاعَنُوا لَمُسِخُوا قِرَدَةً وَ خَنَازِيرَ وَ لَأُضْرِمَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْوَادِي نَاراً وَ لَاسْتَأْصَلَ اللَّهُ نَجْرَانَ وَ أَهْلَهُ حَتَّى الطَّيْرَ عَلَى رُءُوسِ الشَّجَرِ وَ لَمَا حَالَ الْحَوْلُ عَلَى النَّصَارَى كُلِّهِمْ حَتَّى يَهْلِكُوا.

And it is reported that the Prophet^-saww said: ‘By the One^-azwj in Whose Hand is my^-saww soul! The Punishment had dangled upon the people of Najran, and had they cursed, they would have been morphed into monkeys and pigs and the valley would have rained fire upon them, and Allah^-azwj would have Eradicated Najran and its people to the extent of the bird upon the top of the tree, and the year would not have passed upon the Christians all of them, until they would have been destroyed.

وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ لَوْ بَاهَلْتُمُونِي بِمَنْ تَحْتَ الْكِسَاءِ لَأَضْرَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ نَاراً تَتَأَجَّجُ ثُمَّ سَاقَهَا إِلَى مَنْ وَرَاءَكُمْ فِي أَسْرَعَ مِنْ طَرْفَةِ الْعَيْنِ فَأَحْرَقَتْهُمْ تَأَجُّجاً.

And in a report – (He^-saww said): ‘If you were to imprecate me^-saww with the ones under the cloak, Allah^-azwj would Rain fired upon you all, flaring up’. Then he continued it up to: ‘Ones behind you in quicker than the blink of an eye, and it would incinerate them with flares’.

وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ لَوْ لَاعَنُونِي لَقَلَعْتُ دَارَ كُلِّ نَصْرَانِيٍّ فِي الدُّنْيَا.

And in a report – (He^-saww said): ‘If they had cursed me^-saww, every house of a Christian in the world would have been uprooted’.

وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أَمَا وَ الَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ لَاعَنُونِي مَا حَالَ الْحَوْلُ وَ بِحَضْرَتِهِمْ مِنْهُمْ بَشَرٌ.

And in a report – (He^-saww said): ‘But by the One^-azwj in Whose Hand is my^-saww soul! If they had cursed me^-saww, the year would not have passed upon them and no person would have been in their presence’.

وَ كَانَتِ الْمُبَاهَلَةُ يَوْمَ الرَّابِعِ وَ الْعِشْرِينَ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ وَ رُوِيَ يَوْمَ الْخَامِسِ وَ الْعِشْرِينَ‏ وَ الْأَوَّلُ أَظْهَرُ.

And the imprecation was on the twenty-fourth of Zul Hijjah, and it is also reported as occurring on the day of Thursday and twenty fifth, (but) the first (date) is stronger’’.[12]

ضه، روضة الواعظين قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ‏ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى‏ فَقُلْ تَعالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْناءَنا وَ أَبْناءَكُمْ‏ قَالَ وَفَدَ وَفْدُ نَجْرَانَ عَلَى نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ وَ فِيهِمُ السَّيِّدُ وَ الْعَاقِبُ وَ أَبُو الْحَارِثِ وَ هُوَ عَبْدُ الْمَسِيحِ بْنُ يَوْمَانَ‏ أُسْقُفُّ نَجْرَانَ سَادَةُ أَهْلِ نَجْرَانَ

(The book) Rowzat Al-Waizeen – ‘Ibn Abbas said regarding the Words of the Exalted: then say: ‘Come, let us call our sons and your sons [3:61], he said, ‘A delegation of Najran was delegated to Rasool-Allah^-saww, and among them was Al-Seyyid, and Al-Aaqib, and Abu Al-Haris and he is Abdul Maseeh Bin Yowman, Bishop of Najran, chief of the people of Najran.

فَقَالُوا لِمَ تَذْكُرُ صَاحِبَنَا قَالَ وَ مَنْ صَاحِبُكُمْ قَالُوا عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ تَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ قَالَ أَجَلْ هُوَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ قَالُوا فَأَرِنَا فِيمَنْ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ عَبْداً مِثْلَهُ فَأَعْرَضَ النَّبِيُّ ص عَنْهُمْ

They said, ‘Why don’t you^-saww mention our Master?’ He^-saww said: ‘And who is your Master?’ They said, ‘Isa^-as Bin Maryam^-as. You^-saww are alleging that he^-as is a servant of Allah^-azwj’. He^-saww said: ‘Yes, he^-as is a servant of Allah^-azwj’. They said, ‘Show us among the ones Allah^-azwj Created, a servant like him^-as’. The Prophet^-saww turned away from them.

فَنَزَلَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع بِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى‏ إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسى‏ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِنْ تُرابٍ ثُمَّ قالَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ‏ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ‏ فَنَجْعَلْ لَعْنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكاذِبِينَ‏ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ‏ تَعالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْناءَنا وَ أَبْناءَكُمْ وَ نِساءَنا وَ نِساءَكُمْ وَ أَنْفُسَنا وَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَلْ لَعْنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكاذِبِينَ‏ قَالُوا نَعَمْ نُلَاعِنُكَ

Jibraeel^-as descended with the Words of the Exalted: Surely the example of Isa with Allah is like the example of Adam; He Created him from dust, then said to him, “Be”, so he became [3:59] – up to His^-azwj Words: and make the Curse of Allah to be upon the liars [3:61]. He^-saww said to them: ‘Come, let us call our sons and your sons ,and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, then let us imprecate and make the Curse of Allah to be upon the liars [3:61]’. They said, ‘Yes, we will curse you^-saww’.

فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِ عَلِيٍّ وَ مَعَهُ فَاطِمَةُ وَ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص هَؤُلَاءِ أَبْنَاؤُنَا وَ نِسَاؤُنَا وَ أَنْفُسُنَا فَهَمُّوا أَنْ يُلَاعِنُوهُ ثُمَّ إِنَّ السَّيِّدَ قَالَ لِأَبِي الْحَارِثِ وَ الْعَاقِبِ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ بِمُلَاعَنَةِ هَذَا إِنْ كَانَ‏ كَاذِباً مَا تَصْنَعُ بِمُلَاعَنَتِهِ شَيْئاً وَ إِنْ كَانَ صَادِقاً لَنَهْلِكَنَّ

Rasool-Allah^-saww came out holding a hand of Ali^-asws and with him^-saww were (Syeda) Fatima^-asws and Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws. Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘These are our sons, and our women, and our selves’. They thought of cursing him^-saww, then Al-Seyyid said to Abu Al-Haris and Al-Aaqib, ‘What will you do with cursing this one? If he^-saww was a liar, we will not be doing anything by cursing him^-saww, and if he^-saww was truthful, we would be destroyed’.

فَصَالَحُوهُ عَلَى الْجِزْيَةِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَمَا وَ الَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ لَاعَنُونِي مَا حَالَ الْحَوْلُ وَ بِحَضْرَتِهِمْ بَشَرٌ

They reconciled with him^-saww upon the tribute. Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘By the One^-azwj in Whose Hand is my^-saww soul! If they had cursed me^-saww, the year would not have passed and there would have been a (single) person left in their presence’.

