Hadith No: 2
Al-Isbahani - Dala'il al-Nubuwwah (The Proofs of Prophethood)
Chapter Seventeen: Among the signs that appeared at his (peace be upon him) departure to Medina and on his way (peace be upon him and his holy progeny)
Mentioning what was narrated in the story of the Sayyid and the Aqib when they refrained from the challenge of mutual cursing (mubahala) and opted to adhere to paying tribute (jizyah) instead, fleeing from the mubahala
Volume: (1) - Page Number: (354)
245 - Ibrahim ibn Ahmad narrated to us, who said: Ahmad ibn Faraj narrated to us, saying: Abu Umar al-Duri narrated to us, saying: Muhammad ibn Marwan narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn al-Sa'ib al-Kalbi, from Abu Salih, from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), that the delegation of Najran from the Christians came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) while consisting of fourteen men, among the notables of their people. Among them were the Sayyid, who was the elder, and the Aqib, who was the one to succeed him, and their chief advisor. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) said to them: "Submit (Islam)!" They replied: "We have submitted." He asked: "What do you mean you have submitted?" They answered: "Indeed, we have submitted before you." He said: "You are lying. Three things are preventing you from submitting to Islam: your worship of the cross, your eating of pork, and your claim that Allah has a son." And it was revealed: {Indeed, the example of Jesus in the sight of Allah is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him, 'Be,' and he was} (Aal Imran 3:59). When he recited this to them, they said: "We do not understand what you are saying," and it was revealed: {So whoever argues with you about him after this knowledge has come to you, say, 'Come, let us call our sons and your sons,} (Aal Imran 3:61) up to {Then let us sincerely pray together' } (Aal Imran 3:61), meaning: we will sincerely pray that what Muhammad has brought is the truth, is just, and that what you are claiming is false. And he said to them: "Indeed, Allah has commanded me that if you do not accept this, I should challenge you to a mubahala." They replied: "O Abu al-Qasim, rather we will return and consider our matter, then come back to you." So some of them secluded themselves with one another and made a pact among themselves. The Sayyid said to the Aqib: "By Allah, you certainly know that this man is a prophet sent with a message, and if you were to curse him, he would utterly destroy you. No people have ever cursed a prophet and remained, with their elder intact or their younger ones unscathed. If you do not follow him and insist on a thousand years in your religion, then make peace with him and return to your homeland." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) had gone out with a number of his family, and Abd al-Masih came with his son and his nephew,
and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) came with Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn, peace be upon them all. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) said: "If I call, you should all respond in prayer." But they refused to challenge him to a mubahala and made peace with him, agreeing to pay tribute (jizyah). They said: "O Abu al-Qasim, we will return to our religion and leave you and your religion. Send with us a man from your companions who can judge between us and be just in our dealings." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) said: "Bring me back in the evening." I will send with you one who is strong and trustworthy." He looked until he saw Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah and called him, saying: "Go with these people and judge between them with truth."