Tarikh (al-Tabari) 925
Some matters that occurred between the Messenger ﷺ and the Jews, Christians, and hypocrites in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah
وُفُودِ عُلَمَاءِ نَجْرَانَ إِلَيْهِ ﷺ وَشَهَادَتِهِمْ لَهُ بِأَنَّهُ النَّبِيُّ الَّذِي كَانُوا يَنْتَظِرُونَهُ وَامْتِنَاعِ مَنِ امْتَنَعَ عَنْ مُلَاعَنَتِهِ. رَوَى الْبَيْهَقِيُّ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ بَكِيرٍ [عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ يَسُوعَ ] عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ- قَالَ يُونُسُ وَكَانَ نَصْرَانِيًّا فَأَسْلَمَ- أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَتَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِ نَجْرَانَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ: طس [النَّمْلِ 1] إِنَّهُ مِنْ سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ [النَّمْلِ 30]، يَعْنِي النَّمْلَ، «بِسْمِ إِلَهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِلَى أُسْقُفِّ نَجْرَانَ وَأَهْلِ نَجْرَانَ إِنْ أَسْلَمْتُمْ فَإِنِّي أَحْمَدُ إِلَيْكُمْ إِلَهَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى عِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعِبَادِ، وَأَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى وِلَايَةِ اللَّهِ مِنْ وِلَايَةِ الْعِبَادِ، فَإِنْ أَبَيْتُمْ فَالْجِزْيَةُ، فَإِنْ أَبَيْتُمْ فَقَدَ آذَنْتُكُمْ بِحَرْبٍ وَالسَّلَامُ». فَلَمَّا أَتَى الْأُسْقُفَ الْكِتَابُ وَقَرَأَهُ قَطَعَ بِهِ وَذُعْرًا شَدِيدًا، فَبَعَثَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ نَجْرَانَ يُقَالُ لَهُ شُرَحْبِيلُ بْنُ وَدَاعَةَ، وَكَانَ مِنْ هَمْدَانَ. وَلَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ يُدْعَى إِذَا نَزَلَتْ مُعْضِلَةٌ إِلَّا الْأَيْهَمُ وَهُوَ السَّيِّدُ وَالْعَاقِبُ. فَدَفَعَ الْأُسْقُفُّ كِتَابَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى شُرَحْبِيلَ وَقَرَأَهُ، فَقَالَ الْأُسْقُفُ: يَا أَبَا مَرْيَمَ، مَا رَأْيُكَ ؟ فَقَالَ شُرَحْبِيلُ: قَدْ عَلِمَتُ مَا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي ذُرِّيَّةِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ مِنَ النُّبُوَّةِ فَمَا تُؤْمِنُ أَنْ يَكُونَ هَذَا هُوَ ذَاكَ الرَّجُلُ، لَيْسَ لِي فِي النُّبُوَّةِ رَأْيٌ، وَلَوْ كَانَ أَمْرًا مِنْ أُمُورِ الدُّنْيَا لَأَشَرْتُ عَلَيْكَ فِيهِ بِرَأْيٍ وَجَهَدْتُ لَكَ. فَقَالَ لَهُ الْأُسْقُفُ: تَنَحَّ فَاجْلِسْ نَاحِيَةً. فَتَنَحَّى شُرَحْبِيلُ فَجَلَسَ نَاحِيَةً. فَبَعَثَ الْأُسْقُفُ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ نَجْرَانَ يُقَالُ لَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ شُرَحْبِيلَ وَهُوَ مِنْ ذِي أَصْبَحَ مِنْ حِمْيَرَ، فَأَقْرَأَهُ الْكِتَابَ وَسَأَلَهُ مَا الرَّأْيُ ؟ فَقَالَ نَحْوًا مِنْ قَوْلِ شُرَحْبِيلَ بْنِ وَدَاعَةَ. فَقَالَ لَهُ الْأُسْقُفُ: تَنَحَّ فَاجْلِسْ، فَتَنَحَّى فَجَلَسَ نَاحِيَةً. ثُمَّ بَعَثَ الْأُسْقُفُ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ نَجْرَانَ يُدْعَى جَبَّارَ بْنَ فَيْضٍ مِنْ بَنِي الْحَارِثِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ أَحَدِ بَنِي الْحِمَاسِ، فَأَقْرَأَهُ الْكِتَابَ وَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الرَّأْيِ فِيهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ قَوْلِ شُرَحْبِيلَ بْنِ وَدَاعَةَ، وَعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شُرَحْبِيلَ، فَأَمَرَهُ الْأُسْقُفُ فَجَلَسَ نَاحِيَةً. فَلَمَّا اجْتَمَعَ الرَّأْيُ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْمَقَالَةِ جَمِيعًا أَمَرَ الْأُسْقُفُ بِالنَّاقُوسِ فَضُرِبَ بِهِ، وَرُفِعَتِ النِّيرَانُ السُّرُجُ فِي الصَّوَامِعِ وَكَذَلِكَ كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ إِذَا فَزِعُوا نَهَارًا فَإِنْ فَزِعُوا بِاللَّيْلِ ضَرَبُوا بِالنَّاقُوسِ وَرَفَعُوا النِّيرَانَ فِي الصَّوَامِعِ. فَاجْتَمَعَ حِينَ ضُرِبَ بِالنَّاقُوسِ وَرُفِعَتِ السُّرُجُ أَهْلُ الْوَادِي أَمْلَاهُ وَأَسْفَلَهُ، وَطُولُ الْوَادِي مَسِيرَةُ يَوْمٍ لِلرَّاكِبِ السَّرِيعِ، وَفِيهِ ثَلَاثٌ وَسَبْعُونَ قَرْيَةً، وَمِائَةُ أَلْفِ مُقَاتِلٍ، فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأُسْقُفُ كِتَابَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَسَأَلَهُمْ عَنِ الرَّأْيِ فِيهِ. فَاجْتَمَعَ رَأْيُ أَهْلِ الرَّأْيِ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى أَنْ يَبْعَثُوا شُرَحْبِيلَ بْنَ وَدَاعَةَ الْهَمْدَانِيَّ، وَعَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ شُرَحْبِيلَ الْأَصْبَحِيَّ، وَجَبَّارَ بْنَ فَيْضٍ الْحَارِثِيَّ فَيَأْتُوهُمْ بِخَبَرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ. وقَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَقَدِمَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَفْدُ نَصَارَى نَجْرَانَ، سِتُّونَ رَاكِبًا، فِيهِمْ أَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَشْرَافِهِمْ، فِي الْأَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ مِنْهُمْ ثَلَاثَةُ نَفَرٍ إلَيْهِمْ يَئُولُ أَمْرُهُمْ: الْعَاقِبُ، أَمِيرُ الْقَوْمِ وَذُو رَأْيِهِمْ، وَصَاحِبُ مَشُورَتِهِمْ، وَاَلَّذِي لَا يُصْدِرُونَ إلَّا عَنْ رَأْيِهِ، وَاسْمُهُ عَبْدُ الْمَسِيحِ، وَالسَّيِّدُ، لَهُمْ ثِمَالُهُمْ، وَصَاحِبُ رَحْلِهِمْ وَمُجْتَمَعِهِمْ، وَاسْمُهُ الْأَيْهَمُ، وَأَبُو حَارِثَةَ بْنُ عَلْقَمَةَ، أَحَدُ بَنِي بَكْرِ بْنِ وَائِلٍ، أَسْقُفُهُمْ وَحَبْرُهُمْ وَإِمَامُهُمْ، وَصَاحِبُ مِدْرَاسِهِمْ. [ مَنْزِلَةُ أَبِي حَارِثَةَ عِنْدَ مُلُوكِ الرُّومِ ] وَكَانَ أَبُو حَارِثَةَ قَدْ شَرُفَ فِيهِمْ، وَدَرَسَ كُتُبَهُمْ، حَتَّى حَسُنَ عِلْمُهُ فِي دِينِهِمْ، فَكَانَتْ مُلُوكُ الرُّومِ مِنْ النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ قَدْ شَرَّفُوهُ وَمَوَّلُوهُ وَأَخْدَمُوهُ، وَبَنَوْا لَهُ الْكَنَائِسَ، وَبَسَطُوا عَلَيْهِ الْكَرَامَاتِ، لِمَا يَبْلُغُهُمْ عَنْهُ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ وَاجْتِهَادِهِ فِي دِينِهِمْ. [ سَبَبُ إسْلَامِ كُوزِ بْنِ عَلْقَمَةَ ] فَلَمَّا رَجَعُوا إلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ نَجْرَانَ، جَلَسَ أَبُو حَارِثَةَ عَلَى بَغْلَةٍ لَهُ مُوَجِّهًا ( إلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ )، وَإِلَى جَنْبِهِ أَخٌ لَهُ، يُقَالُ لَهُ: كُوزُ بْنُ عَلْقَمَةَ - قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَيُقَالُ: كُرْزٌ - فَعَثَرَتْ بَغْلَةُ أَبِي حَارِثَةَ، فَقَالَ كُوزٌ: تَعِسَ الْأَبْعَدُ: يُرِيدُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ: فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو حَارِثَةَ: بَلْ أَنْتَ تَعِسْتَ فَقَالَ: وَلِمَ يَا أَخِي ؟ قَالَ: وَاَللَّهِ إنَّهُ لَلنَّبِيُّ الَّذِي كُنَّا نَنْتَظِرُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ كُوزٌ: مَا يَمْنَعُكَ مِنْهُ وَأَنْتَ تَعْلَمُ هَذَا ؟ قَالَ: مَا صَنَعَ بِنَا هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمُ، شَرَّفُونَا وَمَوَّلُونَا وَأَكْرَمُونَا، وَقَدْ أَبَوْا إلَّا خِلَافَهُ، فَلَوْ فَعَلْتُ نَزَعُوا مِنَّا كُلَّ مَا تَرَى. فَأَضْمَرَ عَلَيْهَا مِنْهُ أَخُوهُ كُوزُ بْنُ عَلْقَمَةَ، حَتَّى أَسْلَمَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ. فَهُوَ كَانَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْهُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ فِيمَا بَلَغَنِي. [ رُؤَسَاءُ نَجْرَانَ وَإِسْلَامُ أَحَدِهِمْ ] قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: وَبَلَغَنِي أَنَّ رُؤَسَاءَ نَجْرَانَ كَانُوا يَتَوَارَثُونَ كُتُبًا عِنْدَهُمْ. فَكُلَّمَا مَاتَ رَئِيسٌ مِنْهُمْ فَأَفْضَتْ الرِّيَاسَةُ إلَى غَيْرِهِ، خَتَمَ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْكُتُبِ خَاتَمًا مَعَ الْخَوَاتِمِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ قَبْلَهُ وَلَمْ يَكْسِرْهَا، فَخَرَجَ الرَّئِيسُ الَّذِي كَانَ عَلَى عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ يَمْشِي فَعَثَرَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُهُ: تَعِسَ الْأَبْعَدُ يُرِيدُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ، فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُوهُ: لَا تَفْعَلْ، فَإِنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ، وَاسْمُهُ فِي الْوَضَائِعِ، يَعْنِي الْكُتُبَ فَلَمَّا مَاتَ لَمْ تَكُنْ لِابْنِهِ هِمَّةٌ إلَّا أَنْ شَدَّ فَكَسَرَ الْخَوَاتِمَ، فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا ذِكْرَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ، فَأَسْلَمَ فَحَسُنَ إسْلَامُهُ وَحَجَّ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقُولُ: : إلَيْكَ تَعْدُو قَلِقًا وَضِينُهَا مُعْتَرِضًا فِي بَطْنِهَا جَنِينُهَا مُخَالِفًا دِينَ النَّصَارَى دِينُهَا قَالَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ: الْوَضِينُ: الْحِزَامُ، حِزَامُ النَّاقَةِ. وَقَالَ هِشَامُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ: وَزَادَ فِيهِ أَهْلُ الْعِرَاقِ: الْعِرَاقُ: مُعْتَرِضًا فِي بَطْنِهَا جَنِينُهَا فَأَمَّا أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ فَأَنْشَدْنَاهُ فِيهِ. [ صَلَاتُهُمْ إِلَى الْمَشْرِقِ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، قَالَ: لَمَّا قَدِمُوا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ، فَدَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ مَسْجِدَهُ حَيْنَ صَلَّى الْعَصْرَ، عَلَيْهِمْ ثِيَابُ الْحِبَرَاتِ، جُبَبٌ وَأَرْدِيَةٌ، فِي جَمَالِ رِجَالِ بَنِي الْحَارِثِ بْنِ كَعْبِ. قَالَ: يَقُولُ بَعْضُ مَنْ رَآهُمْ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ يَوْمئِذٍ: مَا رَأَيْنَا وَفْدًا مِثْلَهُمْ، وَقَدْ حَانَتْ صَلَاتُهُمْ، فَقَامُوا فِي مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلُّونَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: دَعُوهُمْ، فَصَلَّوْا إلَى الْمَشْرِقِ. [ أَسْمَاءُ الْوَفْدِ وَمُعْتَقَدِهِمْ، وَمُنَاقَشَتِهِمْ الرَّسُولَ ﷺ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: فَكَانَتْ تَسْمِيَةُ الْأَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ، الَّذِينَ يَئُولُ إلَيْهِمْ أَمْرُهُمْ: الْعَاقِبُ، وَهُوَ عَبْدُ الْمَسِيحِ، وَالسَّيِّدُ وَهُوَ الْأَيْهَمُ، وَأَبُو حَارِثَةَ بْنُ عَلْقَمَةَ أَخُو بَنِي بَكْرِ بْنِ وَائِلٍ، وَأَوْسٌ، وَالْحَارِثُ، وَزَيْدٌ، وَقَيْسٌ، وَيَزِيدُ، وَنَبِيُّهُ، وَخُوَيْلِدٌ، وَعَمْرو، وَخَالِدٌ، وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ، وَيُحَنَّسُ، فِي سِتِّينَ رَاكِبًا. فَكَلَّمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْهُمْ أَبُو حَارِثَةَ بْنُ عَلْقَمَةَ، وَالْعَاقِبُ عَبْدُ الْمَسِيحِ، وَالْأَيْهَمُ السَّيِّدُ - وَهُمْ مِنْ النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ عَلَى دِينِ الْمَلِكِ، مَعَ اخْتِلَافِ مَنْ أَمَرَهُمْ، يَقُولُونَ: هُوَ اللَّهُ، وَيَقُولُونَ: هُوَ وَلَدُ اللَّهِ، وَيَقُولُونَ: هُوَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍ. وَكَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ. فَهُمْ يَحْتَجُّونَ فِي قَوْلِهِمْ: هُوَ اللَّهُ بِأَنَّهُ كَانَ يُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى، وَيُبْرِئُ الْأَسْقَامَ. وَيُخْبِرُ بِالْغُيُوبِ، وَيَخْلُقُ مِنْ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ، ثُمَّ يَنْفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَائِرًا، وَذَلِكَ كُلُّهُ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى: وَلِنَجْعَلَهُ آيَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَيَحْتَجُّونَ فِي قَوْلِهِمْ: إنَّهُ وَلَدُ ( اللَّهِ ) بِأَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ أَبٌ يُعْلَمُ، وَقَدْ تَكَلَّمَ فِي الْمَهْدِ، وَهَذَا لَمْ يَصْنَعْهُ أَحَدٌ مِنْ وَلَدِ آدَمَ قَبْلَهُ. وَيَحْتَجُّونَ فِي قَوْلِهِمْ: إنَّهُ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍ بِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ: فَعَلْنَا، وَأَمَرْنَا، وَخَلَقْنَا، وَقَضَيْنَا. فَيَقُولُونَ: لَوْ كَانَ وَاحِدًا مَا قَالَ إلَّا فَعَلْتُ، وَقَضَيْتُ، وَأَمَرْتُ، وَخَلَقْتُ؛ وَلَكِنَّهُ هُوَ وَعِيسَى وَمَرْيَمُ. فَفِي كُلِّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِمْ قَدْ نَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ - فَلَمَّا كَلَّمَهُ الْحَبْرَانِ، قَالَ لَهُمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: أَسْلِمَا؛ قَالَا: قَدْ أَسْلَمْنَا؛ قَالَ: إنَّكُمَا لَمْ تُسْلِمَا ( فَأَسْلِمَا )؛ قَالَا: بَلَى، قَدْ أَسْلَمْنَا قَبْلَكَ: قَالَ: كَذَبْتُمَا، يَمْنَعُكُمَا مِنْ الْإِسْلَامِ دُعَاؤُكُمَا لِلَّهِ وَلَدًا، وَعِبَادَتُكُمَا الصَّلِيبَ، وَأَكْلُكُمَا الْخِنْزِيرَ؛ قَالَا: فَمَنْ أَبُوهُ يَا مُحَمَّدُ ؟ فَصَمَتَ عَنْهُمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُمَا. [ مَا نَزَلَ مِنْ آلِ عِمْرَانَ فِيهِمْ ] فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي ذَلِكَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِمْ، وَاخْتِلَافِ أَمْرِهِمْ كُلِّهِ، صَدْرَ سُورَةِ آلِ عِمْرَانَ إلَى بِضْعٍ وَثَمَانِينَ آيَةً مِنْهَا، فَقَالَ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ: الم اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ فَافْتَتَحَ السُّورَةَ بِتَنْزِيهِ نَفْسِهِ عَمَّا قَالُوا، وَتَوْحِيدِهِ إيَّاهَا بِالْخَلْقِ وَالْأَمْرِ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ فِيهِ، رَدًّا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا ابْتَدَعُوا مِنْ الْكُفْرِ، وَجَعَلُوا مَعَهُ مِنْ الْأَنْدَادِ، وَاحْتِجَاجًا بِقَوْلِهِمْ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي صَاحِبِهِمْ، لِيُعَرِّفَهُمْ بِذَلِكَ ضَلَالَتَهُمْ؛ فَقَالَ: الم اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ لَيْسَ مَعَهُ غَيْرُهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي أَمْرِهِ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ الْحَيُّ الَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُ، وَقَدْ مَاتَ عِيسَى وَصُلِبَ فِي قَوْلِهِمْ. وَالْقَيُّومُ: الْقَائِمُ عَلَى مَكَانِهِ مِنْ سُلْطَانِهِ فِي خَلْقِهِ لَا يَزُولُ، وَقَدْ زَالَ عِيسَى فِي قَوْلِهِمْ عَنْ مَكَانِهِ الَّذِي كَانَ بِهِ، وَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ إلَى غَيْرِهِ. نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ أَيْ بِالصَّدْقِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ وَأَنْزَلَ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنْجِيلَ التَّوْرَاةُ عَلَى مُوسَى، وَالْإِنْجِيلُ عَلَى عِيسَى، كَمَا أَنْزَلَ الْكُتُبَ عَلَى مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ وَأَنْزَلَ الْفُرْقَانَ أَيْ الْفَصْلَ بَيْنَ الْحَقِّ وَالْبَاطِلِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ الْأَحْزَابُ مِنْ أَمْرِ عِيسَى وَغَيْرِهِ. إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انْتِقَامٍ أَيْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ مُنْتَقِمٌ مِمَّنْ كَفَرَ بِآيَاتِهِ، بَعْدَ عِلْمِهِ بِهَا، وَمَعْرِفَتِهِ بِمَا جَاءَ مِنْهُ فِيهَا. إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ أَيْ قَدْ عَلِمَ مَا يُرِيدُونَ وَمَا يَكِيدُونَ وَمَا يُضَاهُونَ بِقَوْلِهِمْ فِي عِيسَى، إذْ جَعَلُوهُ إلَهًا وَرَبًّا، وَعِنْدَهُمْ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ غَيْرُ ذَلِكَ، غِرَّةً بِاَللَّهِ، وَكُفْرًا بِهِ. هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَوِّرُكُمْ فِي الْأَرْحَامِ كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ أَيْ قَدْ كَانَ عِيسَى مِمَّنْ صُوِّرَ فِي الْأَرْحَامِ، لَا يَدْفَعُونَ ذَلِكَ وَلَا يُنْكِرُونَهُ، كَمَا صُوِّرَ غَيْرُهُ مِنْ وَلَدِ آدَمَ، فَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ إلَهًا وَقَدْ كَانَ بِذَلِكَ الْمَنْزِلِ. ثُمَّ قَالَ تَعَالَى إنْزَاهًا لِنَفْسِهِ، وَتَوْحِيدًا لَهَا مِمَّا جَعَلُوا مَعَهُ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَزِيزُ فِي انْتِصَارِهِ مِمَّنْ كَفَرَ بِهِ إذَا شَاءَ الْحَكِيمُ فِي حُجَّتِهِ وَعُذْرِهِ إلَى عِبَادِهِ. هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ فِيهِنَّ حُجَّةُ الرَّبِّ، وَعِصْمَةُ الْعِبَادِ، وَدَفْعُ الْخُصُومِ وَالْبَاطِلِ، لَيْسَ لَهُنَّ تَصْرِيفٌ وَلَا تَحْرِيفٌ عَمَّا وُضِعْنَ عَلَيْهِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ لَهُنَّ تَصْرِيفٌ وَتَأْوِيلٌ، ابْتَلَى اللَّهُ فِيهِنَّ الْعِبَادَ، كَمَا ابْتَلَاهُمْ فِي الْحَلَالِ وَالْحَرَامِ، أَلَّا يُصْرَفْنَ إلَى الْبَاطِلِ، وَلَا يُحَرَّفْنَ عَنْ الْحَقِّ. يَقُولُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ أَيْ مَيْلٌ عَنْ الْهُدَى فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ أَيْ مَا تَصَرَّفَ مِنْهُ، لِيُصَدِّقُوا بِهِ مَا ابْتَدَعُوا وَأَحْدَثُوا، لِتَكُونَ لَهُمْ حُجَّةٌ، وَلَهُمْ عَلَى مَا قَالُوا شُبْهَةَ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ أَيْ اللَّبْسِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ ذَلِكَ عَلَى مَا رَكِبُوا مِنْ الضَّلَالَةِ فِي قَوْلِهِمْ: خَلَقْنَا وَقَضَيْنَا. يَقُولُ: وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ أَيْ الَّذِي بِهِ أَرَادُوا مَا أَرَادُوا إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنَا فَكَيْفَ يَخْتَلِفُ وَهُوَ قَوْلٌ وَاحِدٌ، مِنْ رَبٍّ وَاحِدٍ. ثُمَّ رَدُّوا تَأْوِيلَ الْمُتَشَابِهِ عَلَى مَا عَرَفُوا مِنْ تَأْوِيلِ الْمُحَكِّمَةِ الَّتِي لَا تَأْوِيلَ لِأَحَدٍ فِيهَا إلَّا تَأْوِيلٌ وَاحِدٌ، وَاتَّسَقَ بِقَوْلِهِمْ الْكِتَابُ، وَصَدَّقَ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضًا، فَنَفَذَتْ بِهِ الْحُجَّةُ، وَظَهَرَ بِهِ الْعُذْرُ، وَزَاحَ بِهِ الْبَاطِلَ، وَدَمَغَ بِهِ الْكُفْرَ. يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا: وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا إلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ. رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا أَيْ لَا تُمِلْ قُلُوبَنَا، وَإِنْ مِلْنَا بِأَحْدَاثِنَا. وَهَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ ثُمَّ قَالَ: شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَأُولُو الْعِلْمِ بِخِلَافِ مَا قَالُوا قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ أَيْ بِالْعَدْلِ ( فِيمَا يُرِيدُ ) لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ أَيْ مَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِ يَا مُحَمَّدُ: التَّوْحِيدُ لِلرَّبِّ، وَالتَّصْدِيقُ لِلرُّسُلِ. وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ أَيْ الَّذِي جَاءَكَ، أَيْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ الْوَاحِدَ الَّذِي لَيْسَ لَهُ شَرِيكٌ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ فَإِنْ حَاجُّوكَ أَيْ بِمَا يَأْتُونَ بِهِ مِنْ الْبَاطِلِ مِنْ قَوْلِهِمْ: خَلَقْنَا وَفَعَلْنَا وَأَمَرْنَا، فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ شُبْهَةُ بَاطِلٍ قَدْ عَرَفُوا مَا فِيهَا مِنْ الْحَقِّ فَقُلْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّهِ أَيْ وَحْدَهُ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِ وَقُلْ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ وَالْأُمِّيِّينَ الَّذِينَ لَا كِتَابَ لَهُمْ أَأَسْلَمْتُمْ فَإِنْ أَسْلَمُوا فَقَدِ اهْتَدَوْا وَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ [ إبَاؤُهُمْ الْمُلَاعَنَةَ ] فَلَمَّا أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْخَبَرُ مِنْ اللَّهِ أَمْرَهُ أَنْ يَدْعُوَهُمْ إِلَى الْمُبَاهَلَةِ فِي قَوْلِهِ: فَمَنْ حَاجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَنِسَاءَنَا وَنِسَاءَكُمْ وَأَنْفُسَنَا وَأَنْفُسَكُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَلْ لَعْنَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكَاذِبِينَ [ آلِ عِمْرَانَ: 61 ] فخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَمَعَهُ عَلِيٌّ وَفَاطِمَةُ وَالْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ فَقَالُوا لَهُ: يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ، دَعْنَا نَنْظُرْ فِي أَمْرِنَا، ثُمَّ نَأْتِيكَ بِمَا نُرِيدُ أَنْ نَفْعَلَ فِيمَا دَعَوْتنَا إلَيْهِ. فَانْصَرَفُوا عَنْهُ، ثُمَّ خَلَوْا بِالْعَاقِبِ، وَكَانَ ذَا رَأْيِهِمْ، فَقَالُوا: يَا عَبْدَ الْمَسِيحِ، مَاذَا تَرَى ؟ فَقَالَ: وَاَللَّهِ يَا مَعْشَرَ النَّصَارَى لَقَدْ عَرَفْتُمْ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا لَنَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ، وَلَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بِالْفَصْلِ مِنْ خَبَرِ صَاحِبِكُمْ، وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ مَا لَاعَنَ قَوْمٌ نَبِيًّا قَطُّ فَبَقِيَ كَبِيرُهُمْ، وَلَا نَبَتَ صَغِيرُهُمْ، وَإِنَّهُ لَلِاسْتِئْصَالُ مِنْكُمْ إنْ فَعَلْتُمْ، فَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ قَدْ أَبَيْتُمْ إلَّا إلْفَ دِينِكُمْ، وَالْإِقَامَةَ عَلَى مَا أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ الْقَوْلِ فِي صَاحِبِكُمْ، فَوَادِعُوا الرَّجُلَ، ثُمَّ انْصَرِفُوا إلَى بِلَادِكُمْ. فَأَتَوْا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَقَالُوا: يَا أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ، قَدْ رَأَيْنَا أَلَّا نُلَاعِنَكَ، وَأَنْ نَتْرُكَكَ عَلَى دِينِكَ وَنَرْجِعَ عَلَى دِينِنَا، وَلَكِنْ ابْعَثْ مَعَنَا رَجُلًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِكَ تَرْضَاهُ لَنَا، يَحْكُمْ بَيْنَنَا فِي أَشْيَاءَ اخْتَلَفْنَا فِيهَا مِنْ أَمْوَالِنَا، فَإِنَّكُمْ عِنْدَنَا رِضًا. رَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَمْ يُلَاعِنْهُمْ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ كَتَبَ لَهُمْ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ: «بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ: هَذَا مَا كَتَبَ مُحَمَّدٌ النَّبِيُّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ لِأَهْلِ نَجْرَانَ - إِذَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِمْ حُكْمُهُ- فِي كُلِّ ثَمَرَةٍ وَفِي كُلٍّ صَفْرَاءُ وَبَيْضَاءُ وَرَقِيقٌ فَأَفْضَلَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَتُرِكَ ذَلِكَ كُلُّهُ [لَهُمْ] عَلَى أَلْفَيْ حُلَّةٍ مِنْ حُلَلِ الْأَوَاقِي فِي كُلِّ رَجَبٍ أَلْفُ حُلَّةٍ، وَفِي كُلِّ صَفَرٍ أَلْفُ حُلَّةٍ، مَعَ كُلِّ حُلَّةٍ أُوقِيَّةٌ مِنَ الْفِضَّةِ، فَمَا زَادَتْ عَلَى الْخَرَاجِ أَوْ نَقَصَتْ عَنِ الْأَوَاقِي فَبِالْحِسَابِ، وَمَا قَضَوْا مِنْ دُرُوعٍ أَوْ خَيْلٍ أَوْ رِكَابٍ أَوْ عُرُوضٍ أُخِذَ مِنْهُمْ بِالْحِسَابِ، وَعَلَى نَجْرَانَ مُؤْنَةُ رُسُلِي وَمُتْعَتُهُمْ مَا بَيْنَ عِشْرِينَ يَوْمًا فَمَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ، وَلَا تُحْبَسُ رُسُلِي فَوْقَ شَهْرٍ. وَعَلَيْهِمْ عَارِيَةٌ ثَلَاثِينَ دِرْعًا وَثَلَاثِينَ فَرَسًا وَثَلَاثِينَ بَعِيرًا إِذَا كَانَ كَيْدٌ وَمَعَرَّةٌ، وَمَا هَلَكَ مِمَّا أَعَارُوا رُسُلِي مِنْ دُرُوعٍ أَوْ خَيْلٍ أَوْ رِكَابٍ [أَوْ عُرُوضٍ] فَهُوَ ضَمِينٌ عَلَى رُسُلِي حَتَّى يُؤَدُّوهُ إِلَيْهِمْ. وَلِنَجْرَانَ وَحَاشِيَتِهَا جِوَارُ اللَّهِ وَذِمَّةُ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَمِلَّتِهِمْ وَأَرْضِهِمْ وَأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَغَائِبِهِمْ وَشَاهِدِهِمْ وَعَشِيرَتِهِمْ وَبَيْعِهِمْ [وَصَلَوَاتِهِمْ] [وَكُلِّ مَا تَحْتَ أَيْدِيهِمْ مِنْ قَلِيلٍ أَوْ كَثِيرٍ] وَأَلَّا يُغَيِّرُوا مِمَّا كَانُوا عَلَيْهِ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ مِنْ حُقُوقِهِمْ وَلَا مِلَّتِهِمْ، وَلَا يُغَيِّرُ أُسْقُفٌ عَنْ أُسْقُفِيَّتِهِ وَلَا رَاهِبٌ مِنْ رَهْبَانِيَّتِهِ، وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِمْ دَنِيَّةٌ وَلَا دَمُ جَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَلَا يُحْشَرُونَ وَلَا يُعْشَرُونَ وَلَا يَطَأُ أَرْضَهُمْ جَيْشٌ، وَمَنْ سَأَلَ مِنْهُمْ حَقًّا فَبَيْنَهُمُ النَّصَفُ غَيْرَ ظَالِمِينَ وَلَا مَظْلُومِينَ. [عَلَى أَلَّا يَأْكُلُوا الرِّبَا] فَمَنْ أَكَلَ الرِّبَا مِنْ ذِي قَبْلُ فَذِمَّتِي مِنْهُ بَرِيئَةٌ وَلَا يُؤْخَذُ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ بِظُلْمِ آخَرَ، وَعَلَى مَا فِي هَذِهِ الصَّحِيفَةِ جِوَارُ اللَّهِ وَذِمَّةُ النَّبِيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أَبَدًا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ مَا نَصَحُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا مَا عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرَ مُثْقَلِينَ بِظُلْمٍ». شَهِدَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَغَيْلَانُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، وَمَالِكُ بْنُ عَوْفٍ النَّصْرِيُّ، وَالْأَقْرَعُ بْنُ حَابِسٍ الْحَنْظَلِيُّ وَالْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ شُعْبَةَ. [ تَوْلِيَةُ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ أُمُورَهُمْ ] قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ: فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: ائْتُونِي الْعَشِيَّةَ أَبْعَثْ مَعَكُمْ الْقَوِيَّ الْأَمِينَ. قَالَ: فَكَانَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ يَقُولُ: مَا أَحْبَبْتُ الْإِمَارَةَ قَطُّ حُبِّي إيَّاهَا يَوْمئِذٍ، رَجَاءَ أَنْ أَكُونَ صَاحِبَهَا، فَرُحْتُ إلَى الظُّهْرِ مُهَجِّرًا، فَلَمَّا صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الظُّهْرَ سَلَّمَ، ثُمَّ نَظَرَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَعَنْ يَسَارِهِ، فَجَعَلْتُ أَتَطَاوَلُ لَهُ لِيَرَانِي، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَلْتَمِسُ بِبَصَرِهِ حَتَّى رَأَى أَبَا عُبَيْدَةَ بْنَ الْجَرَّاحِ، فَدَعَاهُ فَقَالَ: اُخْرُجْ مَعَهُمْ، فَاقْضِ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ. قَالَ عُمَرُ: فَذَهَبَ بِهَا أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ
Translation
✧ The delegations of the scholars of Najran to him ﷺ, their testimony to him that he is the Prophet whom they had been awaiting, and the refusal of those who declined his mutual cursing. Al-Bayhaqi narrated from Yunus b. Bukayr [from Salama b. Yasuʿ] from his father from his grandfather—Yunus said he was a Christian then embraced Islam—that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wrote to the people of Najran before (the verse) was revealed to him: Tā-Sīn [al-Naml 1] it is from Solomon and it is in the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate [al-Naml 30], meaning (the surah of) al-Naml, "In the name of the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, from Muhammad the Prophet, the Messenger of Allah, to the bishop of Najran and the people of Najran: If you embrace Islam, then I praise to you the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. Now then, I call you to the worship of God from the worship of His servants among the servants, and I call you to the allegiance to God from the allegiance to the servants. If you refuse, then the jizya; if you refuse, then I have given you notice of war. And peace." When the bishop received the letter and read it, he was struck by it and greatly terrified. He sent for a man of the people of Najran called Shuraḥbīl b. Wadāʿa, who was of Hamdān. When a difficult matter arose, no one was called upon except al-Ayham, the sayyid and the ʿāqib. The bishop handed the letter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to Shuraḥbīl, and he read it. The bishop said: "O Abū Maryam, what is your opinion?" Shuraḥbīl said: "I know what God promised Abraham concerning the progeny of Ishmael of prophethood, so why should you not believe that this is that man? I have no opinion on prophethood, but if it were a matter of worldly affairs, I would give you my advice and strive for you." The bishop said to him: "Withdraw and sit aside." So Shuraḥbīl withdrew and sat aside. The bishop sent for a man of the people of Najran called ʿAbd Allāh b. Shuraḥbīl, who was of Dhū Aṣbaḥ of Ḥimyar. He made him read the letter and asked him what he thought. He replied in a manner similar to the words of Shuraḥbīl b. Wadāʿa. The bishop said to him: "Withdraw and sit." So he withdrew and sat aside. Then the bishop sent for a man of the people of Najran called Jabbār b. Fayḍ of the Banū al-Ḥārith b. Kaʿb, one of the Banū al-Ḥimās. He made him read the letter and asked him about his opinion on it. He replied like the words of Shuraḥbīl b. Wadāʿa and ʿAbd Allāh b. Shuraḥbīl. The bishop ordered him, and he sat aside. When their opinion agreed unanimously on that statement, the bishop ordered the nāqūs and it was struck, and fires and lamps were raised in the monasteries. Thus they used to do when alarmed during the day, and if alarmed at night, they struck the nāqūs and raised fires in the monasteries. When the nāqūs was struck and the lamps were raised, the people of the valley, its upper and lower parts, assembled. The length of the valley is a day's journey for a swift rider, and in it are seventy-three villages and one hundred thousand fighting men. The bishop read them the letter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked their opinion about it. The opinion of the people of counsel among them agreed to send Shuraḥbīl b. Wadāʿa al-Hamdānī, ʿAbd Allāh b. Shuraḥbīl al-Aṣbaḥī, and Jabbār b. Fayḍ al-Ḥārithī to bring them news of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Ibn