All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.
Muslims migrated to Abyssinia because of the sufferings and oppression they underwent from the polytheists in the early days of Da'wah (Islamic call).
When the Muslims migrated to Abyssinia, they found it was ruled by a just king who would not accept that anyone be oppressed in his land. His name was An-Najaashi. He received them well and treated them as honorable guests. Then he told them that they could go wherever they wished in his kingdom, and that they would enjoy peace and security wherever they went.
Actually, Muslims were badly treated in the early days of Islam by the polytheists. They were severely tortured and persecuted by the polytheists of Makkah. This obliged them to migrate secretly to Abyssinia. Their first migration was in the fifth year after the revelation of Islam. The author of The Sealed Nectar writes, "The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) knew that As'hama an-Najaashi was a just king who would not accept that anybody be oppressed in his country. Thus, he (the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) ) ordered the Muslims to migrate to Abyssinia fleeing away from temptations and terror. The first group included twelve men and four women. Their leader was 'Uthmaan ibn 'Affaan may Allaah be pleased with him who was accompanied by his wife Ruqayyah may Allaah be pleased with her the daughter of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). In the second migration there were eighty-three men and ten or nine women."
Allaah Knows best.
Item Reviewed: Muslims Migration to Habasha (Abyssinia)
Description: When the sufferings and tribulations of the Muslims at the hands of the Meccans reached to its extreme in 615 A.D., Muhammad directed that those of them who could afford it should migrate to Abyssinia across the Red Sea, whose kings were known as the Negus (Najashi). As-Hama, the then Negus was a Christian king. Under the direction of Muhammad, eleven men and four women from among the Muslims migrated to Abyssinia. When the Meccans came to know of their migration, they were much upset and sent some men after them in pursuit, but the Muslims had a long start and could not be overtaken. This infuriated the malicious ones among the Meccans. They formed a deputation under Abdullah bin Rabi and Amr bin A'as, who went to Abyssinia with handsome presents to persuade the king to deliver the emigrants into their hands. In due course, this deputation stood in the presence of the king and listened to their representation. Then he sent for the refugees and asked them what they had to say.
Jafar, nick-named Taiyar (the flying), the son of Abu Talib and brother of Ali, acting as spokesman for the Muslims, stood forth and made reply, "O'king, we belong to a people steeped in ignorance. Our fathers and grandfathers worshipped idols. They ate carrion and other things unclean. They gambled and fornicated and indulged in other sins. They knew no pity, nor compassion nor human sympathy. They oppressed and persecuted the weak and the helpless. They robbed and killed without compunction. For centuries our people lived thus and then God in His mercy sent us the light. From among these cruel and headstrong people, He deputed a man to be His prophet and His messenger. This man was already known to his people as the trusted one and everyone bore testimony to the purity of his conduct, the goodness of his ways and the nobility of his birth. This man spoke to us of One God and appealed to us to worship no one but Him. We listened to his appeal and accepted it. We vowed that we would renounce all false deities and idols and worship the One True God. He taught us to be honest, kind, compassionate and just, and we obeyed his teachings. This so angered our countrymen that they persecuted and tortured us in many fearful ways. These people demanded that we should renounce our new faith and once again revert to idolatry. We refused to give up our new faith and our enemies refused to give up their persecutions. When their brutalities exceeded all limits and our lives were in peril, reluctantly, we bade farewell to our mother land, and decided to emigrate."
The king was greatly impressed, and returned the gifts brought by the leaders of Mecca, and said, "I will not hand over to you these innocent men and women who have come to me for shelter." Nevertheless, the disappointed Meccans hit upon another plan. Next day, they tried to incite the king, by telling him that the heretics did not believe in the divinity of Jesus. But in this too their hopes were frustrated. The Muslims confessed on the basis of Koranic verse that they did not look upon Jesus as God but as a prophet of God. The king picked up a straw and pointing to it said, "Jesus is in fact not even this much more than the Muslims have described him to be." Empty-handed and humbled the deputation from Mecca returned home and the leaders of Qoraish gnashed their teeth in anger.
Gradually, the number of emigrants increased in Abyssinia. Only a few days had passed in peace, when a rumour reached them that the Meccans had finally embraced Islam. On hearing this, most of the Muslims decided to return to Mecca. When they reached the city, they came to know that the report was false. The Meccans began to persecute even more severely those persons who had returned from Abyssinia. In spite of this, however, about a hundred Muslims managed to leave Mecca and settled in Abyssinia. The Meccans however did their utmost to check the tide of emigration, but all in vain.
The Abyssinian emigration gave the Meccans a conclusive proof that the Muslims were ready to run all risks, and undergo every form of hardship in the cause of Islam. They would shrink from no danger in the path of God. The Meccans did their utmost to check this tide of emigration, but all in vain. It was not until seven years after Muhammad's flight from Mecca that they rejoined their Muslim brethren at Medina.
The first hijra: Migration to Abyssinia
(International Board of Islamic Research and Resources)
Negus (Al-Najaashii), the emperor of Abyssinia, was an enlightened believer. Deep inside he embraced a rational and pure Christianity, void of deviation, fanaticism, and narrow-mindedness. He was renowned and highly admired for his justice. Hence, the Prophet (PBUH) chose his country for his Companions' immigration. Now, the Quraish were afraid lest they should not be able to convince him of their viewpoint. Therefore, their two delegates carried many expensive gifts for the bishops and archbishops of the church and were advised not to meet Al-Najaashii until they had given those presents to the bishops and convinced them of their viewpoint so that they would support them before Al-Najaashii.
