The Back Story

Bismillah
As salaamu alaikum,

The Delegation of Nejran refers to the Christian delegation that came to the messenger to question him about his religion. This is what happened.

There were 60 people in the group. Fourteen from among them were dignitaries with three of those being the highest ranking. Of the three there was their leader named, Abdul-Maseeh (servant/worshipper of the Messiah). The second was the advisor whom they called Sayyid. His name was Ayhem. The third was their scholar the most knowledgeable among them and the head of all their schools his name was Abu Haaritha, Habr.

The Byzantines used to honor Abu Haaritha and give him money. When the group left from Nejran to meet the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, Abu Haaritha was riding his mule and his brother, Karz, was next to him. As they were underway Abu Haaritha’s mule stumbled and his brother said, “May he perish.” Meaning the messenger. (And we seek refuge with Allah from that.) But Abu Haaritha responded, “No. Your mother will perish.”

“Why brother?” Karz said. (I assume he was shocked at his brother's reply talking about his own mama, but let's get back to the story.)

“He is the prophet we’ve been waiting for.” Abu Haritha said.
“So what’s stopping you from believing in him while you know this?” His brother questioned.
“The kings give us much wealth and they honor us. If I believe in Muhammad they will take all of these things away from us.”

This conversation had a serious affect on the Karz, and after he accepted Islam he used to tell this story.

So they arrived and met with the prophet (S) and began speaking to him about the differences of their religions. Sometimes they would say Jesus was God, the son, or one of three. They argued that Jesus was God based on his bringing life to the dead and that his curing the leper, the blind, and sicknesses; and he would talk abou the unseen, and he would blow into clay shaped as a bird and it would fly away. They would try to prove he was the son of God by saying that he had no father and that no one knew his father so God must be his father. They would say he was one of the trinity based on God’s using the royal "we" in the scripture “We did,” or, "We created."

So the Prophet said to them. “Aslimu (submit).”
They responded, "We have already submitted."

So the Prophet (S) said to them “You are lying. How can your submission be sound when your fixed on God having a son, and you worship the cross, and you eat pig.”

So they said, “Then who is his Father?” And the Prophet was silent. Then Allah revealed the first 80-some ayaat of sura Ali Imran. And the Prophet S began to debate with them.

He said, "Don’t you know that Allah is living and does not die, and that death comes to Jesus?"
They said “Yes.”

Then he said, “Don’t you know there is no son except that he is like his father?”
They said, “Yes.”

He said, “Don’t you know that Our Lord sustains everything: preserving it. protecting it, and providing for it. Does Jesus possess this Quality?"
They said, “No.”

So he said, "Don’t you know that nothing is hidden from Allah not in the earth nor in the heavens? Does Isa (Jesus) know any of those things except that which he was taught?”
They said “No.” [He doesn’t know except what he was taught.]

The Prophet said, “Our Lord has fashioned Isa in the womb however he willed. Do you know that our Lord doesn’t eat food, doesn’t drink, and doesn’t use the bathroom. And you know that a woman was pregnant with Isa like any woman is pregnant, and she gave birth to him like any woman gives birth. Then he ate food and drank and used the bathroom?”
They said, “Yes.”

He said, “ So how could the matter be as you've claimed?” And they knew he was truthful but they stubbornly denied it insisting on disbelief.

They said, "Don’t you claim that he is the word of God and a spirit from Him?’
He said, “Yes.”
To which they responded, “That’s enough for us.” And Allah revealed aya 7.

[3:7]
He it is who has bestowed upon thee from on high this divine writ, containing messages that are clear in and by themselves – and these are the essence of the divine writ – as well as others that are allegorical. Now those whose hearts are given to swerving from the truth go after that part of the divine writ which has been expressed in allegory, seeking out [what is bound to create] confusion, and seeking [to arrive at] its final meaning [in an arbitrary manner]; but none save God knows its final meaning. Hence, those who are deeply rooted in knowledge say:
"We believe in it; the whole [of the divine writ] is from our Sustainer – albeit none takes this to heart save those who are endowed with insight.


Then Allah commanded the Messenger S to curse them if they would curse him. So the Prophet S summoned them and asked if they we ready to call the curse of Allah on whoever was lying.
They said, “Let us consult with ourselves then we will be ready to do what you want.”

They left and the 3 leaders said to each other, “What do you think?” One of them said, ”By God! Oh Christians you know that Muhammad is a prophet sent and he has come with definitive proof about your companion (Jesus). And you know that a prophet never curses a people except that their young and their old partake of it. And that it will annihilate you utterly if you do it. And you have refused to believe in anything except your religion and to remain on what you already believe. So bid farewell to the man and go back to your country.

So they went to the prophet and said, “We have come to the conclusion that we will not curse you and we will leave you on your religion, and we will return upon our religion. So send a man from among your companions with us so he can judge between us in financial matters that we differ upon. For you are a people we are pleased with."

The Prophet said, “Come to me this evening and I will send with you a strong trustworthy judge.”

Umar used to say “I never wanted authority or power except on that day out of hope I would be the person [the prophet called strong and trustworthy].” So when we prayed thuhr with the prophet, and he salaamed out, he looked right and left and I was trying to extend myself so that he could see me. But he kept looking until he saw Abu Ubaida ibn Jarah. He called him and said, “Go with them and judge between them with truth in what they differ in.”

Umar said, “And Abu Ubaida left with the prize.” Meaning he got to be the one the Prophet S had called strong and trustworthy.