The Day of Mubāhala (9 A.H./ 631 A.D.)
On Monday, the 1st of July 2024 A.D. (the 24th of Dhū al-Hijjah 1445 A.H.)
﴿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﴾
“Then whoever argues with you about it (the birth of Jesus) after [this] knowledge has come to you - say, "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then supplicate earnestly [together] and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars [among us].” (The Quran, 3:61)
This verse refers to the significant event of al-Mubāhala which is mentioned in all well-known books of tradition, Tafsīr (exegesis) and history by both Shia and Sunni scholars. However, the event took place in the year 9 A.H. (631 A.D.) between the Prophet and the Christians of Najrān.
The term Mubāhala is derived from its Arabic root “bāhl” meaning 'curse' and the act of al-Mubāhala in this verse means that each of the two parties invokes the curse of Allah on the untruthful one.
The story is that after the conquest of Mecca, when Islam started spreading rapidly and the warring groups came under the flag of Islam, the Prophet started sending emissaries to the tribes who had not yet accepted Islam. A similar message was sent to the Christians of Najrān (a fertile land located in the northern mountainous region of Yemen) inviting them to accept Islam.
In the presence of the Prophet, a deputation of 60 Christian scholars from Najrān were informed to believe in three messages: the Oneness of Allah, the Prophethood of the prophet Muhammad, and that Prophet Jesus was the servant of Allah not son of Him, but they did not accept and had no reason to prove their claim.
Here the Prophet suggested the issue of “Mutual cursing which is called al-Mubāhala” and added, “So challenge me; if I am telling the truth the curse would fall on you, and if I am a liar the curse of yours would fall on me.” However, they agreed on a date for al-Mubāhala, but when the Christians returned to the place they were staying in, their master said, “If this man challenges us with his people, we will accept the challenge for it indicates that he is not a Prophet; but if he challenges us with his close family in particular, we should not challenge him for he is not going to put forward his family unless he is certain about his claim.”
Next morning, the 24th of the month of Dhū al-Hijjah, at the appointed hour, a huge crowd, standing in wait, saw the Prophet coming in with Imam al-Hassan, Imam al-Hussain, Lady Fatimah, and Imam Ali. In fact, they were the truthful ones who could be brought into the contest of invoking the curse of Allah on the liars.
The holy Prophet raised his hands to the heaven and said, "O my Lord! These are the people of my house". The chief of Christians looked up and down at the faces of the Pure Five and said, “By Jesus! I see the faces that if they pray, the mountains shall move. I tell you the truth. Should you fail to come to some agreement with Muhammad, he along with these godly souls with him, shall wipe out your existence for ever, should they invoke the curse of Allah on you."
Eventually, the Christians agreed to arrive at a settlement and accepted that they were wrong in their belief.
It was an extraordinary manifestation of the glory of Islam; therefore, the followers of Ahl al-Bayt celebrate this unique blessing of Allah upon the Prophet and his household as a thanksgiving.