As soon as the two delegates arrived in Abyssinia, they met the spiritual leaders and lavished the gifts on them. Then they sent Al-Najaashii his presents. Afterwards, they began to incite the priests and bishops against the Muslim immigrants and asked them to support them in their plea to Al-Najaashii to expel them. A day was set for the Muslims to meet Al-Najaashii and confront, before his eyes, their spiteful and mischevious enemies.
On the appointed day, Al-Najaashii sat on the throne in awesome dignity, surrounded by the bishops and his retinue. Right in front of him in the vast hall sat the Muslim immigrants, enveloped by Allah's calmness, tranquility, and mercy which He had sent down upon them. The two Quraish delegates stood to reiterate their accusation which they had presented before Al-Najaashii in a private meeting right before this huge audience.
They said, "Your Majesty, you well know that a group of fools have turned renegade and have taken asylum in your country. They did not embrace your religion, but rather invented their own religion that neither of us know. We are people of high rank who are related to their fathers, uncles, and tribes, so that you would surrender those wretched renegades to us."
Al-Najaashii addressed the Muslims saying, "What is that religion that made you abandon your people's religion and refuse to embrace our religion?" Ja'afar stood to perform the task for which he had been chosen by mutual consultation immediately before this meeting. Ja'far stood up slowly and gracefully, looked with appreciation at the hospitable king and said, "0 your Majesty, we used to be a people of ignorance. We worshipped idols, ate dead animals, committed great sin, severed family relations, and acted according to the law of the jungle. We used to believe that survival was only for the fittest until Allah sent from among us a Prophet (PBUH) who was known for his noble descent, honesty, trustworthiness, and chastity. He invited us to worship Allah alone and abstain from worshipping stones and idols. He ordered us to speak nothing but the truth and to render back our trusts to those whom they are due. Moreover, he ordered us to keep our ties of kinship intact, be good to our neighbors, and abstain from what is forbidden. He also ordered us not to commit evil, nor to say false statements, nor to eat up the property of orphans, nor to accuse chaste women of wrong-doing without proof or witness.
Hence, we believed in him and in Allah's message to him. We worshipped Allah alone. We rejected that which we used to associate with Him as His partners. We allowed as lawful what is halaal and prohibited as unlawful what is haraam. Consequently, we were harassed and abused by our people, who tried to turn us away from what Allah had sent down to the Prophet (PBUH) so that we may return to idol worshiping and the evil and unlawful deeds we used to do. We were oppressed, abused and straitened in a way that prevented us from the proper worship of Allah. They even tried to force us to turn apostate. Therefore, we fled to your country and asked for asylum to escape oppression and tyranny."
When Ja'far finished his glorious words which were as clear as daylight, Al-Najaashii was gripped by compassion and grace. He addressed Ja'far saying, "Do you have a scroll on which you have written the words of your Prophet?" Ja'far replied, "Yes." Al-Najaashii ordered, "Read it aloud." Ja'far recited a number of verses from Surat Maryam in such a slow, sweet, subdued, and captivating voice that it made Al-Najaashii and all his bishops cry.
When he wiped his tears he swiftly said to the Quraish delegates, "These words, of what had descended on 'Isaa (Jesus), come from the very same source as that of 'Isa. You are free men in a free land. I will never surrender you to them."
The meeting was over. Allah had helped the Muslims and made their feet firm; whereas the Quraish delegates were bitterly defeated. Yet 'Amr Ibn Al-'Aas was a resourceful, crafty man who could neither accept defeat nor despair easily. Therefore, no sooner had he returned to their residence than he sat turning the matter over in his mind. Then he addressed his comrade saying, "By Allah, I will go to Al-Najaashii tomorrow and I will pluck the Muslims out from this land once and for all." His comrade replied, "You must not do that, for despite their disobedience, they are still related to us." 'Amr said, "By Allah, I will tell An-Nayaashii that they claim that ''Isa Ibn Maryam is a slave like the rest of Allah's slaves." Thus the web was spun by the shrewd delegate so as to lead the Muslims unawares right into the trap. The Muslims were put in a tight comer, for if they said that 'Isa was Allah's slave, they would incite the king and bishops against them, and if they denied the fact that he was human, then they would turn from their religion.
On the following day, 'Amr hastened to meet the king and said, "Your Majesty, those Muslims utter an awful saying against 'Isa." At once, the bishops were agitated by this short but fatal sentence. They asked the Muslims once again to meet the king so as to clarify their religious standpoint concerning 'Isa.
When the Muslims found out about the new plot, they discussed the possibilities, then agreed to say nothing but the truth as said by the Prophet (PBUH), regardless of the consequences. Once again, the audience was held and Al-Najaashii started it by asking Ja'far, "What does your religion say about 'Isa?" Ja'far, stood once again like a gleaming lighthouse and said, "We say what has descended on our Prophet (PBUH): he is Allah's Messenger, His word which He bestowed, and a spirit created by Him." Al-Najaashii cried out in assent and said that the same words had been said by ''Isa to describe himself, but the lines of bishops roared in disapproval. Nevertheless, the enlightened, believing Al-Najaashii declared, "You are free to go now. My land is your sanctuary. Anyone who dare to abuse or mistreat you in any way will be severely punished." He addressed his retinue and pointed towards the Quraish delegation declaring, "Give them back their presents, for I do not want them. God did not take a bribe from me when He restored my kingdom; therefore, I will not be bribed against Him!"
After the Quraish delegates had been utterly disgraced, they headed back to Makkah. The Muslims headed by Ja'far went on with their secure life in Abyssinia. They settled in the "most hospitable land of the most hospitable people".
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very good information for Muslim children, you are doing great work ,, thanks
ReplyDeleteMay Allah Help you always , shukriya
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