قَالَ الصَّادِقُ ع إِنَّ الْأُسْقُفَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ إِنْ غَدَا فَجَاءَ بِوُلْدِهِ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ فَاحْذَرُوا مُبَاهَلَتَهُ وَ إِنْ غَدَا بِأَصْحَابِهِ فَلَيْسَ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ فَغَدَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص آخِذاً بِيَدِ عَلِيٍّ وَ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَ فَاطِمَةُ تَتْبَعُهُ

Al-Sadiq^-asws said: ‘The Bishop said to them, ‘If tomorrow he^-saww comes with his^-saww children and his^-saww family members, then be cautious of imprecating with him^-saww, and if he^-saww comes with his^-saww companions, then he^-saww isn’t with anything’. Rasool-Allah^-saww came holding a hand of Ali^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws, and Al-Husayn^-asws in front of him^-saww, and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws following him^-saww.

وَ تَقَدَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فَجَثَا لِرُكْبَتَيْهِ فَقَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ جَثَا وَ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدٌ كَمَا يَجْثُو الْأَنْبِيَاءُ لِلْمُبَاهَلَةِ وَ كَاعَ عَنِ التَّقَدُّمِ وَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص لَوْ لَاعَنُونِي يَعْنِي النَّصَارَى لَقَطَعَتْ دَابِرَ كُلِّ نَصْرَانِيٍّ فِي الدُّنْيَا.

And Rasool-Allah^-saww came forward and knelt to his^-saww knees. The Bishop said, ‘By Allah^-azwj! Muhammad^-saww kneels just as the Prophets^-as knelt for the imprecation, and paused from proceeding; and Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘If they had cursed me^-saww, meaning the Christians, the lineage of every Christian in the world would have been cut off’’.[13]

Ali Bin Abu Talib^-asws (has said); and our women and your women [3:61] (refers to) (Syeda) Fatima Al-Zahra^-asws’’.[14]

Appendix: Further Ahadith on Mubahila

فر، تفسير فرات بن إبراهيم جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْأَحْمَسِيُّ مُعَنْعَناً عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ قَالَ قَالَ: مَرَّ صُهَيْبٌ مَعَ أَهْلِ نَجْرَانَ- فَذُكِرَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص مَا خَاصَمُوهُ بِهِ مِنْ أَمْرِ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَ السَّلَامُ وَ أَنَّهُمْ دَعَوْهُ وَلَدَ اللَّهِ فَدَعَاهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فَخَاصَمَهُمْ وَ خَاصَمُوهُ فَقَالَ‏ تَعالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْناءَنا وَ أَبْناءَكُمْ وَ نِساءَنا وَ نِساءَكُمْ وَ أَنْفُسَنا وَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ‏ إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ

Tafseer Furaat Bin Ibrahim – ‘Ja’far Bin Muhammad Bin Saeed Al Ahmasy transmitting from Abu Rafie who said,

‘Suheyb passed with the people of Najran, and he mentioned to Rasool-Allah^-saww they had disputed to him with from the matter of Isa^-as Ibn Maryam^-as, and they had called him^-as a son of Allah^-azwj. Rasool-Allah^-saww called them and he^-saww disputed with them and they disputed with him^-saww. He^-saww said: Come, let us call our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, [3:61] – up to the end of the Verse.

فَدَعَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَلِيّاً فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ فَتَوَكَّأَ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَعَهُ ابْنَاهُ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ ع وَ فَاطِمَةُ ع خَلْفَهُمْ فَلَمَّا رَأَى النَّصَارَى‏ أَشَارَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ مَا أَرَى لَكُمْ تُلَاعِنُوهُ‏ فَإِنْ كَانَ نَبِيّاً هَلَكْتُمْ وَ لَكِنْ صَالِحُوهُ

Rasool-Allah^-saww called Ali^-asws and grabbed his^-asws hand and leant upon him^-asws, and with him^-saww were his^-saww sons^-asws Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws, and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws was behind them. When the Christians saw (this), a man from them indicated to them and said, ‘I do not view for you to be cursing him^-saww, for if he^-saww was a Prophet^-saww you will be destroyed, but reconcile with him^-saww’.

قَالَ فَصَالَحُوهُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص لَوْ لَاعَنُونِي مَا وُجِدَ لَهُمْ أَهْلٌ وَ لَا وُلْدٌ وَ لَا مَالٌ‏.

He (the narrator) said, ‘They reconciled with him^-saww. Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘Had they cursed me^-saww, they would not have found for themselves any family, nor children nor wealth’’.[15]

فر، تفسير فرات بن إبراهيم الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ وَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ مُعَنْعَناً عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ قَالَ: جَاءَ الْعَاقِبُ وَ السَّيِّدُ النَّجْرَانِيَّانِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَدَعَاهُمْ‏ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ فَقَالا إِنَّنَا مُسْلِمَانِ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ يَمْنَعُكُمَا مِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ ثَلَاثٌ أَكْلُ الْخِنْزِيرِ وَ تَعْلِيقُ الصَّلِيبِ وَ قَوْلُكُمْ فِي عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ

Tafseer Furaat Bin Ibrahim – Al Husayn Bin Saeed and Ahmad Bin Al Hassan transmitting from Al Shaby who said,

‘Al-Aaqib and Al-Seyyid the two Najranites came to Rasool-Allah^-saww. He^-saww invited them to Al-Islam, they said, ‘But rather we are already Muslims’. He^-saww said: ‘Surely, three things are preventing you from Al-Islam – eating the pig (pork), and hanging (wearing) the crucifix, and your words regarding Isa^-as Bin Maryam^-as’.

فَقَالا وَ مِنْ أَيْنَ عِيسَى‏ فَسَكَتَ فَنَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ‏ إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسى‏ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِنْ تُرابٍ‏ إِلَى آخِرِ الْقِصَّةِ فَنَبْتَهِلْ‏ فَنَجْعَلْ لَعْنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكاذِبِينَ‏ فَقَالا فَنُبَاهِلُكَ فَتَوَاعَدُوا لِغَدٍ

They said, ‘And from where is Isa^-as?’ He^-saww was silent. The Quran was Revealed: Surely, the example of Isa with Allah is like the example of Adam; He Created him from dust [3:59] – up to the end of the story (Verses). So, we should invoke and make the Curse of Allah to be upon the liars [3:61]. They said, ‘We will imprecate with you^-saww’. They made the appointment for the next morning.

فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ لَا تُلَاعِنْهُ فَوَ اللَّهِ لَئِنْ كَانَ نَبِيّاً لَا تَرْجِعُ إِلَى أَهْلِكَ وَ لَكَ‏ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ أَهْلٌ وَ لَا مَالٌ

One of them said to his companion, ‘Do not curse him^-saww, for by Allah^-azwj, if he^-saww was a Prophet^-saww, you will not be returning to your families and there would neither be a family for you on the surface of the earth, nor any wealth’.

فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ النَّبِيُّ ص أَخَذَ بِيَدِ عَلِيٍّ وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ قَدَّمَهُمْ وَ جَعَلَ فَاطِمَةَ وَرَاءَهُمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمَا تَعَالَيَا فَهَذَا أَبْنَاؤُنَا الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ وَ هَذَا نِسَاؤُنَا فَاطِمَةُ وَ أَنْفُسُنَا عَلِيٌّ فَقَالا لَا نُلَاعِنُكَ‏.

When it was morning, the Prophet^-saww grabbed the hand of Ali^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws, and forwarded them, and made (Syeda) Fatima^-asws to be behind them^-asws, then said to them: ‘Come you both, for these are our sons Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws, and this is our women, (Syeda) Fatima^-asws, and our selves Ali^-asws’. They said, ‘We will not curse you^-saww’’.[16]

فر، تفسير فرات بن إبراهيم أَحْمَدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ مُعَنْعَناً عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ع قَالَ: لَمَّا قَدِمَ وَفْدُ نَجْرَانَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ص قَدِمَ فِيهِمْ ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنَ النَّصَارَى مِنْ كِبَارِهِمْ الْعَاقِبُ وَ مُحَسِّنٌ‏ وَ الْأُسْقُفُّ فَجَاءُوا إِلَى الْيَهُودِ وَ هُمْ فِي بَيْتِ الْمَدَارِسِ فَصَاحُوا بِهِمْ يَا إِخْوَةَ الْقِرَدَةِ وَ الْخَنَازِيرِ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَيْكُمْ قَدْ غَلَبَكُمْ انْزِلُوا إِلَيْنَا فَنَزَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ مَنْصُورٌ الْيَهُودِيُّ وَ كَعْبُ بْنُ الْأَشْرَفِ الْيَهُودِيُ‏ فَقَالُوا لَهُمْ احْضُرُوا غَداً نَمْتَحِنْهُ

Tafseer Furaat Bin Ibrahim – ‘Ahmad Bin Ja’far transmitting from Ali^-asws having said: ‘When a delegate of Najran arrived to the Prophet^-saww, among them were three from the Christians from their elders – Al-Aaqib and Mohassin, and the Bishop. They came to the Jews and they were in the house of teaching. They (Christians) shouted at them (Jews), ‘O brothers of the pigs and the monkeys! This man is in your midst who has overcome you. Descend to us’. Mansour the Jew and Ka’ab Bin Al-Ashraf the Jew descended to them. They said to them, ‘Be cautious tomorrow, we shall test him^-saww.

قَالَ وَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ص إِذَا صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ قَالَ هَاهُنَا مِنَ الْمُمْتَحِنَةِ أَحَدٌ فَإِنْ وَجَدَ أَحَداً أَجَابَهُ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ أَحَداً قَرَأَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِهِ مَا نَزَلَ عَلَيْهِ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ فَلَمَّا صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ جَلَسُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْأُسْقُفُّ يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ فَذَاكَ مُوسَى مَنْ أَبُوهُ قَالَ عِمْرَانُ قَالَ فَيُوسُفُ مَنْ أَبُوهُ قَالَ يَعْقُوبُ قَالَ فَأَنْتَ فِدَاكَ أَبِي وَ أُمِّي مَنْ أَبُوكَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ قَالَ فَعِيسَى مَنْ أَبُوهُ

He^-asws said: ‘And it was so that the Prophet^-saww, whenever he^-saww prayed the morning (Salat), said: ‘Over here is one of the examiners’ so if he found anyone, he^-saww would answer him, and if he did not find anyone, he^-saww would recite to his^-saww companions what had been Revealed to him during that night. When he^-saww had prayed the morning Salat, they sat in front of him^-saww, the Bishop said to him^-saww, ‘O Abu Al-Qasim^-saww! That Musa^-as, who is his^-as father?’ He^-saww said: ‘Imran^-as’. He said, ‘Yusuf^-as, who is his^-as father?’ He^-saww said: ‘Yaqoub^-as’. So, you^-saww, may my father and my mother be (sacrificed for) you^-saww, who is your^-saww father^-as?’ He^-saww said: ‘Abdullah Bin Abdul Muttalib^-as’. He said, ‘So, Isa^-as, who is his^-as father?’

قَالَ فَسَكَتَ النَّبِيُّ ص وَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ مَا احْتَاجَ إِلَى‏ شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الْمَنْطِقِ فَيَنْقَضُّ عَلَيْهِ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع مِنَ السَّمَاءِ السَّابِعَةِ فَيَصِلُ لَهُ مَنْطِقُهُ فِي أَسْرَعَ مِنْ طَرْفَةِ الْعَيْنِ فَذَاكَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى‏ وَ ما أَمْرُنا إِلَّا واحِدَةٌ كَلَمْحٍ بِالْبَصَرِ

He^-asws said: ‘The Prophet^-saww was silent, and it was so that whenever he^-saww was needy to something from the talk, Jibraeel^-as would swoop down to him^-saww from the seventh sky and deliver to him^-saww his^-saww talk in quicker than the blink of an eye. That that is the Word of Allah^-azwj the Exalted: And Our Command is not, except one, like the blink of the eye [54:50].

قَالَ فَجَاءَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع فَقَالَ هُوَ رُوحُ اللَّهِ وَ كَلِمَتُهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْأُسْقُفُّ يَكُونُ رُوحٌ بِلَا جَسَدٍ

He^-asws said: ‘Jibraeel^-as came and said: ‘He^-as is a Spirit of Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Word’. The Bishop said to him^-saww: ‘Can the spirit happen to be without a body?’

قَالَ فَسَكَتَ النَّبِيُّ ص قَالَ فَأُوحِيَ إِلَيْهِ‏ إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسى‏ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِنْ تُرابٍ ثُمَّ قالَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ‏

He^-asws said: ‘The Prophet^-saww was silent, and it was Revealed to him^-saww: ‘Surely the example of Isa with Allah is like the example of Adam; He Created him from dust, then said to him, “Be”, so he became [3:59].

قَالَ فَنَزَا الْأُسْقُفُّ نَزْوَةً إِعْظَاماً لِعِيسَى أَنْ يُقَالَ لَهُ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَا نَجِدُ هَذَا يَا مُحَمَّدُ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَ لَا فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ وَ لَا فِي الزَّبُورِ وَ لَا تَجِدُ هَذَا عِنْدَكَ‏

He^-asws said: ‘The Bishop jumped a great leap, ‘It is grievous (to hear) it be said that Isa^-as is from dust!’ Then he said, ‘O Muhammad^-saww. We neither find this in the Torah nor in the Evangel nor in the Psalms, nor do we find this – (except) with you^-saww’.

قَالَ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ‏ فَقُلْ تَعالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْناءَنا وَ أَبْناءَكُمْ وَ نِساءَنا وَ نِساءَكُمْ وَ أَنْفُسَنا وَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ‏ فَقَالُوا أَنْصَفْتَنَا يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ فَمَتَى مَوْعِدُكَ قَالَ بِالْغَدَاةِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ

He^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Revealed to him^-saww: ‘then say: ‘Come, let us call our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, [3:61]. They said, ‘You^-saww are being fair to us, O Abu Al-Qasim^-saww! So when is your^-saww appointment?’ He^-saww said: ‘In the morning, if Allah^-azwj so Desires’.

