MUBAHILAH THE WELL-KNOWN EVENT

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 {3:61}

[Q3:61]  Faman haaajjaka feehi mim ba'di maa jaaa'aka minal 'ilmi faqul ta'aalaw nad'u abnaaa'anaa wa abnaaa'akum wa nisaaa'anaa wa nisaaa'akum wa anfusanaa wa anfusakum summa nabtahil fanaj'al la'natal laahi 'alal kaazibeen.
[Q3:61] 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 (SWT) on the liars.

[Q3:61] Kemudian sesiapa yang membantahmu (wahai Muhammad) mengenainya, sesudah engkau beroleh pengetahuan yang benar, maka katakanlah kepada mereka: Marilah kita menyeru anak-anak kami serta anak-anak kamu dan perempuan-perempuan kami serta perempuan-perempuan kamu dan diri kami serta diri kamu, kemudian kita memohon kepada ALLAH (SwT) dengan bersungguh-sungguh, serta kita meminta supaya laknat ALLAH (SwT) ditimpakan kepada orang-orang yang berdusta.

THIS VERSE REFERS TO THE WELL-KNOWN event of MUBAHILAH mentioned in every book of history, traditions and tafsir written by Muslim scholars.

The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was sending invitations to all to accept the true religion of ALLAH (SWT). Tribe after tribe, region after region, were coming into the fold of Islam. One such invitation was sent to the Christians of Najran, a town in Yemen, in the 9th year of Hijra.

       A deputation of 60 scholars came to discuss the matter with the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). Abdul Masih, the chief monk, asked him as to who was the father of Isa, thinking that the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) would accept ALLAH (SWT) as the father of Isa.

     Verse 59 of this surah was revealed and presented to the Christians as a reply BUT they did not listen to reason. Then this verse was revealed to call them to a spiritual contest by invoking the curse of ALLAH (SWT) on the liars mubahilah. The Christians agreed to this contest.

     Early next morning, the 24th of the month of Dhilhijjah, the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) sent Salman to the selected site, outside the city area, to set up a shelter for those whom he would take with him, as his sons, women and selves.

     A large number of companions assembled in the masjid, making themselves available for the selection. On the opposite side of the field, selected for the contest, the Christians, with their selected men, women and children appeared on the scene.

     At the appointed hour, a huge crowd, standing in wait, saw the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) coming in, Imam Husayn in his arms, Imam Hasan holding his index finger, walking beside him, Bibi Fatimah Zahra, close to his heels and Imam Ali just behind her-as his sons, women, and selves. It should be noted that although there was provision for "women" and "selves" the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) selected one "woman" and one "self"-Fatimah and Ali, BECAUSE there was no woman and no man among his followers at that time who could be brought into the contest of invoking the curse of ALLAH (SWT) on the liars. They alone were the truthful ones. (See commentary of al Tawbah 9:119).

The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) raised his hands to the heaven and said:

"O my Lord! These are the people of my house".

     The chief monk looked up and down at the faces of the Pure Five (Panjatan Pak), from whom emanated a radiant and brilliant glow; and this sight filled him with awe and anguish. He cried out aloud:

"By Jesus! I see the faces that if they turn upward to the heavens and pray, the mountains shall move. Believers in Jesus of Nazareth, I tell you the truth. Should you fail to come to some agreement with Muhammad, he, along with the godly souls with him, shall wipe out your existence for ever, should they invoke the curse of ALLAH (SWT) on you."

The Christians saw the wisdom of their chief and readily agreed to arrive at a settlement. As there is no compulsion in religion (Baqarah 2:256), the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) gave them complete freedom to practise their faith. He also agreed to protect their lives and possessions; AND FOR THIS SERVICE the Christians consented to pay a nominal fee (Jizya). 

IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY MANIFESTATION OF THE GLORY OF ISLAM; therefore, the followers of Muhammad and ali Muhammad celebrate this unique blessings of ALLAH (SWT) (bestowed on the Ahlul Bayt) as a "thanksgiving" occasion of great joy and comfort.

