Short Description
When some Muslims emigrated toAbyssiniain flight from the torment inflicted upon them by the polytheists and Ja‘far ibn Abu Tâlib [may Allâh be pleased with him] stood in front of the Negus to talk to him, he said to him: “O king, we were a people in a state of ignorance
When some Muslims emigrated toAbyssiniain flight from the torment inflicted upon them by the polytheists and Ja‘far ibn Abu Tâlib [may Allâh be pleased with him] stood in front of the Negus to talk to him, he said to him: “O king, we were a people in a state of ignorance. We worshipped idols, ate the flesh of dead animals, committed all sorts of immoralities, abominations and shameful deeds, severed kinship ties, treated neighbors badly and the strong among us exploited the weak. We remained in this state until Allâh Almighty Sent us a Prophet from one of our own people whose lineage, truthfulness, trustworthiness and integrity were well-known to us. He called us to worship Allâh Almighty Alone and to renounce the stones and idols we and our ancestors used to worship besides Him.
He commanded us to speak the truth, keep trusts, maintain kinship ties, be helpful to our neighbors, cease all forbidden acts, abstain from bloodshed, avoid obscenities and perjury, not to devour an orphan's wealth nor slander chaste women. He ordered us to worship Allâh Almighty Alone and not to associate anything with Him, establish prayer, give Zakâh and fast.”
The narrator added that Ja‘far [may Allâh be pleased with him] listed to the Negus what Islam calls for, then he said: “We believed in him and what he brought to us from Allâh Almighty. Now we abide by what he has asked us to do and keep away from what he has forbidden us. Therefore, our people attacked us and afflicted us with the severest torment to make us renounce our religion and take us back to the old immoralities and idolatry.
They oppressed us, made life intolerable for us and obstructed us from observing our religion. So we left for your country, O king, choosing you over anyone else, desiring your protection and hoping to live in justice and peace in your land.” The Negus asked: “Do you have with you something of what your Prophet has brought from Allâh?” Ja‘far said: “Yes.” The Negus asked him to read it to him. Ja‘far read to him the opening verses of Soorat Maryam. Upon hearing the words of the Qur’an, the Negus wept until he moistened his beard and so did his bishops until they dampened their scriptures. The Negus said: “Verily, the message of your Prophet and that of Jesus [peace be upon him] come from the same source.”[1]
[1] Ahmad in his Musnad, no. 1740, and its chain of narrators is good according to Shu‘ayb al-Arna’ût; ibn Hishâm, as-Sîrah An-Nabawiyyah, 1:335-338.
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