قَالَ فَانْصَرَفَ وَ هُمْ يَقُولُونَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مَا نُبَالِي أَيُّهُمَا أَهْلَكَ اللَّهُ النَّصْرَانِيَّةَ وَ الْحَنِيفِيَّةَ إِذَا هَلَكُوا غَداً

He^-asws said: ‘They left and they were saying, ‘There is no god except Allah^-azwj! We do not mind which of the two Allah^-azwj Destroys – the Christians and the upright ones – when they are destroyed tomorrow’.

قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع فَلَمَّا صَلَّى النَّبِيُّ ص الصُّبْحَ أَخَذَ بِيَدِي فَجَعَلَنِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَ أَخَذَ فَاطِمَةَ ع فَجَعَلَهَا خَلْفَ ظَهْرِهِ وَ أَخَذَ الْحَسَنَ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ‏ ثُمَّ بَرَكَ لَهُمْ بَارِكاً

Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws said: ‘When the Prophet^-saww had prayed the morning Salat, he^-saww took hold of my^-asws hand and made me^-asws to be in front of him^-saww, and took (Syeda) Fatima^-asws and made her^-asws to be behind his^-saww back, and took Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws to be on his^-saww right and on his^-saww left, then blessed them^-asws with a Blessing.

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ قَدْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ نَدِمُوا وَ تَآمَرُوا فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَ قَالُوا وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَنَبِيٌّ وَ لَئِنْ بَاهَلَنَا لَيَسْتَجِيبَنَ‏ اللَّهُ لَهُ عَلَيْنَا فَيُهْلِكَنَا وَ لَا يُنْجِينَا شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنْهُ إِلَّا أَنْ نَسْتَقِيلَهُ

When they saw him^-saww do that, they were filled with regret and they said, ‘By Allah^-azwj! Surely, he^-saww is a Prophet^-saww, and if he^-saww were to imprecate us, Allah^-azwj will Answer him^-saww against us and Destroy us and none of us will be saved from it with anything except we will be left to it’.

قَالَ فَأَقْبَلُوا حَتَّى جَلَسُوا بَيْنَ‏ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالُوا يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ أَقِلْنَا قَالَ نَعَمْ قَدْ أَقَلْتُكُمْ أَمَا وَ الَّذِي بَعَثَنِي بِالْحَقِّ لَوْ بَاهَلْتُكُمْ مَا تَرَكَ اللَّهُ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْأَرْضِ نَصْرَانِيَّةً إِلَّا أَهْلَكَهُ‏.

He^-asws said: ‘They came until they sat in front of him^-saww, then they said, ‘O Abu Al-Qasim^-saww! Save us’. He^-saww said: ‘Yes, I^-asws have saved you all. But, by the One^-azwj Who Sent me^-saww with the Truth, had you imprecated, Allah^-azwj would not have Left any Christian upon the surface of the Earth except He^-azwj would have Destroyed him’’.[17]

فر، تفسير فرات بن إبراهيم أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ صَبِيحٍ مُعَنْعَناً عَنْ شَهْرِ بْنِ حَوْشَبٍ قَالَ: قَدِمَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص عَبْدُ الْمَسِيحِ بْنُ أَبْقَى وَ مَعَهُ الْعَاقِبُ وَ قَيْسٌ أَخُوهُ وَ مَعَهُ حَارِثُ‏ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَسِيحِ وَ هُوَ غُلَامٌ وَ مَعَهُ أَرْبَعُونَ حِبْراً فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ كَيْفَ تَقُولُ فِي الْمَسِيحِ فَوَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا لَنُنْكِرُ مَا تَقُولُ

Tafseer Furaat Bin Ibrahim – ‘Ahmad bin al Hassan Bin Ismail Bin Sabeeh transmitting from Shahr Bin Howshab who said,

‘Abdul Maseeh Bin Abqa went to Rasool-Allah^-saww and with him was Al-Aaqib and Qays his brother, and with him was Haris Bin Abdul Maseeh, and they were boys, and with him were forty priests. He said, ‘O Muhammad^-saww! What are you^-saww saying regarding the Messiah^-as, for by Allah^-azwj, we are denying what you^-saww are saying’.

قَالَ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى إِلَيْهِ‏ إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسى‏ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِنْ تُرابٍ ثُمَّ قالَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ‏ فَقَالَ إِجْلَالًا لَهُ‏ مِمَّا يَقُولُ بَلْ هُوَ و اللَّهِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ‏ فَمَنْ حَاجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ ما جاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعالَوْا نَدْعُ‏ إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ

He (the narrator) said, ‘Allah^-azwj the Exalted Revealed to him^-saww: ‘Surely the example of Isa with Allah is like the example of Adam; He Created him from dust, then said to him, “Be”, so he became [3:59]. He (from the Christians) was amused by what Rasool-Allah^-saww said and responded with, ‘But, he^-as is Allah^-azwj’. So Allah^-azwj Revealed: So the one who argues with you in this matter after what has come to you from the Knowledge, then say: ‘Come, let us call [3:61] – up to the end of the Verse.

فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ ذِكْرَ الْأَبْنَاءِ غَضِبَ غَضَباً شَدِيداً وَ دَعَا الْحَسَنَ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ وَ عَلِيّاً وَ فَاطِمَةَ ع فَأَقَامَ الْحَسَنَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ وَ عَلِيٌّ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ وَ فَاطِمَةُ إِلَى وَرَائِهِ فَقَالَ هَؤُلَاءِ أَبْنَاؤُنَا وَ نِسَاؤُنَا وَ أَنْفُسُنَا فَأْتِيَا لَهُمْ بِأَكْفَاءٍ

When he^-saww heard the mention of the ‘sons’, he^-saww was aggravated with intense anger (against the Christians) and called Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws and Ali^-asws and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws. He^-saww got Al-Hassan^-asws to stand on his^-saww right, and Al-Husayn on his^-saww left, and Ali^-asws to his^-saww front, and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws to his^-saww back and he^-saww said: ‘These are our sons and our women and our selves’. They came to him^-saww with the restraint.

قَالَ فَوَثَبَ الْعَاقِبُ فَقَالَ أُذَكِّرُكَ اللَّهَ أَنْ تُلَاعِنَ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ فَوَ اللَّهِ إِنْ كَانَ كَاذِباً مَا لَكَ فِي مُلَاعَنَتِهِ خَيْرٌ وَ إِنْ كَانَ‏ صَادِقاً لَا يَحُولُ الْحَوْلُ وَ مِنْكُمْ نَافِخُ ضَرَمَةٍ قَالَ فَصَالَحُوهُ كُلَّ الصُّلْحِ‏.

