Umm Salama bint Abu Umaya reported,

When we came down to the land of Abyssinia, we had there the best of neighbors in Negus. He gave us security in our religion, and we worshipped Allah Most High without being harmed and without hearing anything we disliked.When news of this reached Quraysh, they agreed among themselves to send two tough men to Negus concerning us, and to send Negus gifts of the choicest wares of Makkah. Among the things from Makkah that most delighted him was leather, so they collected a great quantity of leather for him, and they left not one of his nobles without a gift. Then they sent all of this with Abdullah bin Abu Rabia bin Mughira Makhzumi and Amr bin As bin Waail Sahmi, and they gave the two men their instructions, saying to them, "Give each noble his gift before you speak to Negus about them. Then present Negus his gifts, and ask him to hand them over to you before he speaks with them."So the two set out and came before Negus while we were with him in the best of homes and with the best of neighbors. They left not one of his nobles without giving him his gift before they spoke to Negus, and to each noble they said, "Some foolish youths of ours have taken refuge in the king's country. They have abandoned the religion of their people and have not entered your religion either, but have come with a newly invented religion that neither we nor you know anything of. The nobles of their people have sent us to the king about them, so that he may return them to their families. When we speak to the king about them, advise him to hand them over to us and not to speak with them, for their own people know them best and are best acquainted with the faults they find in them."The nobles said to them, "Certainly."Then the two men presented their gifts to Negus, and he accepted them. Then they spoke to him and said, "Your Majesty, some foolish youths of ours have taken refuge in your country. They have abandoned the religion of their people and have not entered your religion either, but have come with a newly invented religion that neither we nor you know anything of. The nobles of their people, their fathers and their uncles and their clans, have sent us to you about them, so that you may return them to their families, for they know them best and are best acquainted with the faults they find in them and reproach them for."Nothing was more hateful to Abdullah bin Abu Rabia and Amr bin As than that Negus should hear the words of our people.His nobles around him said, "They speak the truth, Your Majesty. Their own people know them best and are best acquainted with the faults they find in them. Hand them over to these two, and let them take them back to their own land and their own people."At this Negus grew angry and said, "No, by Allah, I will not hand them over to these two, nor will I deal treacherously with a people who have come to live beside me, settled in my land, and chosen me over everyone else, until I summon them and question them about what these two say concerning them. If they are as these two describe, I will hand them over and send them back to their people. But if they are otherwise, I will protect them from these two and continue to be a good neighbor to them as long as they remain beside me."Then he sent for the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and summoned them. When his messenger came to them they gathered together and said to one another, "What will you say to the man when you come before him?"They said, "By Allah, we will say what we know and what our Prophet ﷺ commanded us, whatever comes of it."When they came to him, Negus had already summoned his bishops, who spread out their scriptures around him, and he questioned them, asking, "What is this religion for which you have parted from your people, without entering my religion or the religion of any of these other communities?"The one who spoke to him was Jafar bin Abu Talib, who said, "Your Majesty, we were a people of ignorance. We worshipped idols, ate carrion, committed shameful deeds, severed the bonds of kinship, and mistreated our neighbors. The strong among us devoured the weak. We remained like that until Allah sent us a messenger from among ourselves, whose lineage, truthfulness, trustworthiness, and purity we knew. He called us to Allah Most High, that we should declare His oneness and worship Him and cast off the stones and idols that we and our fathers used to worship besides Him. He commanded us to speak truthfully, to return what is entrusted to us, to maintain the ties of kinship, to treat our neighbors well, and to refrain from what is forbidden and from bloodshed. He forbade us shameful deeds, false speech, consuming the property of orphans, and slandering chaste women. He