By: The Haqqseeker
Source: muslimvillage.com
Glory to Allāh and Salutations on Nabi Muhammad Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.
THE LETTER RASULULLĀH (SALLALLĀHU ALAYHI WASALLAM) SENT TO NAJĀSHI (NEGUS) THE KING OF ABYSSINIA
Abyssinia was the former name of Ethiopia and Eritrea where Habasha people reside. With reference to Ja’far bin Abi Tālib (radhiAllāhu ‘anhu) and other Sahabah (radhiAllāhu ‘anhum) who had migrated to Abyssinia, Rasulullāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi Wasallam) sent the following letter with Hadhrat Amr bin Umayyah Dhamri (radhiAllāhu ‘anhu) to Najāshi:
In the name of Allāh the most Kind, the most Merciful.
From Muhammad the Rasool of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi Wasallam).
To Najāshi As’ham the King of Abyssinia.
Peace be to you. Before you I praise Allāh the Supreme Sovereign, Most pure, Giver of peace and Protector. I testify that ‘Isa (‘AlayhisSalām) was the spirit that Allāh created and His Word that He cast to the chaste, pure and innocent Maryam. She bore ‘Isa (‘AlayhisSalām) whom Allāh created from the spirit and breath from Him just as Allāh created Ādam (‘AlayhisSalām) by His hand and breath from Him
I call you towards the One Allāh Who has no partner and to dutifully obey Him. I invite you to follow me, to believe in me and in that which I have brought because I am the Rasool of Allāh. I have sent my cousin Ja’far to you together with a group of Muslims. When they arrive, do treat them as your guests without arrogance.
I invite you and your forces to (the worship of) the Glorious and Magnificent Allāh. I have conveyed my message, given you good counsel so do accept my counsel.
Peace be on the one who follows the guidance.
THE LETTER OF REPLY THAT NAJĀSHI SENT TO RASULULLĀH (SALLALLĀHU ‘ALAYHI WASALLAM)
Najāshi sent the following letter in reply to Rasulullāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi Wasallam):
In the name of Allāh the Most Kind, the Most Merciful.
To Muhammad (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi Wasallam) the Rasool of Allāh.
From Najāshi As’ham bin Abjar.
May the peace from Allāh, His Mercy and Blessings be showered on you, O Nabi of Allāh. There is none worthy of worship but He who has guided me to Islam.
O Rasulullāh (Sallallāhu alayhi Wasallam), your letter concerning ‘Isa (‘AlayhisSalām) has reached me. I swear by the Rabb of the heavens and the earth that ‘Isa (‘AlayhisSalām) himself never said more than what you have mentioned. We understand the letter you have sent to us and we have entertained your cousin and his companions.
I testify that you are the true and accepted Rasool of Allāh. I have pledged my allegiance to you at the hands of your cousin by whose hand I have accepted Islām for the pleasure of Allāh the Rabb of the universe. I am sending to you (my son) Areeha bin As’ham bin Abjar.
I have control over none but my own self. Oh Rasulullāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi Wasallam)! If you wish that I come to you personally, I am prepared to do so for I testify that whatever you say is the absolute truth.
[Bayhaqi from Ibn Is’hāq as quoted in Al Bidāya wan Nihāya (Vol. 3 Pg. 83].
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THE CONVERSION TO ISLĀM OF HADHRAT ZAID BIN SU’NA (RADHIALLĀHU ‘ANHU) WHO HAD BEEN A JEWISH RABBI*
Hadhrat Abdullāh bin Salām (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) narrates that when Allāh decreed that Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) should accept Islām, Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) himself said, “When I looked at Muhammad (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) , I recognized all the signs of Nabuwāt except for two signs that I had not tested: (1) that his self-control should outstrip his anger and (2) that his tolerance should conquer a display of extreme foolishness.
Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) narrates further that Rasulullāh had just emerged from his rooms one day with Hadhrat Ali bin Abi Tālib (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) when a rider who appeared to be a Bedouin came to him. He said, “O Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam)! A few people from a certain tribe have accepted Islām because I told them that they will receive abundance in sustenance if they accepted Islām. However, no rain has fallen and they are afflicted by a drought. O Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) I fear that they may leave the fold of Islām out of greed just as they had entered out of greed. If you agree, we could perhaps send them something to assist them.”
Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na – says, “Rasulullāh looked at the person beside him who I assume was Hadhrat Ali (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu). He said, ‘O Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) I do not think that anything is left of that wealth.’ I [Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu)] approached Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) and said, ‘O Muhammad! Do you wish to sell to me a fixed amount of dates from the orchard of a specific tribe (to be paid) before a specified term?’ Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, ‘Alright, but do not specify whose orchard it shall be.’” Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) agreed and the deal was done. Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) opened his purse and paid eighty Mithqāl of gold for the specified amount of dates on a specified date. Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) handed over the money to the person and said to him, “Take this to assist them.”
Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) narrates further that there were only two or three days left before the expiry of the term, when Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) left his home to perform a funeral prayer. With him were Hadhrat Abu Bakr (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) Hadhrat ‘Umar (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu), Hadhrat Uthmān (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) and several other Sahābah. When they approached a wall to sit by, Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) came to Rasulullāh and grabbed hold of Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam)‘s collar. Staring angrily into the face of Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) he said. “O Muhammad! When are you going to pay my dues? By Allāh! All that the children of Abdul Muttalib have learnt is how to procrastinate! By mixing with you people, I now have first-hand knowledge of this!”
Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) says that as he was doing this, his gaze fell on Hadhrat ‘Umar (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) and noticed that Hadhrat ‘Umar (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu)‘s eyes were starting to roll with anger and he stared with fury. He said, “O enemy of Allāh! Do you speak to Rasulullāh like that and treat him in this manner?! Had it not been for respect of being in the company of Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) I would have cut off your neck!” Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na says that all the while, Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) looked at him in a most calm and unruffled manner. Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) then said to Hadhrat ‘Umar (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu), “O ‘Umar! All that the two of us need is for you to tell me to pay him quickly and to tell him to place his demands in a better manner. O ‘Umar! Go with him and give him his dues. Also give him twenty Sā (a unit of weight equivalent to approximately 400 gm in those days) of dates extra in lieu of the threat you gave him.”
Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na says that Hadhrat ‘Umar (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) took him along, paid him what was due and added another twenty Sā to it. When Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) asked Hadhrat ‘Umar(RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) what the twenty Sā extra were for, Hadhrat ‘Umar (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) said that it was the command of Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) because of the threat he had made. Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) then asked, “O ‘Umar! Do you recognize me?” “No,” replied Hadhrat ‘Umar (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu). Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) said, “I am Zaid bin Su’na.” “The Rabbi?” asked Hadhrat ‘Umar (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu). “Yes, the Rabbi,” was the reply. Hadhrat ‘Umar (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) then asked, “But why did you behave as you did? Why did you speak as you did?”
Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) replied, “O ‘Umar! When I looked at Muhammad (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam), I recognized all the signs of Nabuwāt except for two signs that I had not tested: (1) that his self-control should outstrip his anger and (2) that his tolerance should conquer a display of extreme foolishness. I have now tested both these attributes. O ‘Umar! I make you witness to the fact that I am content with Allāh as Rabb, with Islām as the true religion and with Muhammad (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) as the Nabi. I also make you witness to the fact that I give half of my wealth – and I am one of the wealthiest people – as charity to the entire Ummah of Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam).” Hadhrat ‘Umar (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) said, “Say that it is for a part of the Ummah because you will be unable to give all of them.” “Alright,” said Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu), “then for a part of the Ummah.
Hadhrat ‘Umar(RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) and Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) then returned to Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) and Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu) exclaimed, “I testify that there is none worthy of worship but Allāh and that Muhammad (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) is Allāh’s servant and Rasul.” He therefore accepted Imān and pledged his allegiance to Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) participated in many expeditions with Rasulullāh (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) and was eventually martyred during ‘the expedition to Tabook as he was advancing and not retreating. May Allāh shower His mercy on Hadhrat Zaid bin Su’na (RadhiAllāhu ‘anhu).
[Tabrāni. Haythami (Vol. 8 Pg. 240) has commented on the chain of narrators. Ibn Hibbān, Hākim, Abu Shaykh and others have also reported the Hadith. This is mentioned in Isāba (Vol. 1 Pg. 566) together with commentary on the chain of narrators and an addition which states that a Jew said, “I have seen every description of Muhammad (Sall-Allāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) as mentioned in the Torah except for the trait that his self-control…” The rest of the incident is as mentioned above. Abu Nu’aym has also quoted the narration in Dalā’il (Pg. 23)].
*A Rabbi is a well-versed Jewish teacher of Torah
SOURCE: HAYATUS SAHABAH By Hadhrat Moulana Muhammad Yusuf Khandhelwi (Rahmatullāh ‘alayh) Vol. 1
AND ALLĀH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST.