He said: ‘Al-Aaqib leapt and said, ‘I remind you of Allah^-azwj if you were to curse this man^-saww! By Allah^-azwj, if he^-saww was a liar, there is no good in you cursing him^-saww, and if he^-saww was truthful, a year would not pass by and there would be from you one blowing a fire’. So they reconciled with him^-saww with every reconciliation’’.[18]

Ahadith from Ahl Al-Sunnah Sources:

وَ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ وَ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ وَ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ سَمَّالٍ وَ عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَنِ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ الْعَوَّامِ وَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ وَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ وَ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ مَوْلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ وَ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ وَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع وَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع وَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ جَعْفَرٍ الصَّادِقِ ع

And from Usman Bin Affan, and from Sa’ad Bin Abu Waqqas, and from Bakr Bin Sammal, and from Talha Bin Abdullah, and from Al-Zubeyr Bin Al-Awwam, and from Abdul Rahman Bin Awf, and from Abdullah Bin Al-Abbas, and from Abu Rafie a slave of Rasool-Allah^-saww, and from Jabir Bin Abdullah, and from Al-Bara’a Bin Aazib, and from Anas Bin Malik (the famous Ahadeeth fabricator), and from Al-Munkadir Bin Abdullah, from his father, and from Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws, and from Abu Ja’far Muhammad^-asws Bin Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws, and from Abu Abdullah Ja’far Al-Sadiq^-asws,

وَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ الْبَصْرِيِّ وَ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ وَ عَنْ عِلْبَاءَ بْنِ أَحْمَرَ وَ عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ شَرَاحِيلٍ الشَّعْبِيِّ وَ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ يَعْمُرَ وَ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ وَ عَنْ شَهْرِ بْنِ حَوْشَبٍ وَ نَحْنُ نَذْكُرُ حَدِيثاً وَاحِداً فَإِنَّهُ أَجْمَعُ وَ هُوَ مِنْ أَوَّلِ الْوِجْهَةِ الْأَوَّلَةِ مِنَ الْقَائِمَةِ السَّادِسَةِ مِنَ الْجُزْءِ الثَّانِي بلفظه‏ [بِلَفْظَةِ] الْمُنْكَدِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْبَزَّازُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفَيْضِ‏ بْنِ فَيَّاضٍ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ بِدِمَشْقَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ بْنُ هَمَّامٍ الصَّنْعَانِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ رَاشِدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُنْكَدِرِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ‏ قَالَ:

And from Al-Hassan Al-Basry, and from Qatadah, and from Ilba’a Bin Ahmar, and from Aamir Bin Shiraheel Al-Shaby, and from Yahya Bin Ya’mur, and from Mujahid, and from Shahr Bin Howshab, and we remember one Hadeeth, so it is a summary, and it is from the first part from the sixth list from the second volume in the words of Al-Munkadir Bin Abdullah, from his father, it was narrated to us by Abu Abdullah Al-Husayn Bin Muhammad Bin Saeed Al-Bazaz, from Muhammad Bin Al-Fayz Bin Fayaz Abu Al-Hassan at Damascus, from Abdul Razzaq Bin Hammam Al-Sana’any, from Umar Bin Rashid, from Muhammad Bin Al-Munkadir, from his father who said:

لَمَّا قَدِمَ السَّيِّدُ وَ الْعَاقِبُ أُسْقُفَّا نَجْرَانَ فِي سَبْعِينَ رَاكِباً وَفَدَا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ص كُنْتُ مَعَهُمْ وَ كُرْزٌ يَسِيرُ وَ كُرْزٌ صَاحِبُ نَفَقَاتِهِمْ فَعَثَرَتْ بَغْلَتُهُ فَقَالَ تَعِسَ مَنْ نَأْتِيهِ‏ يُرِيدُ بِذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ ص فَقَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَ هُوَ الْعَاقِبُ بَلْ تَعِسْتَ وَ انْتَكَسْتَ فَقَالَ وَ لِمَ ذَاكَ

‘When Al-Seyyid and Aaqib, Bishops of Najran arrived among seventy riders as a delegate to the Prophet^-saww, we were with them, and Kurz travelled, and Kurz was in charge of their expenses, and his mule stumbled. He said, ‘May he^-saww be ruined, the one we are going to’ – intending the Prophet^-saww. His companion, Al-Aaqib, said to him; ‘But you will be ruined and you will be set back’. He said, ‘And why is that so?’

فَقَالَ لِأَنَّكَ أَتْعَسْتَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ أَحْمَدَ قَالَ وَ مَا عِلْمُكَ بِذَلِكَ قَالَ أَ مَا تَقْرَأُ الْمِصْبَاحَ‏ الرَّابِعَ مِنَ الْوَحْيِ إِلَى الْمَسِيحِ أَنْ قُلْ لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مَا أَجْهَلَكُمْ تَطَيَّبُونَ بِالطِّيبِ لِتَطَيَّبُوا بِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا وَ أَهْلِكُمْ وَ أَجْوَافُكُمْ عِنْدِي جِيَفٌ‏ [كَجِيفَةِ] الْمِيتَةِ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ آمِنُوا بِرَسُولِي النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يَكُونُ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ

He said, ‘Because you said the Ummy Prophet Ahmad^-saww should be ruined’. He said, ‘And what is your knowledge regarding that?’ He said, ‘Have you not read the fourth part of the Revelation to the Messiah^-as that he^-as said to the children of Israel! How ignorant you are, perfuming with the perfume in order to be good with it in the world with its people and your people, and (in) your insides is the carcass of the deceased. O clan of Israel! Believe in the Rasool^-saww, the Prophet^-saww, the Ummy who will happen to be at the end of the times.

صَاحِبِ الْوَجْهِ الْأَقْمَرِ وَ الْجَمَلِ الْأَحْمَرِ الْمُشْرَبِ بِالنُّورِ ذِي الْجَنَابِ‏ الْحَسَنِ وَ الثِّيَابِ الْخَشِنِ سَيِّدِ الْمَاضِينَ عِنْدِي وَ أَكْرَمِ الْبَاقِينَ عَلَيَّ الْمُسْتَنِّ بِسُنَّتِي وَ الصَّابِرِ فِي ذَاتِ نَفْسِي‏ وَ الْمُجَاهِدِ بِيَدِهِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ مِنْ أَجْلِي فَبَشِّرْ بِهِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَ مُرْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنْ يُعَزِّرُوهُ وَ يَنْصُرُوهُ

He^-saww is the one with the face (more radiant than the) moon, and the red camel, saturated with the Light with the constant beauty, and the coarse clothes, chief of the past ones in my^-as presence, and the most honourable of the remaining ones, assisting upon me^-as with my^-as sunnah, and the patient with myself^-as, and fighter by his^-saww hands against the Polytheists for my^-as reason, so give glad tidings to the children of Islam that they should reinforce him^-as and help him^-as’.