Isḥāq said: A delegation of the Christians of Najran came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, sixty riders, among them fourteen men of their nobles. Among these fourteen were three men to whom their affairs reverted: al-ʿĀqib, the leader of the people and their man of opinion and their counselor, without whose opinion they did not act; his name was ʿAbd al-Masīḥ; al-Sayyid, their provider and the master of their caravan and gathering, whose name was al-Ayham; and Abū Ḥāritha b. ʿAlqama of the Banū Bakr b. Wāʾil, their bishop, their learned man, their imam, and the master of their school. [The status of Abū Ḥāritha among the kings of the Byzantines] Abū Ḥāritha had attained honor among them and studied their books until his knowledge of their religion became excellent. The kings of the Byzantines, being Christians, had honored him, enriched him, and given him servants, and built churches for him and bestowed favors upon him, because of the knowledge and diligence in their religion that they heard about him. [The reason for the conversion of Kūz b. ʿAlqama] When they returned to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from Najran, Abū Ḥāritha sat on a mule of his, facing (toward the Messenger of Allah ﷺ), with his brother Kūz b. ʿAlqama beside him—Ibn Hishām said: He is also called Kurz. Abū Ḥāritha's mule stumbled, and Kūz said: "May the remote one perish!" meaning the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Abū Ḥāritha said to him: "Rather, you have perished." He said: "Why, my brother?" He said: "By God, he is indeed the Prophet whom we have been awaiting." Kūz said: "What prevents you from him, when you know this?" He said: "What these people have done for us—they have honored us, enriched us, and treated us generously, and they refuse anything but opposing him. If I did otherwise, they would strip from us everything you see." His brother Kūz b. ʿAlqama kept this secret about him until he later embraced Islam. He is the one who related this account, as has reached me. [The leaders of Najran and the conversion of one of them] Ibn Hishām said: It has reached me that the leaders of Najran used to inherit books they kept. Whenever a leader among them died and leadership passed to another, he would seal those books with a seal in addition to the previous seals and not break them. The leader who lived in the time of the Prophet ﷺ went out walking and stumbled, and his son said: "May the remote one perish!" meaning the Prophet ﷺ. His father said to him: "Do not say that, for he is a prophet, and his name is in the waḍāʾiʿ," meaning the books. When he died, his son had no concern but to break the seals, and he found in them mention of the Prophet ﷺ. He then embraced Islam, and his Islam was good, and he performed the pilgrimage. He is the one who says: : To you she runs, her girth strap uneasy, her fetus stretched across her belly, her religion opposing the religion of the Christians. Ibn Hishām said: al-Waḍīn is the girth, the camel's girth. Hishām b. ʿUrwa said: The people of Iraq added to it: al-ʿIrāq: her fetus stretched across her belly. As for Abū ʿUbayda, we recited it to him. [Their prayer toward the east] Ibn Isḥāq said: Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar b. al-Zubayr narrated to me: When they came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Madinah, they entered his mosque after he had prayed the afternoon prayer, wearing garments of striped Yemeni cloth, cloaks and mantles, in the beauty of the men of Banū al-Ḥārith b. Kaʿb. He said: Some of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ who saw them that day said: "We have never seen a delegation like them." When the time of their prayer came, they stood in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to pray. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Leave them." So they prayed toward the east. [The names of the delegates, their beliefs, and their debate with the Messenger ﷺ] Ibn Isḥāq said: The names of the fourteen to whom their affairs reverted were: al-ʿĀqib, who was ʿAbd al-Masīḥ; al-Sayyid, who was al-Ayham; Abū Ḥāritha b. ʿAlqama, brother of the Banū Bakr b. Wāʾil; Aws; al-Ḥārith; Zayd; Qays; Yazīd; Nabīh; Khuwaylid; ʿAmr; Khālid; ʿAbd Allāh; and Yuḥannis, among sixty riders. Among them, Abū Ḥāritha b. ʿAlqama, al-ʿĀqib ʿAbd al-Masīḥ, and al-Ayham al-Sayyid spoke to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They were Christians following the religion of the king, despite differences among their leaders. They say: He is God; they say: He is the son of God; and they say: He is the third of three. Such is the saying of the Christians. They argue for their saying "He is God" because he used to raise the dead and heal the sick, inform about unseen things, and create from clay the form of a bird, then breathe into it, and it became a bird. All that was by the command of God, blessed and exalted be He: "and to make him a sign for the people." They argue for their saying "He is the son of God" because, they say, he had no known father, and he spoke in the cradle, something no one of the children of Adam had done before him. They argue for their saying "He is the third of three" by God's saying: "We did," "We commanded," "We created," and "We decreed." They say: If He were one, He would say only "I did," "I decreed," "I commanded," and "I created," but He is He, Jesus, and Mary. In all this of their saying, the Qur'an was revealed. When the two learned men spoke to him, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to them: "Submit (become Muslims)." They said: "We have submitted." He said: "You have not submitted; so submit." They said: "Indeed, we submitted before you." He said: "You lie. What prevents you from Islam is your calling God a son, your worship of the cross, and your eating of pork." They said: "Then who is his father, O Muhammad?