commanded us to worship Allah alone and associate nothing with Him, and he commanded us to pray, to give zakat, and to fast."He listed for him the ordinances of Islam, then said, "So we believed him and had faith in him and followed him in what he brought. We worshipped Allah alone, associating nothing with Him. We treated as forbidden what he declared forbidden to us and as lawful what he declared lawful to us. Then our people turned against us and tortured us and tried to turn us from our religion, to bring us back from the worship of Allah to the worship of idols, and to make us treat as lawful the foul things we once permitted ourselves. When they overpowered us, wronged us, made life hard for us, and stood between us and our religion, we came out to your land and chose you over all others. We desired your protection and hoped that we would not be wronged in your presence, Your Majesty."Negus said to him, "Do you have anything with you of what he brought from Allah?"Jafar said, "Yes."Negus said, "Then recite it to me."So he recited to him the opening passage of Kaf Ha Ya Ayn Sad. By Allah, Negus wept until his beard was wet, and his bishops wept until their scriptures were soaked, when they heard what he recited to them.Then Negus said, "This and what Musa brought surely come from one and the same lamp. Be off, the two of you. By Allah, I will never hand them over to you, nor will I deal treacherously with them."Umm Salama said that when the two men left his presence, Amr bin As said, "By Allah, tomorrow I will come to him and denounce them before him, and through him I will uproot them root and branch."Abdullah bin Abu Rabia, who was the more godfearing of the two men toward us, said to him, "Do not do it. They have ties of kinship with us, even if they have opposed us."Amr said, "By Allah, I will tell him that they claim that Isa the son of Maryam, peace be upon them both, is a servant."The next morning he went to him and said, "Your Majesty, they say something monstrous about Isa the son of Maryam. Send for them and ask them what they say about him."So Negus sent for them to question them about it. Nothing like this had ever befallen us before. The people gathered and said to one another, "What will you say about Isa when he asks you about him?"They said, "By Allah, we will say about him what Allah has said and what our Prophet ﷺ brought, whatever comes of it."When they entered his presence he said to them, "What do you say about Isa the son of Maryam?"Jafar bin Abu Talib said to him, "We say about him what our Prophet ﷺ brought. He is the servant of Allah and His messenger, His spirit and His word, which He cast into Maryam, the virgin and the chaste."Negus struck his hand on the ground, picked up a twig from it, and said, "Isa the son of Maryam did not exceed what you have said by so much as this twig."His nobles around him snorted in disapproval at what he said, and he said, "Snort as you will, by Allah. Go, for you are safe in my land. Whoever insults you shall pay a fine. Whoever insults you shall pay a fine. Whoever insults you shall pay a fine. I would not wish to have a mountain of gold and to have harmed one man among you."The word he used for mountain is the Abyssinian word.Then he said, "Give these two back their gifts. We have no need of them. By Allah, Allah took no bribe from me when He restored my kingdom to me, so why should I take a bribe in this matter? He did not obey people against me, so why should I obey them against Him?"So the two left his presence in disgrace, with what they had brought handed back to them, and we stayed on with him in the best of homes and with the best of neighbors.By Allah, we were in that state when a man rose up against him to contest his kingship. By Allah, we never knew a grief more severe than the grief we felt then, out of fear that this man would prevail over Negus and that a man would come to power who did not recognize our rights as Negus had.Negus marched out, with the breadth of the Nile between the two forces, and the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Who will go out and witness the battle between them and then bring us the news?"Zubayr bin Awwam said, "I will."He was one of the youngest of the group. They inflated a waterskin for him, and he put it against his chest and swam across on it until he reached the side of the Nile where the two forces were to meet. Then he went on until he was present at the battle.We prayed to Allah Most High to grant Negus victory over his enemy and to establish him firmly in his land, and the affair of Abyssinia was settled securely in his favor. So we remained with him in the best of dwellings until we came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was in Makkah.