Many Muslim scholars, commentators and traditionists whom the ummah acclaim with one voice, have given the details of this event with following conclusions:

(1)     The seriousness of the occasion demanded absolute purity, physical as well as spiritual, to take part in the fateful event.

(2)     Only the best of ALLAH (SWT)'s creations (the Ahlul Bayt) were selected by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) under ALLAH (SWT)'s guidance.

(3)     It, beyond all doubts, established the purity, the truthfulness and the sublime holiness of the Ahlul Bayt.

(4)     It also unquestionably confirmed as to who were the members of the family of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

(References:- Mahmud bin Umar Zamakhshari in al Khashshaf; Fakhr al Din al Razi in Tafsir Kabir; Jalal al Din al Suyuti in Tafsir Durr al Manthur; Tafsir Baydawi; Tafsir Nafsi; Tafsir Ibna Kathir; Sahih al Muslim and Sahih al Tirmidhi.)

A very large number of Muslims (and also non-muslims) witnessed the contest and came to know that Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn were the "Ahlul Bayt" addressed in verse 33:33 of al Ahzab, known as ayah al tat-hir or the verse of purification.

ä  IN THIS VERSE, the divine command allows the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to take with him "sons", "women" and "selves"; THEREFORE, had there been "women" and "selves" worthy to be selected for this symbolic contest, among his companions, he would certainly have selected them, BUT as it was seen by one and all, only Fatimah and Ali (and their two sons) were chosen, BECAUSE none of the anxiously waiting companions (among whom were the three caliphs and the wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) *was truthful or *so thoroughly purified as to deserve selection for an event which was divinely decreed in order to also make known the true successors of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

THE WORD ANFUS IS THE PLURAL OF NAFS WHICH MEANS SOUL OR SELF. WHEN USED IN RELATION TO AN INDIVIDUAL, IT IMPLIES ANOTHER BEING OF THE SAME IDENTITY WITH COMPLETE UNITY IN EQUALITY; THEREFORE, ONE IS THE TRUE REFLECTION OF THE OTHER IN THOUGHT, ACTION AND STATUS, TO THE EXTENT THAT AT ANY OCCASION OR FOR ANY PURPOSE, ANYONE OF THEM CAN REPRESENT THE OTHER. EVEN IF THE WORD NAFS IS INTERPRETED AS "THE PEOPLE", IT IS CLEAR THAT ALI ALONE IS "THE PEOPLE" OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD).

Ë  AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), within a year, the symbolic event of mubahilah was ignored by his followers.

§  The house of FATIMAH was set on fire. A well-known companion kicked the door of her house which fell on her. The injury caused by the falling door finally killed her. In view of the following saying (Sahih Bukhari-Vol. 2, page 206) of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) her killer stands condemned for ever: "Fatimah is my flesh and blood, whoso causes suffering to her in fact causes suffering to me. He who has pained me in fact has pained ALLAH (SWT); and, indeed, he is a disbeliever", said the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) in the light of verse 33:57 of al Ahzab.

§  It happened when a large crowd under the leadership of the above said companion came to arrest Ali ibne Abi Talib, the nafs of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), his brother, his vicegerent and his successor, who was deprived of his rightful mission to administer the affairs of the ummah, after the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), SO AS to enable some to distort and corrupt the true religion of ALLAH (SWT) and utilise its name to enforce tyranny, injustice and ignorance of the pagan days.

§  Finally IMAM ALI was killed in the masjid of Kufa when he was praying the fajr salat. 

§  IMAM HASAN was killed by a deadly poison administered by a woman hired by Mu-awiyah bin Abu Sufyan.

§  IMAM HUSAYN, along with his friends and relatives, was killed in the desert of Karbala, by the army of Yazid bin Mu-awiyah, and the ladies and the children of the house of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) were held captive, taken from town to town, tortured and harassed. The body of the martyred Imam was left unburied for several days. The perpetrators of this tyranny and injustice were those who had seen with their own eyes Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn going to the contest with the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) as his sons on the day of mabahilah.

