Al-Mubahala Verse: Difference between revisions

'''Al-Mubāhala verse''' (Arabic: {{iarabic|آية المباهلة}}) is [[verse]] 61 of [[Sura Al 'Imran]] which is about the [[Prophet (s)|Prophet's (s)]] encounter with Christians of [[Najran]]. Shi'ite and some Sunni exegetes have considered this verse as a merit for [[Ashab al-Kisa']] especially [[Imam 'Ali (a)]]. Imam Ali (a) has been introduced as the soul of the Prophet (s). [[Imam al-Rida (a)]] has considered this verse as the greatest merit for Imam Ali (a) in the [[Holy Qur'an]].

|{{center|{{iarabic|'''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'''}}}}

Should anyone argue with you concerning him (Jesus), after the knowledge that has come to you, say, 'Come! Let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, our souls and your souls, then let us pray earnestly and call down Allah's curse upon the liars.'

|author = Quran

|source = 3:61

[[Shi'a]] and [[Sunni]] commentators believe that this verse is about the debate between the [[Prophet (s)]] and the Christians of [[Najran]] in which they insisted on their idea that [[Jesus]] is one of the three personifications of God and that they did not accept the [[revelation]] of the [[Qur'an]] which referred to Jesus as merely a pious servant and a [[messenger of God]]. Once they rejected the arguments proposed by the Holy Prophet (s), he invited them to attend [[Mubahala]] (a mutual curse).<ref>''Qurʾān'', Translated by Khurramshāhī, under al-Mubāhala 'verse, p. 57.</ref>

Sunni commentators such as [[al-Zamakhshari]]<ref>Zamakhsharī, ''Tafsīr al-kashshāf'', under 3:61 'verse.</ref>, [[Fakhr al-Din al-Razi]]<ref>Fakhr al-Rāzī, ''al-Tafsīr al-kabīr'', under 3:61 'verse.</ref>, [[al-Baydawi]]<ref>Bayḍāwī, ''Tafsīr anwār al-tanzīl wa asrār al-taʾwīl'', under 3:61 'verse.</ref>, etc. have said that "Abna'ana" ["our sons"] in the verse refers to [[al-Hasan (a)]] and [[al-Husayn (a)]], "Nisa'ana" ["our women"] refers to [[Fatima al-Zahra (a)]] and "Anfusana" ["our souls"] refers to [[Imam 'Ali (a)]], i.e. the four people who accompanied the Prophet (s) form the five [[Ashab al-Kisa']].

When the Bara'a verses addressing the polytheists of Mecca were revealed, Holy Prophet (s) initially appointed [[Abu Bakr]] to proclaim these verses to the polytheists of Mecca. However, [[Gabriel]] brought a message from God to the Prophet (s) that: these verses should be proclaimed either by you or someone who belongs to you.<ref>Ibn Ḥanbal, ''al-Mawsūʿa al-ḥadītha Musnad Ḥanbal'', vol. 2, p. 427.</ref> Therefore, the Prophet (s) appointed Imam 'Ali (a) who was introduced as the soul of the Prophet (s) in al-Mubahala Verse to proclaim these verses.<ref>Wāqidī, ''al-Maghāzī'', vol.3, p. 1077; Mufīd, ''al-Irshād'', p. 33.</ref>