حدثنا يعقوب حدثنا أبي عن محمد بن إسحاق حدثني محمد بن مسلم بن عبد الله بن شهاب عن أبي بكر بن عبد الرحمن بن الحارث بن هشام المخزومي

عن أم سلمة ابنة أبي أمية بن المغيرة زوج النبي ﷺ قالت

لما نزلنا أرض الحبشة جاورنا بها خير جار النجاشي أمنا على ديننا وعبدنا الله تعالى لا نؤذى ولا نسمع شيئا نكرهه فلما بلغ ذلك قريشا ائتمروا أن يبعثوا إلى النجاشي فينا رجلين جلدين وأن يهدوا للنجاشي هدايا مما يستطرف من متاع مكة وكان من أعجب ما يأتيه منها إليه الأدم فجمعوا له أدما كثيرا ولم يتركوا من بطارقته بطريقا إلا أهدوا له هدية ثم بعثوا بذلك عبد الله بن أبي ربيعة بن المغيرة المخزومي وعمرو بن العاص بن وائل السهمي وأمروهما أمرهم وقالوا لهما ادفعا إلى كل بطريق هديته قبل أن تكلموا النجاشي فيهم ثم قدموا للنجاشي هداياه ثم سلوه أن يسلمهم إليكم قبل أن يكلمهم قالت فخرجا فقدما على النجاشي ونحن عنده بخير دار وخير جار فلم يبق من بطارقته بطريق إلا دفعا إليه هديته قبل أن يكلما النجاشي ثم قال لكل بطريق منهم إنه قد صبا إلى بلد الملك منا غلمان سفهاء فارقوا دين قومهم ولم يدخلوا في دينكم وجاءوا بدين مبتدع لا نعرفه نحن ولا أنتم وقد بعثنا إلى الملك فيهم أشراف قومهم لنردهم إليهم فإذا كلمنا الملك فيهم فأشيروا عليه بأن يسلمهم إلينا ولا يكلمهم فإن قومهم أعلى بهم عينا وأعلم بما عابوا عليهم فقالوا لهما نعم ثم إنهما قربا هداياهم إلى النجاشي فقبلها منهما ثم كلماه فقالا له أيها الملك إنه قد صبا إلى بلدك منا غلمان سفهاء فارقوا دين قومهم ولم يدخلوا في دينك وجاءوا بدين مبتدع لا نعرفه نحن ولا أنت وقد بعثنا إليك فيهم أشراف قومهم من آبائهم وأعمامهم وعشائرهم لتردهم إليهم فهم أعلى بهم عينا وأعلم بما عابوا عليهم وعاتبوهم فيه قالت ولم يكن شيء أبغض إلى عبد الله بن أبي ربيعة وعمرو بن العاص من أن يسمع النجاشي كلامهم فقالت بطارقته حوله صدقوا أيها الملك قومهم أعلى بهم عينا وأعلم بما عابوا عليهم فأسلمهم إليهما فليردانهم إلى بلادهم وقومهم قال فغضب النجاشي ثم قال لا هايم الله إذا لا أسلمهم إليهما ولا أكاد قوما جاوروني ونزلوا بلادي واختاروني على من سواي حتى أدعوهم فأسألهم ما يقول هذان في أمرهم فإن كانوا كما يقولان أسلمتهم إليهما ورددتهم إلى قومهم وإن كانوا على غير ذلك منعتهم منهما وأحسنت جوارهم ما جاوروني قالت ثم أرسل إلى أصحاب رسول الله ﷺ فدعاهم فلما جاءهم رسوله اجتمعوا ثم قال بعضهم لبعض ما تقولون للرجل إذا جئتموه قالوا نقول والله ما علمنا وما أمرنا به نبينا ﷺ كائن في ذلك ما هو كائن فلما جاءوه وقد دعا النجاشي أساقفته فنشروا مصاحفهم حوله ليسألهم فقال ما هذا الدين الذي فارقتم فيه قومكم ولم تدخلوا في ديني ولا في دين أحد من هذه الأمم قالت فكان الذي كلمه جعفر بن أبي طالب فقال له أيها الملك كنا قوما أهل جاهلية نعبد الأصنام ونأكل الميتة ونأتي الفواحش ونقطع الأرحام ونسيئ الجوار يأكل القوي منا الضعيف فكنا على ذلك حتى بعث الله إلينا رسولا منا نعرف نسبه وصدقه وأمانته وعفافه فدعانا إلى الله تعالى لنوحده ونعبده ونخلع ما كنا نعبد نحن وآباؤنا من دونه من الحجارة والأوثان وأمر بصدق الحديث وأداء الأمانة وصلة الرحم وحسن الجوار والكف عن المحارم والدماء ونهانا عن الفواحش وقول الزور وأكل مال اليتيم وقذف المحصنة