Ruling on Mubahalah with Deviants — Complete Guidance
Source: Fatāwā ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām), Vol. 2, p. 71
Is it permissible for Muslims upon the truth to engage in mubāhalah (mutual invocation of Allah’s curse) with innovators and misguided people?
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿فَمَنْ حَاجَّكَ فِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَنِسَاءَنَا وَنِسَاءَكُمْ وَأَنفُسَنَا وَأَنفُسَكُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَل لَّعْنَتَ اللَّـهِ عَلَى الْكَاذِبِينَ﴾ [Āl ‘Imrān: 61]
"Then whoever disputes with you concerning him after knowledge has come to you, say: Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then let us supplicate earnestly and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars."
Two Christian leaders from Najrān — al-‘Āqib and as-Sayyid — came to the Prophet ﷺ for mubahalah. One said to the other:
"Do not engage in mubahalah. By Allah, if he is a prophet and we do mubahalah, neither we nor our descendants will prosper."
References: [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 4380]
The Prophet ﷺ brought ‘Alī, Fāṭimah, al-Ḥasan, and al-Ḥusayn رضي الله عنهم and said:
«اللهم هؤلاء أهلي»
"O Allah, these are my family."
Reference: [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2404]
It is when both parties ask Allah:
"O Allah, curse, destroy, and ruin the one who is lying and upon falsehood."
﴿إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّـهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ﴾ [Al-Aḥzāb: 33]
"Allah only wishes to remove impurity from you, O Ahl al-Bayt."
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-‘Asqalānī رحمه الله engaged in mubahalah with a man named Ibn al-Amīn over Ibn ‘Arabī.
وَالله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatāwā ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām), Vol. 2, p. 71
Question:
Is it permissible for Muslims upon the truth to engage in mubāhalah (mutual invocation of Allah’s curse) with innovators and misguided people?
Evidence from the Qur’an
Allah ﷻ says:
﴿فَمَنْ حَاجَّكَ فِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَنِسَاءَنَا وَنِسَاءَكُمْ وَأَنفُسَنَا وَأَنفُسَكُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَل لَّعْنَتَ اللَّـهِ عَلَى الْكَاذِبِينَ﴾ [Āl ‘Imrān: 61]
"Then whoever disputes with you concerning him after knowledge has come to you, say: Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then let us supplicate earnestly and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars."
Context of Revelation
Two Christian leaders from Najrān — al-‘Āqib and as-Sayyid — came to the Prophet ﷺ for mubahalah. One said to the other:
"Do not engage in mubahalah. By Allah, if he is a prophet and we do mubahalah, neither we nor our descendants will prosper."
References: [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 4380]
Statements from the Salaf
- Ibn ‘Abbās رضي الله عنهما: If they had gone forth for mubahalah with the Prophet ﷺ, they would have returned without any of their family or wealth.
References: [Tafsīr ‘Abd ar-Razzāq: 1/129, ḥadīth 411 — authentic chain], [Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī: 3/212 — authentic chain] - Qatādah رحمه الله: When they saw the Prophet ﷺ, they became afraid and withdrew without mubahalah.
References: [Tafsīr ‘Abd ar-Razzāq: 1/129, ḥadīth 209 — authentic chain]
Participation of Ahl al-Bayt
The Prophet ﷺ brought ‘Alī, Fāṭimah, al-Ḥasan, and al-Ḥusayn رضي الله عنهم and said:
«اللهم هؤلاء أهلي»
"O Allah, these are my family."
Reference: [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2404]
Definition of Mubahalah
It is when both parties ask Allah:
"O Allah, curse, destroy, and ruin the one who is lying and upon falsehood."
Another Qur’anic Verse
﴿إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّـهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ﴾ [Al-Aḥzāb: 33]
"Allah only wishes to remove impurity from you, O Ahl al-Bayt."
- Ibn ‘Abbās رضي الله عنهما: This verse was revealed specifically about the wives of the Prophet ﷺ.
- ‘Ikrimah رحمه الله: I am prepared to engage in mubahalah with anyone over the fact that this verse was revealed about the wives of the Prophet ﷺ.
References: [Tafsīr Ibn Abī Ḥātim via Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr: 5/169 — good chain], [Tārīkh Dimashq: 73/111 — good chain]
Shar‘ī Conditions and Caution
- Mubahalah is permissible for truthful, righteous, and trustworthy Muslims against innovators, misguided people, and disbelievers when necessary.
- The mubahalah of the Prophet ﷺ guaranteed destruction for the opponent.
- The mubahalah of ordinary Muslims does not have a guaranteed outcome; hence caution is better.
Historical Example
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-‘Asqalānī رحمه الله engaged in mubahalah with a man named Ibn al-Amīn over Ibn ‘Arabī.
- Ibn al-Amīn: "O Allah, if Ibn ‘Arabī is upon misguidance, then curse me."
- Ibn Ḥajar: "O Allah, if Ibn ‘Arabī is upon guidance, then curse me."
- Result: Ibn al-Amīn became blind at night and died within months.
References: [Tanbīh al-Ghabī: p. 136–137], [‘Ilmī Maqālāt: 2/470–471]
Conclusion of Research
- Avoid mubahalah unless necessary.
- It is not valid for jurisprudential or ijtihādī differences.
- If there is extreme necessity:
① The dispute is over kufr vs. Islam.
② The matter is clear, based on the consensus of the Salaf.
③ The person is righteous and upon correct belief. - Remember: Guaranteed destruction only occurs in the mubahalah of a Prophet; in the case of ordinary believers, the outcome is not certain.
وَالله أعلم بالصواب