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was silent and did not answer them. [What was revealed of Āl ʿImrān concerning them] Then God, exalted be He, revealed concerning that of their saying and their differing affair, the beginning of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān up to eighty-some verses of it. He said, majestic and mighty: "Alif Lām Mīm. God, there is no god but He, the Living, the Eternal." He began the surah by declaring Himself far above what they said, and His oneness in creation and command, with no partner with Him, in refutation of what they innovated of disbelief and the rivals they set up with Him, and as an argument from their saying against them concerning their companion, to make known to them their error. He said: "Alif Lām Mīm. God, there is no god but He"—there is none with Him, no partner in His command—"the Living, the Eternal": the Living who does not die, while Jesus died and was crucified according to their saying; and the Eternal, the One standing in His place of authority over His creation, who does not cease, while Jesus, according to their saying, left his place and departed to another. "He has sent down upon you the Book in truth," i.e., in truthfulness concerning what they differed about; "and He sent down the Torah and the Gospel": the Torah upon Moses and the Gospel upon Jesus, as He sent down the books upon those before him; "and He sent down the Criterion," i.e., the distinction between truth and falsehood in what the factions differed about concerning Jesus and others. "Those who disbelieve in God's signs shall have a severe punishment; God is mighty, possessor of retribution," i.e., God takes vengeance on those who disbelieve in His signs after knowing them and recognizing what came from Him in them. "Nothing is hidden from God on earth or in heaven," i.e., He knows what they intend, what they plot, and what they imitate by their saying about Jesus when they made him a god and lord, while they have knowledge other than that, out of delusion about God and disbelief in Him. "He it is who forms you in the wombs as He wills," i.e., Jesus was among those formed in the wombs; they cannot deny that, just as others of the children of Adam were formed. So how can he be a god when he was in that state? Then He, exalted, said, in exalting Himself and affirming His oneness against what they associated with Him: "There is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise": the Mighty in His vengeance upon those who disbelieve in Him when He wills, the Wise in His argument and excuse to His servants. "He it is who sent down upon you the Book: some of its verses are clear—they are the Mother of the Book—in them is the proof of the Lord, the protection of the servants, and the repelling of adversaries and falsehood; they admit no change or distortion from their established form; and others are ambiguous, admitting change and interpretation; God tests the servants with them, as He tested them in what is lawful and unlawful, so that they are not turned to falsehood or distorted from the truth. He says, mighty and majestic: "As for those in whose hearts is deviation, i.e., inclination away from guidance, they follow what is ambiguous of it, i.e., what is changeable of it, to confirm what they have innovated and invented, so that they may have an argument and a semblance for what they said, seeking discord, i.e., confusion, and seeking its interpretation, i.e., that which they intended by it, upon the error they embraced in their saying: 'We created' and 'We decreed.' He says: "And none knows its interpretation except God and those firmly rooted in knowledge; they say: 'We believe in it; all is from our Lord.'" So how can it differ when it is one saying from one Lord? Then they referred the interpretation of the ambiguous to what they knew of the interpretation of the clear verses, which admit only one interpretation, and the Book became coherent by their saying, and one part confirmed another; thus the proof was established, the excuse became evident, falsehood was removed, and disbelief was crushed. God, exalted, says of this: "And none remembers this but those possessed of minds. Our Lord, do not cause our hearts to deviate after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You; You are the Giver." Then He said: "God bears witness that there is no god but He, and the angels and those possessed of knowledge, upright in justice—there is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise. Surely the religion with God is Islam," i.e., what you are upon, O Muhammad: the oneness of the Lord and the attestation of the messengers. "And those given the Book did not differ except after knowledge had come to them," i.e., the knowledge that came to you, that God is One with no partner, "out of envy among themselves. And whoever disbelieves in God's signs, God is swift in reckoning. If they dispute with you," i.e., with the falsehood they bring of their saying: 'We created,' 