وأمرنا أن نعبد الله وحده لا نشرك به شيئا وأمرنا بالصلاة والزكاة والصيام قال فعدد عليه أمور الإسلام فصدقناه وآمنا به واتبعناه على ما جاء به فعبدنا الله وحده فلم نشرك به شيئا وحرمنا ما حرم علينا وأحللنا ما أحل لنا فعدا علينا قومنا فعذبونا ففتنونا عن ديننا ليردونا إلى عبادة الأوثان من عبادة الله وأن نستحل ما كنا نستحل من الخبائث ولما قهرونا وظلمونا وشقوا علينا وحالوا بيننا وبين ديننا خرجنا إلى بلدك واخترناك على من سواك ورغبنا في جوارك ورجونا أن لا نظلم عندك أيها الملك قالت فقال له النجاشي هل معك مما جاء به عن الله من شيء قالت فقال له جعفر نعم فقال له النجاشي فاقرأه علي فقرأ عليه صدرا من كهيعص قالت فبكى والله النجاشي حتى أخضل لحيته وبكت أساقفته حتى أخضلوا مصاحفهم حين سمعوا ما تلا عليهم ثم قال النجاشي إن هذا والذي جاء به موسى ليخرج من مشكاة واحدة انطلقا فوالله لا أسلمهم إليكم أبدا ولا أكاد قالت أم سلمة رضي الله عنها فلما خرجا من عنده قال عمرو بن العاص والله لآتينه غدا أعيبهم عنده ثم أستأصل به خضراءهم قالت فقال له عبد الله بن أبي ربيعة وكان أتقى الرجلين فينا لا تفعل فإن لهم أرحاما وإن كانوا قد خالفونا قال والله لأخبرنه أنهم يزعمون أن عيسى ابن مريم عليهما السلام عبد قالت ثم غدا عليه الغد فقال له أيها الملك إنهم يقولون في عيسى ابن مريم قولا عظيما فأرسل إليهم فسلهم عما يقولون فيه قالت أم سلمة فأرسل إليهم يسألهم عنه قالت ولم ينزل بنا مثلها فاجتمع القوم فقال بعضهم لبعض ماذا تقولون في عيسى إذا سألكم عنه قالوا نقول والله فيه ما قال الله سبحانه وتعالى وما جاء به نبينا ﷺ كائنا في ذلك ما هو كائن فلما دخلوا عليه قال لهم ما تقولون في عيسى ابن مريم فقال له جعفر بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه نقول فيه الذي جاء به نبينا ﷺ هو عبد الله ورسوله وروحه وكلمته ألقاها إلى مريم العذراء البتول قالت فضرب النجاشي يده على الأرض فأخذ منها عودا ثم قال ما عدا عيسى ابن مريم ما قلت هذا العود فناخرت بطارقته حوله حين قال ما قال فقال وإن نخرتم والله اذهبوا فأنتم سيوم بأرضي والسيوم الآمنون من سبكم غرم ثم من سبكم غرم ثم من سبكم غرم فما أحب أن لي دبر ذهب وأني آذيت رجلا منكم والدبر بلسان الحبشة الجبل ردوا عليهما هداياهما فلا حاجة لنا بها فوالله ما أخذ الله مني الرشوة حين رد علي ملكي فآخذ الرشوة فيه وما أطاع في الناس فأطيعهم فيه قالت فخرجا من عنده مقبوحين مردودا عليهما ما جاءا به وأقمنا عنده بخير دار مع خير جار قالت فوالله إنا على ذلك إذ نزل به يعني من ينازعه في ملكه قالت فوالله ما علمنا حزنا قط كان أشد من حزن حزناه عند ذلك تخوفا أن يظهر ذلك على النجاشي فيأتي رجل لا يعرف من حقنا ما كان النجاشي يعرف منه قالت وسار النجاشي وبينهما عرض النيل قال فقال أصحاب رسول الله ﷺ من رجل يخرج حتى يحضر وقعة القوم ثم يأتينا بالخبر قالت فقال الزبير بن العوام رضي الله عنه أنا قالت وكان من أحدث القوم سنا قالت فنفخوا له قربة فجعلها في صدره ثم سبح عليها حتى خرج إلى ناحية النيل التي بها ملتقى القوم ثم انطلق حتى حضرهم قالت ودعونا الله تعالى للنجاشي بالظهور على عدوه والتمكين له في بلاده واستوثق عليه أمر الحبشة فكنا عنده في خير منزل حتى قدمنا على رسول الله ﷺ وهو بمكة