The Quran

Preface

فَمَن حاجَّكَ فيهِ مِن بَعدِ ما جاءَكَ مِنَ العِلمِ فَقُل تَعالَوا نَدعُ أَبناءَنا وَأَبناءَكُم وَنِساءَنا وَنِساءَكُم وَأَنفُسَنا وَأَنفُسَكُم ثُمَّ نَبتَهِل فَنَجعَل لَعنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الكاذِبينَ

Yusuf Ali

If any one disputes in this matter with thee, now after (full) knowledge Hath come to thee, say: “Come! let us gather together,- our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves: Then let us earnestly pray, and invoke the curse of God on those who lie!¹"

In the year of Deputations, 10th of the Hijrat, came a Christian embassy from Najrān (towards Yaman, about 150 miles north of San 1 a). They were much impressed on hearing this passage of the Qur-ān explaining the true position of Christ, and they entered into tributary relations with the new Muslim State. But ingrained habits and customs prevented them from accepting Islam as a body. The Prophet, firm in his faith, proposed a Mub a halah, i.e., a solemn meeting, in which both sides should summon not only their men, but their women and children, earnestly pray to God, and invoke the curse of God on those who should lie. Those who had a pure and sincere faith would not hesitate. The Christians declined, and they were dismissed in a spirit of tolerance with a promise of protection from the State in return for tribute, “the wages of rule,” as it is called in the A' ini Akbari.