'We did,' 'We commanded,' it is only a false semblance, and they know what truth is in it. "Say: 'I have submitted my face to God,'" i.e., to Him alone, "and whoever follows me. And say to those given the Book and to the unlettered," who have no book: "'Have you submitted?' If they submit, they are guided; if they turn away, your duty is only to convey. God sees His servants." [Their refusal of mutual cursing] When the news from God came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanding him to call them to mutual cursing, in His saying: "So whoever disputes with you about him, after the knowledge that has come to you, say: 'Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then let us earnestly invoke and place the curse of God upon the liars'" [Āl ʿImrān: 61], the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out with ʿAlī, Fāṭima, al-Ḥasan, and al-Ḥusayn. They said to him: "O Abū al-Qāsim, let us consider our affair, then we will come to you with what we wish to do regarding what you have called us to." They then withdrew and met privately with al-ʿĀqib, who was their man of counsel, and said: "O ʿAbd al-Masīḥ, what do you think?" He said: “By Allah, O assembly of Christians, you know that Muhammad is a sent prophet. He has brought you the decisive account of your companion. You know that no people ever invoked a mutual curse with a prophet without their elders remaining or their young growing up. It would mean your utter destruction if you did it. If you refuse to abandon your religion and to persist in what you say about your companion, then make peace with the man and depart to your lands.” So they came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: “O Abu al-Qasim, we have decided not to invoke a mutual curse with you, and to leave you upon your religion while we return to ours. But send with us a man from your companions whom you approve for us, to judge between us in matters in which we have disagreed concerning our wealth, for you are acceptable to us.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned and did not invoke a mutual curse with them. The next day, he wrote for them this document: “In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This is what Muhammad the Prophet, the Messenger of Allah, has written for the people of Najran — when he has authority over them — regarding every fruit, every gold, silver, and slave; he has favored them therein, and all that is left to them in exchange for two thousand garments of the awāqī garments, in every Rajab one thousand garments, and in every Safar one thousand garments. With each garment is an ounce of silver. What exceeds the land tax or falls short of the ounces shall be reckoned. What they settle of coats of mail, horses, mounts, or goods shall be taken from them by calculation. The people of Najran shall bear the expenses and provisions of my messengers for up to twenty days or less. My messengers shall not be detained for more than a month. They shall provide a loan of thirty coats of mail, thirty horses, and thirty camels when there is war and mischief. Whatever is destroyed of what they lent to my messengers, of coats of mail, horses, mounts, or goods, is guaranteed by my messengers until they return it to them. Najran and its environs have the protection of Allah and the covenant of Muhammad the Prophet, the Messenger of Allah, over themselves, their religious community, their land, their property, their absent and present, their clans and their churches, [their prayers], [and all that is under their control, whether little or much]. They shall not be changed from what they were upon without right regarding their rights or their religious community. No bishop shall be removed from his bishopric, no monk from his monasticism. No humiliation is upon them, no blood of the Age of Ignorance. They shall not be mustered, no tithe shall be taken from them, and no army shall tread their land. Whoever of them seeks a right, among them is fairness, neither wronging nor wronged. [They shall not consume usury.] Whoever consumed usury in the past, my covenant is innocent of him. No man among them shall be taken for the wrong of another. Upon what is in this document is the protection of Allah and the covenant of the Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, forever, until Allah brings His command, as long as they give counsel and set things right, not being burdened with injustice.” Witnessed by Abu Sufyan b. Harb, Ghaylan b. ʿAmr, Malik b. ʿAwf al-Nasri, al-Aqraʿ b. Habis al-Hanzali, and al-Mughira b. Shuʿba. [ Appointment of Abu ʿUbayda over their affairs ] Muhammad b. Jaʿfar said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Come to me in the evening and I will send with you the strong and trustworthy one.” He said: ʿUmar b. al-Khattab used to say: “I never loved authority as much as I loved it that day, hoping to be its possessor. I came early at noon, before the noon prayer. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ led us in the noon prayer, he said the salutation, then looked to his right and left. I began stretching my neck so he would see me. He kept searching with his gaze until he saw Abu ʿUbayda b. al-Jarrah. He called him and said: ‘Go out with them and judge between them with truth in what they disagreed about.’” ʿUmar said: “Abu ʿUbayda took it.”
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No grade is recorded for this wording.