The historic event of Mubahela, the Great Victory of Islam

Compiled By: Syed Ali Shahbaz
On 24th of the Islamic month of Zil-Hijjah in 9 AH, the historic event of Mubahela took place in Medina between a delegation of the Christian Arabs of Najran and Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). Mobahela means a challenge to invoke divine wrath on the liars, as is evident by ayah 61 of Surah Aal-e Imran of the holy Qur'an.
It happened that after three days of dialogue when the Christians stuck to their weird belief on the divinity of Prophet Jesus (PBUH) despite the irrefutable proofs provided by the Prophet that the Almighty Creator is far too glorious to possess such human characteristics as the need to have a son or children, God commanded that the contending parties assemble at a place outside the city, along with their men, women, and children, for invoking malediction.
The next day, as the Prophet calmly but confidently came to the appointed place along with his daughter, Fatema Zahra (SA), son- in-law, Imam Ali (AS), and grandsons, Imam Hassan (AS) and Imam Husain (AS), the Christians were astonished to behold such enlightened visages which they had never seen before. They realized that the truth was with Islam and backed off from the challenge to invoke divine curse on the liars, since in the words of the chief bishop of Najran: “I see such virtuous faces that if they raise their hands to invoke divine wrath, mountains would move from their places, and the Christians would be wiped out.”
This is indeed a glorious event in not just the history of Islam that saw triumph in a peaceful parley, but is also a manifestation of the status of the Prophet's Ahl al-Bayt, for whom love, affection, respect, and obedience, is obligatory for all Muslims.
On 24th of the Islamic month of Zil-Hijjah in 9 AH, on the night preceding the historic Mobahela between the Christians and Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), Ayat at-Tat-heer or Verse of Purity was revealed vouching the spotlessly pure personalities of the Ahl al-Bayt, when Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) prayed to God Almighty after assembling under his cloak his daughter, Fatema Zahra (SA), her husband Imam Ali (AS) and their two sons, Imam Hasan (AS) and Imam Husain (AS).
This is ayah 33 of Surah al-Ahzaab which reads: “Allah desires to keep away uncleanness from you Ahl al-Bayt and preserve you spotlessly pure.” In a related development on this day in a different year, God revealed Ayahs 55 and 56 of Surah al-Ma’edah when the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (AS), while in genuflection during the ritual prayer, gave away the ring of his finger by pointing it towards the beggar who was pleading for alms in the mosque: “Your guardian is only Allah, His Prophet, and the truly faithful who maintain the prayer and give the zakāt while (bowed) in genuflection. “Whoever takes for his guardians Allah, His Prophet and the truly faithful [should know that] the Hizbullah (Party of Allah) are indeed the victorious.”
This ayah is yet another firm proof of God’s appointment of Imam Ali (AS) as the Prophet’s vicegerent that was formally proclaimed on 18th Zil-Hijja 10 AH at the historic assembly of Ghadeer-Khom on revelation of ayah 67 of Surah al-Ma’edah.