Eid al-Mubahila
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Eid al-Mubahila
The 24th of Dhul-Hijja marks the anniversary of the day when the Prophet of Islam invited the Christians of Najran to imprecation each other in the year 10 A.H. The term mubahila in Arabic refers to the prayer of the faithful in order to rid themselves of the company of liars. The event was the result of a delegation lead by Abdul Masihm and 60 Christian followers addressing Muhammad regarding the nature of the Prophet Jesus. Then, according to Qur'an prophet invited them to imprecation:
"If any one disputes in this matter with thee, now after (full) knowledge Hath come to thee, say: "Come! let us gather together,- our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves: Then let us earnestly pray, and invoke the curse of Allah on those who lie!3:61"
According to , the tradition is as follows:
"When the following verse was revealed : Let us summon our children and your children. Allah's messenger ( pbuh&f ) called Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hussain and said : O Allah , these are my family ..." Abdullah quotes the Holy Prophet to have commented:
"Had there been any soul on the whole earth better than Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hussain, God would have commanded me to take them along with me to 'Mubahala'. But as they were superior in dignity and respect to all human beings, God confined His Choice on them only for participation in 'Mubahala'". (Tasfeer-e-Baizavi)
No sooner had the caravan of the Prophet appeared to the sight of the opposing group of the Christians of Najran then they were awestruck and spellbound. Abdul Haris lbne Alqama, the greatest scholar among them, addressed his people: "Verily I see a divine light on the face of our combatants; I am beholding such faces among them as can make the mountains move from their spots if they pray to God. So beware! Never try to contest with them, otherwise you will perish and the entire nation of Christians will succumb to extinction!" Thereupon the Holy Prophet reiterated, "By God! Had the Christians of Najran contested with us, they would have been transformed into monkeys and swains. Fire would have rained over them from the sky and they would have been doomed." When the Christians refrained from 'Mubahala', the Holy Prophet put before them two alternatives: either to embrace Islam or to be prepared to come to terms. But the Christians would not agree till the matter was finally decided by an offer of treaty from their side. Thus a peace treaty was signed on the terms that the Christians of Najran would thereby be committed to pay the Holy Prophet an annual tribute consisting of two thousand costumes-worth: forty thousand Dinars, thirty horses, thirty camels, thirty armors and thirty spears. (Meraj-un-Nabuwat)
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One can understand Mubahila, only if one can understand the intricacies of the verse of Qura'an and look at the event through the verse about it. I will copy the translation of the Qura'anic verse 3:61 from Shakir, with essential changes, which impounds on the event and explanation before I go any further.
{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 selves {Persons who can represent me, the messenger of God} and your selves {Persons who can represent you}, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars. 3:61}
It confirms the message being from God Almighty, that Jesus son of Virgin, pious Mary is just another human being with special favors from Almighty and being without a genetic father, he is a sign of God Almighty. If people still dispute, as they do today as well, then invoke wrath of God Almighty on the liars. In the eyes of a Muslim [who sees through the guidance of Almighty] a person who lies even one time, is a liar. A person who who worships anyone other than Almighty God is a liar. A person who uses Islam for personal gains, subjugates others oppresses, transgresses against others is a liar. To us the lie is one of the basic evils. The messenger of God Almighty is to curse the liars. If he is accompanied by anyone who has lied, or will lie in his rest of his/her lifetime, then the curse will come back to those people, as much as on those who were disputing the unity of God Almighty.
According to shia traditions, the messenger of God [LET US...]held the hand of his grandson Hassan, and picked up Hosain in his arms [OUR SONS AND ...] was followed by Fatima [ سلام الله عليها ] [OUR WOMEN AND ....] followed by Ali son of Abu Taalib [ عليه الصّلاة والسّلام ] {OUR SELVES AND ....} and then curse the liars. It was a certificate from God Almighty, that these individuals have never lied in the past, nor would they lie in the future or rest of their lives. It was a certificate from Almighty, that these people can represent Mohammed [ صلاواة الله عليه و آله ] the Messenger of God Almighty. There is no honour or designation greater than being self of Mohammed [ صلاواة الله عليه و آله ] the messenger of God Almighty.
It was a piece of guidance for the Muslims to learn Islam from these four people and their designees and not from anyone else. It is stressed in the Quraan at another occasion as well. See chapter "Bara'at" 9:1..to ..6.
The peace treaty that had been promulgated between polytheists of Makkah and the messenger of God, was violated by the polytheists and the loyal party to Muslims was murdered. God Almighty ordered by revealation and abrogation of the treaty [9:1 to 4] The messenger of God Almighty sent those verses with a good companion of his, who was to lead the formalities of Hajj for that year. Then God Almighty ordered His messenger to forbid the companion to make the announcement; And that His messenger Mohammed [ صلاواة الله عليه و آله ] must send a person of his own stature and from amongst the group who could represent the messenger of God Almighty, to announce those verses. According to shia traditions, the companion was ordered not to announce those verses. The companion was ordered to give those verses to Ali son of Abu Taalib. He was designated to make the announcement, as he could represent the messenger of God Almighty.
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