قَالَ عِيسَى قُدُّوسٌ مَنْ هَذَا الْعَبْدُ الصَّالِحُ الَّذِي قَدْ أَحَبَّهُ قَلْبِي وَ لَمْ تَرَهُ عَيْنِي قَالَ هُوَ مِنْكَ وَ أَنْتَ مِنْهُ وَ هُوَ صِهْرُكَ عَلَى أُمِّكَ قَلِيلُ الْأَوْلَادِ كَثِيرُ الْأَزْوَاجِ يَسْكُنُ مَكَّةَ مِنْ مَوْضِعِ أَسَاسِ‏ وَطْءِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ع نَسْلُهُ مِنْ مُبَارَكَةٍ وَ هِيَ ضَرَّةُ أُمِّكَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَهُ شَأْنٌ مِنَ الشَّأْنِ تَنَامُ عَيْنَاهُ وَ لَا يَنَامُ قَلْبُهُ يَأْكُلُ الْهَدِيَّةَ وَ لَا يَأْكُلُ الصَّدَقَةَ

Isa^-as said, ‘Who is this righteous servant whom my^-as heart loves and my eyes have not seen him^-saww?’ He^-azwj said, “He^-saww is from you^-as and you^-as are from him^-saww, and he^-saww is your^-as in-law upon your mother, being of few children and a lot of wives. He^-saww will dwell in Makkah from the place of the foundation trodden by Ibrahim^-as. His^-saww offspring is from the Blessed one, and she is the peak of your mothers in the Paradise, and for him^-saww is an occupation from the occupations. His^-saww eyes sleep and his^-saww heart does not sleep. He^-saww eats the gifts and does not eat the charities.

لَهُ حَوْضٌ مِنْ شَفِيرِ زَمْزَمَ إِلَى مَغْرِبِ‏ الشَّمْسِ حَيْثُ يُعْرَفُ فِيهِ شَرَابَانِ‏ مِنَ الرَّحِيقِ وَ التَّسْنِيمِ فِيهِ أَكَاوِيبُ عَدَدَ نُجُومِ السَّمَاءِ مَنْ شَرِبَ مِنْهُ شَرْبَةً لَا يَظْمَأُ بَعْدَهُ أَبَداً وَ ذَلِكَ بِتَفْضِيلِي إِيَّاهُ عَلَى سَائِرِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ يُوَافِقُ قَوْلُهُ فِعْلَهُ وَ سَرِيرَتُهُ عَلَانِيَتَهُ

For him^-saww is a Fountain at the edge of Zamzam to the west of the sun where two drinking places are well known – of the sealed nectar and al Tasneem, wherein are cups of the number of start in the sky. One who drinks a drink from it will not be thirsty after it, ever, and that is what merits him^-saww over the rest of the Messengers. His^-saww words are in accordance with his^-saww deeds, and his secretive (acts) with his^-saww public (acts).

فَطُوبَاهُ وَ طُوبَى‏ أُمَّتِهِ الَّذِينَ عَلَى مِلَّتِهِ يَحْيَوْنَ وَ عَلَى سُنَّتِهِ يَمُوتُونَ وَ مَعَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ يَمِيلُونَ آمِنِينَ مُؤْمِنِينَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ مُبَارَكِينَ يَكُونُ‏ فِي زَمَنِ قَحْطٍ وَ جَدْبٍ فَيَدْعُونِي فَيُرْخِي السَّمَاءُ عَزَالِيَهَا حَتَّى يُرَى أَثَرُ بَرَكَاتِهَا فِي أَكْنَافِهَا وَ أُبَارِكُ فِيمَا يَصْنَعُ يَدُهُ فِيهِ

So beatitude to him^-saww and beatitude to his^-saww community, those who are upon his^-saww Religion, living and dying upon his^-saww Sunnah and with the People^-asws of his^-saww Household, inclining, safe, believing, content, Blessed, happening to be in the time of drought and sterility. He^-saww will supplicate to Me^-azwj, and the sky would release its water until the impact of its Blessings would be seen in its treasures, and I^-azwj shall Bless in what he^-saww does with his^-saww hand regarding it”.

قَالَ إِلَهِي سَمِّهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ هُوَ أَحْمَدُ وَ هُوَ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولِي إِلَى الْخَلْقِ كَافَّةً أَقْرَبُهُمْ مِنِّي مَنْزِلَةً وَ أَخَصُّهُمْ مِنِّي شَفَاعَةً لَا يَأْمُرُ إِلَّا بِمَا أُحِبُّ وَ لَا يَنْهَى إِلَّا عَمَّا أَكْرَهُ

He^-as said: ‘My^-as God^-azwj, Name him^-saww’. He^-azwj Said: “Yes, he^-saww is Ahmad^-saww, and he^-saww is Muhammad^-saww My^-azwj Rasool^-saww to the people, all of them. He^-saww is the closest of them from Me^-azwj and their most special of them from Me^-azwj of Intercession. He^-saww will not instruct except with what I^-azwj Love, nor forbid except from what I^-azwj Dislike”.

قَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ فَأَنَّى‏ تَقْدِمُ بِنَا عَلَى مَنْ هَذِهِ صِفَتُهُ قَالَ نَشْهَدُ أَقْوَالَهُ‏ وَ نَنْظُرُ آيَاتِهِ‏ فَإِنْ يَكُنْ هُوَ هُوَ سَاعَدْنَاهُ بِالْمُسَالَمَةِ وَ نَكُفُّهُ بِأَمْوَالِنَا عَنْ أَهْلِ دِينِنَا مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَشْعُرُ بِنَا وَ إِنْ يَكُنْ كَذَّاباً كَفَيْنَاهُ بِكَذِبِهِ عَلَى اللَّهِ

His companion said to him, ‘Then let us go ahead to the one of this description’. He said, ‘We shall witness his^-saww words and look at his^-saww signs, so if he^-saww happens to be him^-saww, we shall assist him^-asws with the peace and suffice him^-saww with our wealth from the people of our religion from where he^-saww is not aware with us, and if he^-saww happens to be a liar, his^-saww lies upon Allah^-azwj would suffice us’.

قَالَ‏ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَ لِمَ إِذَا رَأَيْتَ الْعَلَامَةَ لَا تَتَّبِعُهُ قَالَ أَ مَا رَأَيْتَ مَا فَعَلَ بِنَا هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمُ كَرَّمُونَا وَ مَوَّلُونَا وَ نَصَبُوا لَنَا كَنَائِسَنَا وَ أَعْلَوْا فِيهَا ذِكْرَنَا فَكَيْفَ تَطِيبُ النَّفْسُ بِدِينٍ‏ يَسْتَوِي فِيهِ الشَّرِيفُ وَ الْوَضِيعُ

His companion said to him, ‘And why, when I see the signs, should I not follow him^-saww?’ He said, ‘But have you not considered what these people would do with us? They are honouring us and befriending us and they are establishing churches for us, and they are raising our mention in these, so can the soul feel good with a religion wherein the noble (one) and the lower (one) are equalised?’

فَلَمَّا قَدِمُوا الْمَدِينَةَ قَالَ مَنْ يَرَاهُمْ‏ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص مَا رَأَيْنَا وَفْداً مِنْ وُفُودِ الْعَرَبِ كَانُوا أَجْمَلَ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ لَهُمْ شُعُورٌ وَ عَلَيْهِمْ ثِيَابُ الْحَبِرِ وَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مُتَنَاءٍ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَحَضَرَتْ صَلَاتُهُمْ فَقَامُوا يُصَلُّونَ فِي مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص تِلْقَاءَ الْمَشْرِقِ فَهَمَّ رِجَالٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص بِمَنْعِهِمْ‏

When they arrived at Al-Medina, the companions of Rasool-Allah^-saww who saw them said, ‘We have not seen any delegation from the delegations of the Arabs who were more grand than them. There are ranks for them and upon them are clothes of monks’. And Rasool-Allah^-saww was lenient about the Masjid, and their prayer time came, so they stood up to pray in the Masjid of Rasool-Allah^-saww facing the east. The companions of Rasool-Allah^-saww thought of preventing them.

فَأَقْبَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ دَعُوهُمْ فَلَمَّا قَضَوْا صَلَاتَهُمْ جَلَسُوا إِلَيْهِ وَ نَاظَرُوهُ فَقَالُوا يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ حَاجِّنَا فِي عِيسَى فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ كَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَ رُوحٌ مِنْهُ فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمْ بَلْ هُوَ وَلَدُهُ وَ ثَانِي اثْنَيْنِ وَ قَالَ آخَرُ بَلْ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍ أَبٍ وَ ابْنٍ وَ رُوحِ قُدْسٍ وَ قَدْ سَمِعْنَا فِي قُرْآنٍ نَزَلَ عَلَيْكَ يَقُولُ فَعَلْنَا وَ جَعَلْنَا وَ خَلَقْنَا وَ لَوْ كَانَ وَاحِداً لَقَالَ خَلَقْتُ وَ جَعَلْتُ وَ فَعَلْتُ

Rasool-Allah^-saww came and said: ‘Leave them!’ When they had accomplished their prayers, they sat with him^-saww and debated with him^-saww. They said, ‘O Abu Al-Qasim^-saww! Argue with us regarding Isa^-as’. He^-saww said: ‘He^-as is a servant of Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Word He^-azwj Cast to Maryam^-as, and is a Spirit from Him^-azwj’. One of them said, ‘But he^-as is His^-azwj son and the second of the two’. And another said, ‘But, he^-as is the third of the three – father and son and Holy Spirit; and we have heard in the Quran Revealed unto you^-saww Him^-azwj Saying: “We did’, and We made”, and if He^-azwj was One, He^-azwj would have Said: “I^-azwj Created”, and “I^-azwj Made”, and “I^-azwj Did it”’.

فَتَغَشَّى النَّبِيَّ ص الْوَحْيُ وَ نَزَلَ عَلَى صَدْرِهِ سُورَةُ آلِ عِمْرَانَ‏ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ رَأْسِ السِّتِّينَ مِنْهَا فَمَنْ حَاجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ ما جاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْناءَنا وَ أَبْناءَكُمْ وَ نِساءَنا وَ نِساءَكُمْ وَ أَنْفُسَنا وَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَلْ لَعْنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكاذِبِينَ‏ الْآيَةَ

(Then) the Revelation overwhelmed the Prophet^-saww; Surah Aal-e-Imran was Revealed on his^-saww chest, up to His^-azwj Words of sixty (Verses) from it: So the one who argues with you in this matter after what has come to you from the 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 imprecate and make the Curse of Allah to be upon the liars [3:61] – the Verse.

فَقَصَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص الْقِصَّةَ وَ تَلَا عَلَيْهِمُ الْقُرْآنَ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ قَدْ وَ اللَّهِ أَتَاكُمْ بِالْفَصْلِ مِنْ خَبَرِ صَاحِبِكُمْ وَ قَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَمَرَنِي بِمُبَاهَلَتِكُمْ فَقَالُوا إِذَا كَانَ غَداً بَاهَلْنَاكَ فَقَالَ الْقَوْمُ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ حَتَّى نَنْظُرَ بِمَنْ يُبَاهِلُنَا غَداً بِكَثْرَةِ أَتْبَاعِهِ‏ مِنْ أَوْبَاشِ النَّاسِ أَمْ بِأَهْلِهِ‏ مِنْ أَهْلِ الصَّفْوَةِ وَ الطَّهَارَةِ فَإِنَّهُمْ وَشِيجُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ مَوْضِعُ بَهْلِهِمْ‏

Rasool-Allah^-saww related the story to them and recited the Quran to them. They said to each other, ‘By Allah^-azwj he^-saww has come to you all with the decisiveness from the news of your Master (Isa^-as)’. And Rasool-Allah^-saww said to them: ‘Allah^-saww has Commanded me^-saww with imprecating you all’. They said, ‘Then we shall imprecate you^-saww tomorrow’.

The people said to each other, ‘(Wait) until we look at who he^-saww imprecates us with tomorrow- with large numbers of his^-saww followers (who are) from the generality or (with) the people of with his^-saww family (who are) from the elite people and the clean- for they are the close ones of the Prophets^-as and the place of their^-as imprecations’.

فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنْ غَدٍ غَدَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص بِيَمِينِهِ عَلِيٌّ وَ بِيَسَارِهِ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ وَ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ فَاطِمَةُ ع عَلَيْهِمُ الْحُلَلُ‏ النَّجْرَانِيَّةُ وَ عَلَى كَتِفِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص كِسَاءٌ قَطَوَانِيٌ‏ رَقِيقٌ خَشِنٌ لَيْسَ بِكَثِيفٍ وَ لَا لَيِّنٍ فَأَمَرَ بِشَجَرَتَيْنِ فَكَسَحَ مَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَ نَشَرَ الْكِسَاءَ عَلَيْهِمَا وَ أَدْخَلَهُمْ تَحْتَ الْكِسَاءِ وَ أَدْخَلَ مَنْكِبَهُ الْأَيْسَرَ مَعَهُمْ تَحْتَ الْكِسَاءِ مُعْتَمِداً عَلَى قَوْسِهِ النَّبْعِ وَ رَفَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى إِلَى السَّمَاءِ لِلْمُبَاهَلَةِ

When it was the next morning, Rasool-Allah^-saww, Ali^-asws was on his^-saww right and Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws on his^-saww left, and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws behind them^-asws; upon them were garments of the Najranites, and upon the shoulder of Rasool-Allah^-saww was a Qatwany cloak, thin, coarse, not with heaviness nor softness. He^-saww ordered two trees and swept what is between the two and place the cloak upon them and entered them^-asws beneath the cloak and he^-saww included his^-saww own right shoulder with them^-asws beneath the cloak, leaning upon his^-saww bow and raised his^-saww right hand towards the sky for the imprecation.

