and likewise he fought the Christians in the year of Tabuk, campaigning against them in al-Shām—both their Arab and Byzantine contingents. Even before that he had sent his deputies—Zayd ibn Ḥārithah, Jaʿfar ibn Abī Ṭālib, and ʿAbd Allāh ibn Rawāḥah—to lead expeditions against them; he commanded them to wage war on them, and after him the Rightly Guided Caliphs carried the struggle forward.

When the Christian delegation from Najrān arrived, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—debated with them in his mosque in the most gracious manner. Allah, exalted is He, then instructed him to invite them to mubāhala (mutual imprecation). They refused the challenge and instead agreed to pay the jizya with their own hands in humble submission, as was detailed earlier. Thus he argued with some of them in the best way, while he punished and fought the wrongdoer among them, just as he had punished the wrongdoer among the Jews.

One of the strangest things they say is: “As for those who did wrong, no one doubts that they are the Jews.” This is of the same kind as their claim: “Then we found in the Scripture something that is an even clearer proof than this.”