Quran Garden

Session 394

Chapter 3

Verses 59, 60 & 61

A Christian delegation from Najran –an area south of Medina in Arabia– came to visit Prophet Muhammad.  They wanted to discuss some differences they had with the Muslims and the Jews.  The disputes between the Jews and the Christians had a long history going back hundreds of years.  God says:

The Jews say, "The Christians have no ground whatsoever to stand on," and the Christians say, "The Jews have no ground whatsoever to stand on," though they both read the scripture, and those who have no knowledge say the same. God will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning their differences. (2:113)

One of the issues of contention was their relation to our beloved Abraham.  The Jews claimed that Abraham was Jewish, while the Christians refused and claimed that he was one of them.  God answered:

People of the Book! Why do you argue concerning Abraham when the Torah and the Gospel were only sent down after him? Why do you not use your intellect? (3:65)

The disagreement between the Christians and Prophet Muhammad was regarding the status of Jesus, peace be upon him.   Allah wanted to clarify this crucial matter once and for all, so it would not remain suspended and a source of corruption.

Two men led the Christian delegation: Al-Sayyid and Al-‘Aqib, accompanied by priests and theologians.  Prophet Muhammad asked, "What do you say about Jesus?" They said, "He is the son of God," to which the Messenger replied, "But Jesus said 'I am a servant of God.'  He is God's servant, His messenger, and a word from God to the Virgin Mary."  That upset the delegation, so they turned and said to the Prophet, "Have you ever seen a child born without a father?  If you have seen something like that, then let us know!"  At that point, God revealed the following verse:

Verily, the case of Jesus in the sight of Allah is as the case of Adam. He fashioned him out of dust, then He said to him, "Be," and he came to be. (Chapter 3: Verse 59)

Allah distilled the issue down to the undisputed fact that Jesus was born without a father, and so was Adam.  Actually, Adam was even born without a father and a mother.

Prophet Muhammad said to the delegation, "From your books, you know that I am the Messenger of God and the Prophet of this nation.  Why don't you turn to God's book and enter Islam?" They said, "We need to discuss some matters, and we will be back tomorrow." 

When disagreements represent two opposing views, Allah taught His Messenger to say:

One party of us must be rightly guided and the other clearly astray. (from 34:24)

In other words, there is no grey area: one side is right, while the other is deep in the wrong.  When issues are contradictory, there is no middle ground. God says:

The truth is from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters. (Chapter 3: Verse 60)

Most people view their religion through the lens of prejudice, not reason.  That is why religious arguments are often fruitless.  The truth comes from God in heavenly revelations leaving no room for doubt.  Whoever wants to appeal or argue should resort to God, Who never rules unjustly. 

The next day, the Christian delegation of Najran came back to Prophet Muhammad and informed him that they stand firm on their opinion of Jesus and reject Islam.  At such a point, there was no need for further evidence or argument.  Allah taught our beloved Muhammad what to do when matters hit an impasse.  He says in the next verse of Al Imran:

If anyone disputes this with you now that you have been given this knowledge, say, "Come, let us gather our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, and let us pray earnestly and invoke God's curse on those of us who are lying."

(Chapter 3: Verse 61)

Both parties were invited to bring forth their closest family members, women, and children for prayers and supplication.  Here you may ask, why involve the women and the children? We answer that families are the closest kinships that concern each person regardless of their beliefs.  In other words, when you turn to God for critical matters, bring along the people dearest to your heart.  Many warriors in the olden times used to bring their families along to the battlefield.  It meant to show the enemy that they believed in what they were fighting for and would never retreat. 

To "pray earnestly" is translated from the Arabic origin المباهلة (Al-Mubahala).  It is a specific form of supplication for God to descend His curse on the liar or the wrongdoer.  Both parties would get together and then invoke their Lord, "O Lord, descend your curse on the liar amongst us."  This supplication carries absolute justice because only the true God can send down a curse, and those praying to the false God would lose.  It is a plea to the irresistible power of the Almighty to act in the matter under dispute.

When Muhammad, peace be upon him, suggested to the Christian delegation that they all resort to المباهلة (Al-Mubahala) prayers, they said, "Give us until tomorrow, and we will come ready."  The next morning, they sent one of them to see what Muhammad was doing.  Was he really prepared for this, or was it a bluff?  They found him with his grandchildren, Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein, along with his daughter Fatima and his cousin Ali bin Abi Talib, peace be upon them all.  Only a man with absolute conviction would come along with his family in preparation to pray for God's curse. 

The man returned to the delegation and told them.  The leaders discussed the matter and decided against going forward with the prayers.  They reasoned, "We will not be able to pray for a curse. By God, no nation has engaged in Mubahala with a messenger of God except that they were laid to waste." 

They later met with the Prophet and tried to settle the matter differently.  They said, "Muhammad, we will remain on our religion, and your followers will remain on your religion.  We shall make peace with you that you will not fight against us, nor will you turn us away from our religion.  We will also pay the Jizya taxes twice a year."  Perhaps they decided against it because they doubted their position.  As for the Prophet, he was sure of what God had revealed to him.

The three verses under study present the perfect solution from the heavens to the Muslim-Christian dispute about the divinity of Jesus.  Allah gave the example of Adam, who was created without a father or a mother, to refute the argument that Jesus is the son of God simply because he was born of no father.  This argument did not come from Muhammad.  It came from the Almighty, Who is fair and has knowledge of everything.  It came from God, the Lord of Abraham, and the Lord of the Jews, Christians, and Muslims.  Thus, if you have a counter-argument, then bring it against the Almighty and pray for guidance and a curse against the wrongdoers.  Is there a fairer process than this?  God says:

Verily, the case of Jesus in the sight of Allah is as the case of Adam. He fashioned him out of dust, then He said to him, "Be," and he came to be. The truth is from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters. If anyone disputes this with you now that you have been given this knowledge, say, "Come, let us gather our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, and let us pray earnestly and invoke God's curse on those of us who are lying." (Chapter 3: Verses 59,60 & 61)