وَ أَشْرَفَ‏ النَّاسُ يَنْظُرُونَ وَ اصْفَرَّ لَوْنُ السَّيِّدِ وَ الْعَاقِبِ وَ زُلْزِلَا حَتَّى كَادَ أَنْ يَطِيشَ عُقُولُهُمَا فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ أَ نُبَاهِلُهُ قَالَ أَ وَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّهُ مَا بَاهَلَ قَوْمٌ قَطُّ نَبِيّاً فَنَشَأَ صَغِيرُهُمْ وَ بَقِيَ كَبِيرُهُمْ وَ لَكِنْ أَرِهِ أَنَّكَ غَيْرُ مُكْتَرِثٍ وَ أَعْطِهِ مِنَ الْمَالِ وَ السِّلَاحِ مَا أَرَادَ فَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ مُحَارِبٌ وَ قُلْ لَهُ أَ بِهَؤُلَاءِ تُبَاهِلُنَا لِئَلَّا يَرَى أَنَّهُ قَدْ تَقَدَّمَتْ مَعْرِفَتُنَا بِفَضْلِهِ وَ فَضْلِ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ

And the people were overlooking, and the colour of Al-Seyyid and Al-Aaqib paled and they both trembled until their intellects were almost reckless. One of them said to his companion, ‘Shall we imprecate him^-saww?’ He said, ‘Or do you not know that no group of people has imprecated a Prophet^-as and (seen) that their young ones have grown and their elders have remained? But, show him^-saww that you are of indifference, and give him^-saww whatever he^-saww wants from the wealth and the weapons, for he^-saww is a fighting man, and say to him^-saww, ‘Are you^-saww going to imprecate us with them^-asws?’ Perhaps he^-saww will see that you have shown our recognition of his^-saww merits and the merits of the People^-asws of his^-saww Household’.

فَلَمَّا رَفَعَ النَّبِيُّ ص يَدَهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ لِلْمُبَاهَلَةِ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ أَيُّ رَهْبَانِيَّةٍ دَارِكِ الرَّجُلَ فَإِنَّهُ إِنْ فَاهَ‏ بِبُهْلَةٍ لَمْ نَرْجِعْ إِلَى أَهْلٍ وَ لَا مَالٍ فَقَالا يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ أَ بِهَؤُلَاءِ تُبَاهِلُنَا قَالَ نَعَمْ هَؤُلَاءِ أَوْجَهُ مَنْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ بَعْدِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وِجْهَةً وَ أَقْرَبُهُمْ إِلَيْهِ وَسِيلَةً

When the Prophet^-saww raised his^-saww hand towards the sky for the imprecation, one of them said to his companion, ‘Whichever monk meets this man^-saww, he would die with imprecation. We will not return to any family nor any wealth. He said, ‘O Abu Al-Qasim^-saww! Are you^-saww going to imprecate us with them^-asws?’ He^-saww said: ‘They^-asws are the most honourable. Who upon the surface of the earth after me^-saww is more honourable and closest to Him^-azwj as intermediaries?’

قَالَ فَبَصْبَصَا يَعْنِي ارْتَعَدَا وَ كَرَّا وَ قَالا لَهُ يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ نُعْطِيكَ أَلْفَ سَيْفٍ وَ أَلْفَ دِرْعٍ وَ أَلْفَ حَجَفَةٍ وَ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ كُلَّ عَامٍ عَلَى أَنَّ الدِّرْعَ وَ السَّيْفَ وَ الْحَجَفَ عِنْدَكَ إِعَارَةٌ حَتَّى نَأْتِيَ مَنْ وَرَاءَنَا مِنْ قَوْمِنَا فَنُعْلِمَهُمْ بِالَّذِي رَأَيْنَا وَ شَاهَدْنَا فَيَكُونَ الْأَمْرُ عَلَى‏ مَلَاءٍ مِنْهُمْ فَإِمَّا الْإِسْلَامُ وَ إِمَّا الْجِزْيَةُ وَ إِمَّا الْمُقَاطَعَةُ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ

He (the narrator) said, ‘They whispered, meaning hesitated, and came forwards and said to him^-saww, ‘O Abu Al-Qasim^-saww! We shall give you^-saww a thousand swords, and a thousand armours, and a thousand leather skins, and a thousand Dinars every year upon (a stipulation) that the armours and the swords and the skins would be with you^-saww as a loan until they come, the ones behind us from our people, and we (shall) let them know what we have seen and witnessed, so the matter will befall upon their assemblies, and either it would be the tribute, or the cuts (piece of land) during every year’.

فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص قَدْ قَبِلْتُ مِنْكُمَا أَمَا وَ الَّذِي بَعَثَنِي بِالْكَرَامَةِ لَوْ بَاهَلْتُمُونِي بِمَنْ تَحْتَ الْكِسَاءِ لَأَضْرَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ الْوَادِيَ نَاراً تَأَجَّجُ ثُمَّ سَاقَهَا إِلَى مَنْ وَرَاءَكُمْ فِي أَسْرَعَ مِنْ طَرْفِ الْعَيْنِ فَحَرَقَتْهُمْ‏ تَأَجُّجاً

The Prophet^-saww said: ‘I^-saww have accepted from you both. But, by the One^-azwj Who Sent me^-saww with the honour, had you imprecated me^-saww with the ones^-asws beneath the cloak, Allah^-azwj would have Caused the valley to rain fire upon you all, inflaming (you all), then Sending it to the ones behind you in quicker than the blink of an eye, incinerating them with flames’.

فَهَبَطَ عَلَيْهِ جَبْرَئِيلُ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُقْرِئُكَ السَّلَامَ وَ يَقُولُ لَكَ وَ عِزَّتِي وَ جَلَالِي‏ لَوْ بَاهَلْتَ بِمَنْ تَحْتَ الْكِسَاءِ أَهْلَ السَّمَاءِ وَ أَهْلَ الْأَرْضِ لَتَسَاقَطَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّمَاءُ كِسَفاً مُتَهَافِتَةً وَ لَتَقَطَّعَتِ‏ الْأَرَضُونَ زُبُراً سَائِحَةً فَلَمْ يَسْتَقِرَّ عَلَيْهَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ

Jibraeel^-as the Trustworthy Spirit descended unto him^-saww and said: ‘O Muhammad^-saww! Allah^-azwj Conveys the Greetings to you^-saww and is Saying to you^-saww: “By My^-azwj Mighty and My^-azwj Majesty! If you^-saww had imprecated with the ones^-asws beneath the cloak (against) the people of the sky and people of the earth, the sky would have fallen upon them in pieces crushing them, and the earth would have been cut into pieces and no one could have dwelled upon it after that!”

فَرَفَعَ النَّبِيُّ ص يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى رُئِيَ بَيَاضُ إِبْطَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ عَلَى مَنْ ظَلَمَكُمْ حَقَّكُمْ وَ بَخَسَنِيَ الْأَجْرَ الَّذِي افْتَرَضَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ فِيكُمْ بُهْلَةُ اللَّهِ تَتَابَعُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.

The Prophet^-saww raised his^-saww hand until the whiteness of his^-saww armpits was seen, then he^-saww said: ‘One who is unjust to you^-asws regarding your^-asws rights and reduces the recompense to me^-saww which Allah^-azwj has Obligated regarding you^-asws, the Curse of Allah^-azwj will follow (him) up to the Day of Qiyamah’’.[19]

[1] A town located near southwestern Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen.

[2] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 1

[3] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 2

[4] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 3

[5] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 4

[6] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 11

[7] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 14

[8] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 5

[9] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 6

[10] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 7

[11] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 10

[12] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 12

[13] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 13

[14] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 14

[15] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 15

[16] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 16

[17] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 17

[18] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 18

[19] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^saww, P 3 Ch 32 H 20