THE FOLLOWERS OF THE AHLUL BAYT ARE ON THE PATH OF TRUTH, and their enemies are the upholders of falsehood, BUT strangely so, those who follow the true path are described as dissenters, AND ON this basis have been harassed, persecuted and killed by those who denied, belied and ignored NOT ONLY the ayah al mabahilah and ayah al tat-hir BUT ALSO many such verses of the Qur’an and clear traditions of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

         At the hands of the enemies of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his holy Ahlul Bayt, YET THEY never give up their faith BECAUSE NEITHER they longed for worldly possessions NOR they feared death and destruction, in the true tradition of their Imams.

(1)     When reason and facts failed to convince the opponents, the medium of mubahilah (prayer to curse the liars) had to be used. It was a test of the truthfulness of the persons chosen to establish the truth and carry out the divine mission.

(2)     The nearest and the dearest have to be exposed to danger.

(3)     The nearest and the dearest of a prophet (who has devoted himself and whatever belonged to him to ALLAH (SWT)  and has been purified from all likes and dislikes based upon self interest, mundane desires and carnal passions) must naturally be of his class and quality in devotion and purification.

(4)     According to verse 33:46 of al Ahzab the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was a summoner unto ALLAH (SWT) by His permission; THEREFORE, it was not his choice but ALLAH (SWT)'s will to summon a certain class of people to invoke the curse of ALLAH (SWT) on the liars.

(5)     Right from the commencement of his mission to the last moment of his departure from this world, the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) called only Ali on all important occasions.

(a)     He called the ten year old Ali at the time of making known his mission.

(b)     At the time of inviting his tribe to the worship of one ALLAH (SWT), it was the thirteen year old Ali who gave answer to the call of the last prophet of ALLAH (SWT)

(c)      At the time of migration from Makka to Madina, he called Ali and asked him to lie down on his bed to face his enemies, who had planned to kill him during that night, and Ali wholeheartedly agreed to give his life to save the messenger of ALLAH (SWT).

(d)     It was Ali, who was designated, as his executor of will, to return the deposits entrusted by the residents of Makka to the al-amin prophet after the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) migrated to Madina.

(e)     In the battle of Badr, Ali was asked by him to fight and repulse the hordes of enemy soldiers when many of his companions were quietly watching the fighting from a safe distance.

(f)      In the battle of Uhad, when the enemy had an upper hand and the danger to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)'s life was imminent, because all his companions had run away from the battlefield and disappeared, it was Ali who stood by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and brought to naught all the plans of the enemy.

(g)     In the battle of Khandaq, Ali was called, as the embodiment of faith to fight against the incarnation of disbelief, Amr bin Abdwud, to win victory for the disheartened Muslims.

(h)     In Khaybar, when all the companions of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) tried and failed to subdue the enemy, Ali was called to come to the rescue of the deficient and depressed Muslims and conquer the fort of Khaybar single-handedly.

(i)       At the time of going to Tabuk, the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) designated Ali, as his vicegerent, to take charge of the affairs in Madina, saying “that Ali was to him as Harun was to Musa.”

(j)       Ali was called to preach the verses of al Barat which contain complete disassociation from idolatry, because only he or the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), according to the command of ALLAH (SWT), were competent to convey them to the people (on account of exact similarity or equality between the two). So Ali went to Makka and relieved Abu Bakr who had earlier been sent to do this job.

ALI, FATIMAH, HASAN AND HUSAYN, THE FOUR THOROUGHLY PURIFIED MEMBERS OF THE CHOSEN GROUP, WERE THE "SELVES" OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD), BUT HASAN AND HUSAYN, THE TWO SONS OF ALI, AS ABNA-ANA (SONS), AND FATIMAH, THE WIFE OF ALI, AS NISA-ANA (WOMEN) AND ALI HIMSELF AS ANFUSANA (SELVES) CAME OUT TO REPRESENT THE PARTY OF ALLAH (SWT). IN SAHIH MUSLIM IT IS MENTIONED THAT AT THE TIME OF COMING OUT FROM THE CANOPY, THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) LOOKED SKYWARD AND SAID: "O MY LORD, THESE ARE MY AHL UL BAYT."

Even Ibna Hazm, a staunch advocate of the Umayyid point of view, has stated that at the time of mubahilah, only Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn came out with the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to take part in the contest.

