Transliteration:( Faman haaajjaka feehi mim ba'di maa jaaa'aka minal 'ilmi faqul ta'aalaw nad'u abnaaa'anaa wa abnaaa'akum wa nisaaa'anaa wa nisaaa'akum wa anfusanaa wa anfusakum summa nabtahil fanaj'al la'natal laahi 'alal kaazibeen )
"So, whoever disputes with you in this matter (about Isa) after the knowledge has come to you, say: 'Come, let us bring our sons and your sons, our women, and your women [131], and ourselves and yourselves [132], then let us earnestly supplicate [133], and invoke the curse [134] of Allah upon the liars.'"
During the event of Mubahala with the Christians of Najran, the Prophet ﷺ took:
Hasan and Husain (RA) as “our sons”,
Sayyidah Fatimah (RA) as “our women”,
Hazrat Ali (RA) as “ourselves”, due to his close familial bond.
This proves:
It is permissible to refer to grandchildren as sons, and daughter as 'our women',
The exalted status of the Ahl-e-Bayt, as the Prophet ﷺ selected them specifically for such a momentous spiritual confrontation.
As per some reports (e.g. in Ruhul Ma’ani), the Prophet also included the first three Khulafa (RA) and their children, affirming respect for all righteous companions.
The term "ourselves" refers to making oneself fully available, as in:
“Then his soul induced him to kill his brother…” (Surah 5:30)
This signifies total commitment to truth, to the extent of putting oneself on the line in a spiritual challenge.
Two points emerge:
Mubahala (mutual invocation of curse) holds greater weight than debate, as it involves invoking Allah’s wrath upon liars.
It must be conducted only on matters of established truth, not on speculative or disputed interpretations.
A true scholar ('Alim') may engage in Mubahala with even a lesser-learned opponent if the latter is spreading falsehood or misguidance.
The Prophet ﷺ, despite his unmatched knowledge, entered Mubahala with the priests of Najran, showing that truth must be defended regardless of status.
The term “liars” here refers to those holding false beliefs (i.e. disbelievers in the truth of Isa's real status).
Important rules:
Cursing means being removed from Allah’s mercy,
One may curse wrong deeds, but not individuals by name, unless it’s confirmed apostasy,
Avoid cursing unknown sinners or deceased non-believers unless verified.
The tafsir of Surah Imran verse 61 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Imran ayat 59 which provides the complete commentary from verse 59 through 63.
(3:61) Tell whoever disputes with you on this matter after true knowledge has come to you: ‘Come! Let us summon our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, and then let us pray together and invoke the curse of Allah on those who lie.’[55]
55. The real aim in suggesting this procedure for deciding the dispute was to prove that the attitude of those amongst the delegation of Najran was one of deliberate stubbornness and intransigence. They had no sound arguments to contradict any of the points mentioned above, and they could not find any shred of evidence in their own scriptures upon which they could claim, with firm conviction, that their beliefs were true. Moreover, all that the members of the deputation had come to know of the character, teachings and achievements of the Prophet had made them more or less convinced of his prophethood, and at least caused their disbelief to waver. When they were told that if they had full confidence in the truth of their beliefs they should come forward and pray to God that His curse should fall on the deniers of the truth, none of them came forward. It thus became clear all over Arabia that the priests and leaders of Christianity in Najran, whose holiness was celebrated far and wide, followed beliefs, the truth of which, they themselves were not fully confident in.
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