The Najran Pact,

Mobaahelah (Mubahilah)

Part 11

Another related issue which is very important to keep in mind is that while history has reported that Ka’bah was repaired a few times- such as by Qusay the Prophet’s forefather in the 5^th century C.E., as we previously mentioned in part 3 of this writing-, Ka’bah undoubtedly was the very first symbol of monotheism which, by the Command of Allah, was originally built by the Prophet Adam (SBUH),and later rebuilt by Prophets Ibrahim and Ismael (SBUT); i.e. the Divine significance of the Ka’bah did not originate with the Prophet Mohammad (SBUH&HA):

Qur’an 3:96 Most surely the first House appointed for men is the one at Bakkah [another name for Makkah (Mecca)], blessed and a guidance for the worlds.

Qur’an 2:127 And when Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundations of the House: Our Lord! Accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing.

Even though by placing idols in and around Ka’bah, the Ka’bah was many times misuse by the ignorant polytheists, idol worshippers, bani Umayya  and …, but the jewish, christian and … learned ones in the area were quite aware of the Divine significance of the structure, and in addition greedily they envied its economic centrality, due to  traveling of pilgrims to it and …, thus some times they called their religious buildings as Ka’bah (Ka'aba, Kaaba, …), hoping to usurp the Divine status of and thus to weaken the significance of the one and only original Ka’bah in Mecca, and to also attract its economic position.

We already saw that Abraha was aware of Ka’bah, perhaps even before Umayya’s instigation to attack it, and according to christian documents it is obvious that the Najranites were also aware before the advent of Islam:

“… The Church of Najran was called the Ka'aba-e-Najran … The Ka'aba Najran at Jabal Taslal … during the pre-Islamic era … When Najran was occupied by Dhu Nuwas, the Ka'aba Najran was burned …” (again reminding that christian quotations are from the English Wikipedia unless otherwise specified)

Therefore this fact of copying the name of the Ka’bah کعبه in Mecca and naming their religious building as Ka’aba itself is another proof that the learned ones of the christian najranites, in spite of worshipping jesus as God, were quite aware of the Divine monotheistic significance of the original Ka’bah in Mecca, even before Prophet Muhammad (SBUH&HA) invited them back to the Right Path; also we need to keep in mind that undoubtedly their learned ones knew that the Prophet Mohammad (SBUH&HA) was the expected Last Prophet whom  Hadrat ‘Eesa- Eisa, Jesus, …- (SBUH) had given glad tidings about.

And it is more than obvious that not only the people of Najran before the Prophet Mohammad (SBUH&HA) but also their people at time of the Prophet (SBUH&HA) were not “believers” of the one and only Allah and they were not praised by Qur’an, as the christians have claimed.

In our step by step quest of the truth regarding the issue of Mubahilah, we are now going to look at the next untruthful and unbelievable christian claim, which actually psychologically relies upon their first claim. I.e. firstly- while honoring two of the Qur’an-Cursed “enemies” of God as “heroes” of the so called “BELIEVERS” of Najran- they have untruthfully have claimed that the “BELIEVERS” of Najran have been praised in the Majestic Qur’an, and secondly, they have again untruthfully claimed that the Prophet Mohammad (SBUH&HA) therefore honored the Najranite christians and … let us now look at this second claim. This is what the christians claim:

“In the tenth year of the Hijrah, a delegation of fourteen Christian Chiefs from Najran; among them Abdul Masih of Bani Kinda, their chief, and Abdul Harith, bishop of Bani Harith, came to Medina to make a treaty with the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and were permitted by him to pray in his mosque, which they did turning towards the east.” (Frankfurter, David (1998). Pilgrimage and holy space in late antique Egypt, as cited in the English Wikipedia.)

It is noteworthy to remind that all the mentioned christian statements in this writing which are cited from the English Wikipedia, are actually from such christian sources which the readers can easily refer to.

So, the Christians do acknowledge that a delegation from Najran went to visit the Prophet Mohammad (SBUH&HA) in Medina. But as for the details of this visit, Enshaa’Allah we are going to look at the details of this visit using the Majestic Qur’an and the authentic Shi’ah Hadiths shortly.

But let us firstly have a brief look at the second thing stated in the above quotation by christians, and that is the point that they were allowed to pray in the Mosque of the Prophet their own way facing east. Let us not forget that this would mean they prayed to jesus as God while turning to east. As for why toward east, some christians say that the east is the direction for the second coming of God jesus. For facts in regard to who shall come from east, we invite our friends to read the article “Two Messiahs” in this site: kindfather.com

Some sunni tafsirs have mentioned the praying of Najran christians towards east, for instance:

“When it was time for their prayers, they stood up and worshiped towards east. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Do not touch them.” ….” (Al Jamiu li Ahkam al Quran, [the sunni] imam Qurtubi)

And as for Shia documents, as cited in Hayat Al-Qulub of Allamah Muhammad Baqir Al-Majlisi, vol 2, Ali bin Ibrahim (in regard to Qur’an 3:59 to 61) has narrated through a good chain of narrators, from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (SBUH, AS) that he said:

When the Christians of Najran came to the Master of the Prophets, the Messenger of Allah (SAWA), under the leadership of Ahtam, Aqib and Sayyid, and when it was time for their worship, they began to blow the bugle. Companions said, “O Allah’s Messenger, do you see how they are blowing the bugle and praying like the Fire-worshippers?” The Holy Prophet (SAWA) said, “Do not object to them, so that they may see my method and that the Proof of Allah is completed for them.” …

In other words the christians were allowed by the Prophet (SAWA) to pray their way, not because it was approved by the Prophet (SAWA) rather because Hadrat Mohammad (SAWA) wished to complete the Proof of Allah for them by presenting them the Truth and the correct worship so that afterwards they would not have any excuse not to follow the Truth.

Now let us see whether the christians have mentioned the event of Mobaahelah (Mubahilah):

“Later, they [the Najran delegation] undertook a religious discussion with the prophet, which was inconclusive …”

So the christians do acknowledge that a religious discussion occurred between the Najranites and the Prophet Mohammad (SBUH&HA). The religious discussion which its first stage was briefly mentioned in part 1 of this writing indicating clearly that the belief of the Najranites were not approved by Qur’an and the Prophet (SBUH&HA, SAWA), and the second stage of this religious discussion is known to Muslims- based on Qur’an- as the Mobaahelah (Mubahilah), meaning mutual Imprecation.

To be continued …