THE ENEMIES OF THE AHLUL BAYT, true to their policy of ignoring the matchless symbolic glory of the Ahlul Bayt, either have not referred to this event at all, OR, in order to play down its fundamental role in determining the true faith, have made evasive attempts to give misleading meanings to some of the words of this verse,

Ä  Such as saying that in Arabic literature nisa has not been used for daughters. It is obvious that their knowledge about the Qur’an is very limited. In verses 4:7 to 11 of al Nisa, nisa has been used to refer to daughters. Moreover, Fatimah, in addition to her relationship to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) as his daughter, was also chosen as the wife of Ali, who is the self or soul of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad),

Ä  In which case the significance of anfusana becomes more subtle, because no wife of the other constituent of anfusana (the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was found competent to take part in the spiritual contest. In verse 66:5 of al Tahrim, the almighty ALLAH (SWT) says that if the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) divorces his wives, the Lord will give him in their stead, wives better than them, which implies that there were women better than his wives,

Ä  BUT there was none better than the "pure five", or even equal to them, who could be chosen to become one of the glorious group selected for the mubahilah in spite of the latitude accorded by the plurality permitted by the all-wise ALLAH (SWT). Please refer to the commentary of verse 33:33 of al Ahzab to ascertain that Ummi Salimah and A-isha so much desired to be taken under the blanket but were refused by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

IF THE BAT (A FLYING MAMMAL) DOES NOT LIKE THE SUNLIGHT, NEVER SHALL THE BEAUTY OF THE SUNSHINE BECOME DIM. LIKEWISE, if the enemies of the Ahlul Bayt try to distort the facts of history, they shall never be able to tarnish the ever bright source of enlightenment and glory which shall radiate its divinely endowed splendour till eternity.

IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT ONE WOMAN, ONE MAN AND TWO BOYS WERE CHOSEN, the plural number is used here, BECAUSE in this holy house, males and females of the class of this divinely chosen group were born to face the challenge of falsehood in the same manner and style.

      IN KARBALA, when falsehood incarnate, in its utmost wickedness, challenged the truth from ALLAH (SWT), Imam Husayn, the surviving member of this group, along with the souls, sons, wives and daughters of this holy house, brought down the curse of ALLAH (SWT) upon the liars and their followers, and thus truth won an everlasting victory over falsehood.

v  In the light of Ahzab 33:33, Ali Imran 5:61 and Tawbah 9:119, Ali ibne Abi Talib has said:

I am the sidiq al akbar (the greatest truthful). I am the faruq al azam (the greatest distinguisher between truth and falsehood). He who claims any of these titles (other than me) is the greatest liar.

There was no genuine sidiq al akbar among the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)'s companions (save Ali), otherwise he would have been selected to accompany him at the time of mubahilah.

µ  ALI WAS TEN YEARS OLD at the commencement of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)'s mission and thirteen at the time of dawat al ashira, and on the occasion of mubahilah, Imam Hasan was six and Imam Husayn was five years old, YET the Lord commanded his messenger to select them for His cause and purpose as He had found in these particular children that which He had noticed in Isa, BECAUSE OF WHICH He bestowed prophethood on him and gave him the book and the wisdom when he was but a baby in the cradle.

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(3:61) Tell whoever disputes with you on this matter after true knowledge has come to you: 'Come! Let us summon our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, and then let us pray together and invoke the curse of Allah on those who lie.' *55

*55. The real aim in suggesting this procedure for deciding the dispute was to prove that the attitude of those amongst the delegation of Najran was one of deliberate stubbornness and intransigence. They had no sound arguments to contradict any of the points mentioned above, and they could not find any shred of evidence in their own scriptures upon which they could claim, with firm conviction, that their beliefs were true. Moreover, all that the members of the deputation had come to know of the character, teachings and achievements of the Prophet had made them more or less convinced of his prophethood, and at least caused their disbelief to waver. When they were told that if they had full confidence in the truth of their beliefs they should come forward and pray to God that His curse should fall on the deniers of the truth, none of them came forward. It thus became clear all over Arabia that the priests and leaders of Christianity in Najran, whose holiness was celebrated far and wide, followed beliefs, the truth of which, they themselves were not fully confident in.