Azami 12704

Narrated by Imam Ahmad (17402/2498) and Bayhaqi in Dalail (2/301–306), both from the hadith of Muhammad bin Ishaq, and it is found in the Sirah of Ibn Ishaq (282). He said, Muhammad bin Muslim bin Ubaydullah bin Shihab narrated to me, from Abu Bakr bin Abdul-Rahman bin Harith bin Hisham Makhzumi, from Umm Salama, and he related it, the wording being that of Ahmad. Its chain of transmission is hasan because of Muhammad bin Ishaq, and the hadith is mentioned in full in the book of the Sirah.Ibn Masud also narrated something similar, as I have mentioned in the Sirah, in which it says, "Najashi picked up a stick from the ground, then said, 'O assembly of the Abyssinians, priests, and monks, by Allah, they do not add to what we say about him anything equal in weight to this. Welcome to you, and to the one from whom you have come. I bear witness that he is the Messenger of Allah, for he is the one we find mentioned in the Injil, and he is the Messenger foretold by Isa bin Maryam.'" Narrated by Ahmad (4400), and its chain of transmission is hasan.This statement by Najashi indicates that he had come across the Gospel of Barnabas, access to which was forbidden, for it is not unlikely that Najashi could have gained access to it, since he was a king among their kings. From this he came to know that this Prophet was the one foretold by Isa .See the detailed discussion in my book, "Judaism, Christianity, and the Religions of Hind."