Chapter 3: Surat Aal-'Imran (The House 'Imran), verse 59-63
Translation:
Jesus is like Adam in the sight of God. He created him from dust and then said to him: 'Be,' and he was. This is the truth from your Lord: therefore do not doubt it. To those that dispute with you concerning him after the knowledge you have received, say: 'Come, let us gather our sons and your sons, our wives and your wives, our people and your people. We will then pray and call down the curse of God on every liar.'This is the whole truth. There is no god but God. Surely it is God who is the Mighty, the Wise One. If they pay no heed, God knows the evil-doers. (59-63)
Commentary:
The
Christians believe that Christ is the son of God. That he is different from all
other human beings. Since his very birth was against all normal ways without a
father then how could he be a human being like any other. His abnormal birth
itself shows that he was not the son of man but of God. When it is said that the
answer to their question is to be found in the birth of the first man. As all of
us, they too believe that Adam was the first man. He did not come into existence
in the normal ways, having a father and mother but he came into existence
directly by God’s command. The when Adam being born without a father is not
God’s son how could Jesus Christ being born without a father can be a son of
God.
Najran (Yemen) was a great center of Christianity at the time of the revelation of the Qur’an. In the 10th of the Hijra, came a Christian embassy from Najran (towards Yemen, about 150 miles north of Sanea) to discuss Christian beliefs with the Prophet of Islam. The prophet presented many arguments to them. He said how Christ could be God’s son when God is a living being, he will never die. While Jesus will meet the taste of death. They could not counter his arguments.
But, when the Prophet saw that they are not going to accept through arguments,
how sound that might be, so he gave them a final challenge. He said that if they
really believed that they were right (in believing the Christ to be son of God)
they should be ready for a Mubahala, 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 lied. Those who had a pure and
sincere faith would not hesitate.