When they descended from their carriages near the al-Masjid...

When they descended from their carriages near the al-Masjid al-Nabawi (the Holy Prophet’s Mosque), and entered proudly into the Mosque, the Prophet (a.s) noticed the gold rings in their fingers and their dresses of silks; he turned away his face from them! The time for their prayer was at hand and turning to the East, they commenced their prayer. Some persons wanted to stop them from praying but the Prophet (a.s) prevented them from doing it. After their prayer the delegates waited for a while.

When the prophet (a.s) did not pay them any attention, they had frowns on their faces and left the mosque in a huff. When they saw `Uthman and `Abd al-Rahman outside, they complained to them about the cold treatment meted out to them. They said that they have come in response to the message of Muhammad (a.s) but he turned away his face from them and did not acknowledge even the greetings! They said that they did not know why he treated them like that. But `Uthman asked them to go to `Ali (a.s).

They took the delegates to `Ali (a.s) and mentioned about the cold treatment that the Prophet (a.s) gave them. He told them that they should go in ordinary raiment and without the gold rings in the fingers. Then the Prophet (a.s) will give them a good reception. They followed `Ali’s advice and the Prophet (a.s) sat down with the delegates after the `Asr Prayer and discussed with them many matters of mutual interest. When he invited them to embrace Islam, they said that they were already Muslims!

He asked, “How you are Muslims when you eat pork, worship the Cross and consider Jesus as the Son of God?” They replied that certainly they consider the Messiah as the Son of Allah! They asked the Prophet (a.s), “If he is not the son of God, then who his father is? Can anyone take birth without a father?” The Prophet (a.s) recited the following verse from the Qur’an: إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَى عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ .

“For Allah, the example of `Isa (a.s) is like that of Adam (a.s), whom He made with the soil and said, ‘Be’, and he ‘Was’. (3:59)” The Prophet (a.s) conveyed that `Isa (a.s) did not have only the father, but Adam was created by Allah without either parent. Then why do not they call Adam (a.s) the Son of Allah? They had no reply for this argument and hence they started unnecessary debate.