57 Page Notes

03 Surah Ali-Imran (continued)

Page __ Grammar 

Page 57 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

3:53

3:54

3:55

3:56

3:57

3:58

3:59

3:60

3:61

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 57 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 57 of the standard Madinah Quran covers Surah Ali 'Imran (Chapter 3), verses 53 through 61. This crucial page details the final stage of Prophet 'Isa's (Jesus) earthly mission, Allah's plan to save and raise him up, a direct theological comparison between the creation of 'Isa and Adam, and culminates in the famous event of Mubahalah (the invocation of a mutual curse to settle a dispute) during the visit of the Christian delegation from Najran.

The prophetic traditions (Hadith) and contexts of revelation provide extensive commentary on these verses.

1. Verses 54–55: The Plot Against 'Isa and His Elevation

"And the disbelievers planned, but Allah planned—and Allah is the best of planners. [Remember] when Allah said, 'O Jesus! I will take you and raise you up to Myself and will purify you of those who disbelieve...'"

The Ascent of 'Isa to Heaven

• The Sunnah Narrative: To elaborate on how Allah executed His plan to save 'Isa from crucifixion, early authorities like Ibn Abbas narrated the historical moment of the rescue. The Prophet ﷺ confirmed through various transmissions that 'Isa was not killed. Ibn Abbas narrated: "When Allah intended to raise 'Isa to heaven, 'Isa went out to his companions... and the house had twelve men in it. He said, 'There is one among you who will disbelieve in me after having believed.' Then he asked, 'Who among you will have my likeness cast upon him, be killed in my place, and be with me in my rank?' The youngest among them stood up... Allah cast the likeness of 'Isa onto him, and 'Isa was raised to heaven through an opening in the roof."

  • Citation: Tafsir An-Nasa'i (Hadith 101) and Ibn Abi Hatim; explicitly verified as an authentic chain by Ibn Kathir in his commentary on verse 55.

2. Verse 59: The Comparison Between 'Isa and Adam

"Surely, the similitude of the creation of Jesus in the sight of Allah is as the creation of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, 'Be,' and he was."

This verse addresses the logical fallacy regarding Jesus' divinity based purely on his fatherless birth.

The Debate with the Christians of Najran

• The Hadith Context: A sixty-man Christian delegation from Najran, led by their scholars Al-Sayyid and Al-'Aqib, came to Medina to debate the Prophet ﷺ. They demanded: "Have you ever seen a child born without a father? If you claim he is just a human, show us his equivalent!" At that moment, Allah revealed verse 59.

• The Prophetic Argument: The Prophet ﷺ used this revelation to dismantle their premise, reminding them that if a fatherless birth makes someone divine, Adam has a greater right to divinity because he had neither a father nor a mother. He was fashioned directly from dust and brought to life by the divine command "Kun" (Be).

  • Citation: Tafsir al-Tabari and Ibn Ishaq's Sirah (The Prophetic Biography), widely cited across classical exegesis.

3. Verse 61: The Verse of Mubahalah (Mutual Imprecation)

"Then whoever argues with you concerning him after what has come to you of knowledge, say, 'Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then supplicate earnestly and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars.'"

When the delegation of Najran refused to accept the logical comparison of verse 59, Allah commanded the Prophet ﷺ to challenge them to a Mubahalah—a solemn ritual where both sides bring their closest family members, pray together, and ask God to destroy whichever side is lying.

The Prophet’s Chosen Household (Ahl al-Bayt)

• The Hadith: Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas reported that when this verse was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn, and said: "O Allah, this is my family (Ahl al-Bayt)." He held Hasan and Husayn, had Fatimah walk behind him, and Ali walk alongside him to meet the Christians.

  • Citation: Sahih Muslim (Book 44, Hadith 50) and Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Hadith 3002).

Why the Christians Retreated from the Challenge

• The Hadith: The high scholar of the Christian delegation, Al-'Aqib, privately pulled his companions aside and warned them: "By Allah, you know that Muhammad is a sent Prophet, and he has brought you the definitive word regarding your companion ('Isa). No people have ever engaged in a mutual curse (Mubahalah) with a Prophet except that their adults were wiped out and their youth failed to grow up. If you do this, it will be our utter destruction."

• The Resolution: They returned to the Prophet ﷺ the next morning and declined the challenge, saying: "O Abu Al-Qasim, we have decided not to engage in a mutual curse with you. Leave us upon our religion, and we will leave you upon yours." They instead requested a treaty and agreed to pay a protection tax (Jizyah).

• The Prophetic Warning: The Prophet ﷺ later remarked: "By the One in Whose hand is my soul, destruction was hanging over the heads of the people of Najran. Had they engaged in the Mubahalah, they would have been transformed into apes and pigs, and the valley would have erupted into fire against them."

  • Citation: Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 64, Hadith 86 - partial context regarding the peace terms) and fully detailed in Musnad Ahmad and Tafsir al-Thalabi under Surah Ali 'Imran, verse 61.