Envoy of disbelievers in the court of Najaashi

All those who migrated, started living very peacefully in Ethiopia. But the disbelievers of Makkah did not want to let these monotheists¹ live anywhere peacefully. These cruel disbelievers sent ‘Amr Bin Al-‘Aas and ‘Ammarah Bin Waleed along with some gifts as their envoys to the court of the king of Ethiopia. After these two reached the court of the king, they presented gifts and performed Sajdah in front of the king. They then complained to the king, ‘O king! Some of our wanted people have been given refuge in your country. You please hand over these wanted people to us.’ Listening to it, the king called the Muslims to his court. Sayyiduna Ja’far رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ who was a brother of Sayyiduna ‘Ali رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ came forward for negotiations. Contrary to [i.e. against] the manners of the royal court, he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ did not perform Sajdah in front of the king but rather he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ only said Salam and stood. Courtiers objected to it, but he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ responded by saying, ‘Our Rasool صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم has prohibited us from performing Sajdah to anyone except the Almighty. Hence I cannot perform Sajdah in front of the king.’²

Thereafter, Sayyiduna Ja’far رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ made the following speech in the royal court: O king! We were an ignorant nation, polytheists and idol-worshippers. We had indulged in various misdeeds such as looting, stealing and oppressing. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has sent to us a Rasool who is already known among us for his lineage, truthfulness and trustworthiness. This Rasool has prevented us from polytheism and idol-worship and has ordered us to worship only One Almighty. He has also prohibited us from every type of cruelty, oppression, evil and misdeed. We have believed in that Rasool, given up polytheism and idol-worship and have repented of all evil acts. This is our only ‘crime’ and our nation has become our deadly enemy for the same reason. These people have tortured us to such an extent that we have left our own country and are living a peaceful life under your kingship. These people now want to force us to indulge in the same previous state of deviation [from true guidance].

The king was very impressed by hearing the speech delivered by Sayyiduna Ja’far رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ. Noticing it, ‘Amr Bin ‘Aas – the envoy of the disbelievers of Makkah – made his last attempt by arguing, ‘These Muslims have a strange belief about your Nabi ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّلَام, which is quite contrary to [i.e. against] your belief.’ Listening to it, the king asked Sayyiduna Ja’far رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ about it, so he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ recited Surah Maryam. As the king listened to the Divine Word, he felt a deep effect on his heart. He was overwhelmed and tears welled up in his eyes.

Sayyiduna Ja’far رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ further said, ‘Our Rasool has told us that Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّلَام is a bondman and a Rasool of the Almighty. The Blessed Virgin [i.e. virgin Maryam] gave birth to ‘Isa and no one was his father; this is a sign of the Divine omnipotence [i.e. power].’ The king Najaashi listened to the speech of Sayyiduna Ja’far رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ very attentively and commented, ‘The Injeel and the Quran are indeed two Noors [i.e. lights] from the same sun of guidance. Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّلَام is certainly a bondman and a Rasool of the Almighty. I testify that His grace Muhammad ( صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم ) is undoubtedly the same Rasool of the Almighty whose good news has been revealed in the Injeel and has been given to us by Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّلَام. If I were not bound by the laws of the empire to carry on with kingship, I would go to Makkah in person and serve him with my heart and soul.’

Listening to the speech delivered by the king, the courtiers who were devout [i.e. firm] Christian got very angry and were offended but the king, filled with the power of faith, told them off and silenced them. He also returned the gifts given by the disbelievers of Makkah and had ‘Amr Bin ‘Aas and ‘Ammarah Bin Waleed turned out of his court. He then said to the Muslims, ‘You people may live peacefully and happily wherever you wish in my empire. No one can cause you any harm.’³

It should be remembered that the king Najaashi also became Muslim. When he passed away in Ethiopia and was buried there, the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم offered his funeral Salah in Madinah in absentia and prayed for his forgiveness.