In the Holy Quran Almighty Allah (J) commands his apostle to proclaim the Message which has been sent to him from his Lord! And if he does not do that, then he would not has fulfilled and proclaimed His Mission. [1] Obeying this commandment of Allah (J), the Holy Prophet Mohammad (S) starts sending letters to the heads of different tribes, communities and countries to invite them to Islam. One of those letters of Him was addressed to the Christians of Najran (a city in the province of Yemen). The Holy Prophet (S) included the following verse of the Holy Qur'an in the letter...
In the Holy Quran Almighty Allah (J) commands his apostle to proclaim the Message which has been sent to him from his Lord! And if he does not do that, then he would not has fulfilled and proclaimed His Mission. [1] Obeying this commandment of Allah (J), the Holy Prophet Mohammad (S) starts sending letters to the heads of different tribes, communities and countries to invite them to Islam. One of those letters of Him was addressed to the Christians of Najran (a city in the province of Yemen). The Holy Prophet (S) included the following verse of the Holy Qur'an in the letter:
“Say, (O Muhammad), "O people of the Book (Bible), come to an agreement between us and you; that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall claim no partner to Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords besides Allah” [2]
But this invitation was not just an invitation rather it was a Quranic challenge (tahaddi) which is one of the most outstanding miracles of Islam and the Holy Prophet (S). In response to that letter the Christians sent a representative deputation of fourteen members to Medina to study the facts pertaining to Hazrat Muhammad (S) and his mission. When they arrived to Medina they went to the Medina Mosque and asked the Holy Prophet that, "What is your opinion about Jesus Christ?" The Apostle said, "You may rest today in this city and after being refreshed you will receive the replies to all your questions from me." The Apostle was awaiting a revelation in this matter, and the next day the verses of the Holy Qur'an were revealed to him to show the true position of Jesus Christ. [3]
When the Holy Prophet recited the revealed verses of Surah Al-e-Imran, which says:
“Surely the likeness of Jesus is with Allah as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him 'Be', and he was. (This is) the truth from your Lord, so be not of the disputers”, [4]
The Christians remained obstinate and refused to accept the invitation of the Holy Prophet (S). Because this definition of the Christ was categorically different than that of their belief about the Christ. According to these verses of the Holy Quran, Christ was not the son of God, rather he was a Prophet like Adam and like Adam created from dust.
Unfortunately as mentioned, the obstinate Christians of Najran didn’t want to believe in Islam and the prophecy or the divine mission of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (S) that’s why the Prophet (S) challenged them reciting this verse of the Holy Quran that says:
“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 ourselves and yourselves, then let us be earnest in prayer, and invoke the curse of Allah on the liars.” [5]
When the Holy Prophet (S) declared the challenge of Mobahila, which means cursing each other, the Christians ultimately announced their acceptance of the challenge. But when the Holy Prophet emerged at the appointed time and place, along with his daughter (Lady Fatimah), Imam Hassan, Imam Hussein and their father Imam Ali (peace be upon them); the Christians became 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!"
Finally they accept to sign a peace treaty with the Holy Prophet (S) 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. Thereupon the Holy Prophet reiterated, "By God! Had the Christians of Najran contested with us, they would have been transformed into monkeys and swans. Fire would have rained over them from the sky and they would have been doomed." [6]
Notes:
[1] Sura Al-Ma'idah, verse 67.
[2] Surah Aali Imran, 6.
[3] Sura (Al-e-Imraan), 59-60.
[4] Sura (Al-e-Imraan), 59-60.
[5] Sura (Al-e-Imraan), 61.
[6] The event of mobahala is narrated by different Sunni and Shiite narrators as following: Sahih Muslim, volume 4, p 120; Sunan-e-Termezi vol 4, p 293; Musnad-e- Ahmad, vol 1, p 185, Almustadrak Nishaburi, vol 3, p 150.