Mubahala, meaning mutual cursing and condemnation, was a common method in past centuries to establish the legitimacy of a group and their faith. In its specific terminology, it refers to an incident involving Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Christians of Najran. This incident is related to the story where confirmation of the Prophet’s (PBUH) and Islam’s legitimacy was confirmed by the revelation of verse 61 of Surah Al-Ma’idah in the ninth year of migration.
According to the public relations of the Islamic Culture and Thought Research Institute, the news agency correspondent of Ikna, spoke with Hojat al-Islam Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Jawahiri, a member of the Quranic Studies Group of the Institute.
How important was the event of Mubahala at the beginning of Islam that verses were revealed about it?
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who is known for his general invitations in the ninth year of Hijra, sent a letter to the Christians of Najran in northern Yemen and said, “Either come to faith or be prepared to fight.” So they were terrified and decided to send a group to negotiate with the Prophet (PBUH); The false beliefs of these Christians were that they said, “Christ is the Son of God”; The verse 59, إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِیسَىٰ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ کَمَثَلِ آدَمَ ۖ خَلَقَهُ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ کُنْ فَیَکُونُ,) Indeed the case of Jesus with Allah is like the case of Adam: He created him from dust, then said to him, ‘Be,’ and he was.( to emphasize that Jesus (AS) in creation was like of Adam, He did not have a father like Him, but they refused the truth. Therefore, God commanded to engage in Mubahala with them, and Mubahala was in the form that both sides request the destruction of the liar from God. In the verse Mubahala, God said: “So whoever argues with you about it 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.'” (فَمَنْ حَاجَّکَ فِیهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَکَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَکُمْ وَنِسَاءَنَا وَنِسَاءَکُمْ وَأَنْفُسَنَا وَأَنْفُسَکُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَلْ لَعْنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْکَاذِبِینَ.)
Regarding this verse, there are several important rhetorical and aesthetic points that have been debated for centuries. However, I should mention that Mubahala was not just a common curse, but if Christians had won the battle, Islam and the Prophet (PBUH) would have been defeated; Therefore, the Prophet (PBUH) brought a group with him who were the best creatures with God. “Mubahala was not just an ordinary curse, but if the Christians had emerged victorious, it would have meant the destruction of Islam and the Prophet (PBUH). Therefore, the Prophet (PBUH) brought with him a group who were the best of creation in the sight of God.
If this incident had not ended in favor of Islam, and that too in the ninth year of the Hijra, rumors and doubts would have started in the Muslim camp, causing a great upheaval among them and destabilizing the foundations of the nascent Islamic system. Hence, its importance is such that only the closest ones to the Prophet, namely Ali (AS), Fatimah (AS), and their sons, were present.
Regarding the implications of the Mubahala verse, what ethical lessons can we learn?
One of the points that can be emphasized in this verse is that the Prophet (PBUH) observed utmost etiquette in this matter, as the verse does not state that the Prophet (PBUH) told the Christians to find and engage in Mubahala, saying that if you lie, may Allah curse you. Rather, he said, ‘Let us come together for Mubahala, and may the curse of Allah be upon the liars!’ This is the etiquette of the Holy Quran and the Prophet (PBUH), which causes enemies to accept the truth sooner. The lesson is that in debates and dialogues, we should behave in such a polite manner that it does not hinder the acceptance of the truth by the recipient.
Another point in the verse is that some people falsely accused the Prophet (PBUH) of being sterile, but God, through the interpretation of the word ابنائنا, which means “our sons” , introduced Imam Hasan (AS) and Imam Hussein (AS), who were the sons of his daughter, as his own children, and lifted the accusation of sterility from him. The Ahl al-Bayt (AS) also referred to this verse in their protests on this matter. However, it should be noted that not everyone shares this view; some Sunni scholars have said that if someone bequeaths such property to his sons, he will not receive it, and if he has a daughter, he will not have a grandson, but according to this verse, this property will also be moved to his daughter.
Some believe that “Mubahala” is alongside “Ghadir”, what is your opinion and what role does “mubahala” have for us today?
“Mubahala” is a lasting and enduring miracle, meaning that for any undeniable right, one can use it, and this point is very valuable. In the verse of “mubahala,” the term انفسنا”ourselves” refers to this issue; Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali) was its sole embodiment, the only person deserving to be his successor after the noble Prophet, not other individuals, because only he was invested with the authority of the Prophet’s life and soul. This approach clarifies the correct path when disputes arose in the Islamic community after the Prophet’s passing.
A significant point of contention between Shia and Sunni relates to the concept of Imamate. The primary difference lies in identifying who immediately is to succeed the Prophet after his death. If proven that Ali is the rightful successor, then jurisprudence and other matters follow this. Conversely, if Abu Bakr is accepted, then jurisprudence would return to him. Therefore, the doctrinal disputes are peripheral, and the essential issue is determining immediate succession conclusively.
Sunni Muslims believe that Abu Bakr was chosen by consultation as the caliph, despite numerous issues with the decision-making process of the consultation held in Saqifah. Thus, there is neither a supporting verse nor a narration for it, let alone its validation as an argument. However, Shia Muslims believe firstly that the immediate successorship of Imam Ali was divinely appointed and secondly, numerous verses and narrations substantiate or support this claim. The verses related to the event of Ghadir Khumm, including the verse about “mubahala” (Aal-e-Imran, 61), especially “انفسنا” (our souls), are among this evidence. “Anfusana” refers to the soul and the self of the Prophet, and only Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali) was present in this incident, thus he alone exemplifies “anfusana.” Therefore, if the Prophet is absent, his successor is the one who stands at his level.
