Islam aims at creating a society which does not only implement God's orders and laws, but also adopts values that ensure its strength as a coherent, caring society. Ideally, every member of society plays an important role and has something of value to contribute to the society. The bond between people of faith should be strong and it should span across borders and countries; those who share the same faith share the strongest of relations.
History is filled with stories that show the good relations that existed between individual Muslims, and also between neighboring countries, supporting one another for the sake of their faith. In the earliest days of Islam, when the preaching to Islam had just begun in Makkah, the number of converts to Islam, though small at first, was increasing year after year. No means of torture or harm inflicted upon them was able to stop people from converting to Islam.
The increase in the number of converts to Islam was making the leaders of the tribe of Quraysh angry. Hence, the persecution against Muslims increased day by day, including physical torture, financial sanctions, and social ridicule.
When their suffering seemed almost insurmountable, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) informed the Muslims of a just king, named Al-Najashi, in Habasha (Ethiopia), and that the Muslims could migrate to that country.
One night, at midnight, a small group of Muslims who had sailed across the Red Sea, went to Ethiopia. Meanwhile, the men of Quraysh increased their torture against the Muslims who stayed in Makkah. At that critical time, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ordered his cousin Jaafar bin Abi Talib to lead a bigger group of 80 Muslims to Ethiopia.
Jaafar began leading the immigrating caravan towards the coasts of the sea, and they set sail to Ethiopia, where they were welcomed and treated well. This news did not please the leaders of Quraysh, and they decided to send a delegation to Ethiopia to negotiate with Al-Najashi, and to bring back the runaway Muslims. They came with riches and gifts in hopes of wooing the king. Al-Najashi, the king of Ethiopia, was a just and wise man.
He replied to the men of Quraysh, “How can I hand you the people who have chosen my country and asked me for help? But I will ask them some questions. If their thoughts are corrupt; if they are deviated, I will hand them to you. Otherwise, I will leave them to live in my country.”
The Christian king, Al-Najashi, called for the Muslim immigrants and asked them about this new religion they were following.
Jaafar said, “Your Majesty, the King, we were [before Islam] ignorant people. We worshipped idols. We did bad actions and abandoned our relatives. We mistreated our neighbors. The strong oppressed the weak. So Allah has sent us an Apostle. We know his ancestors and his truthfulness.
We know that he is pure and trustworthy; he has invited us to worship only one God, Allah. He has ordered us to avoid what we and our fathers had worshipped. He has ordered us to be truthful and to give the trusts to their owners. He has ordered us to visit our relatives, to be good neighbors, to stop bad actions and shedding blood. He has prevented us from atrocities, falsehood taking the orphan's money and speaking evil of honorable women. He has ordered us to worship Allah only and not to be polytheists. He has ordered us to pray, to give alms, and to fast.”
Al-Najashi asked Jaafar to read some verses from the Muslims' Holy Book, the Qur'an. The king listened to the verses that Jaafar recited, verses from the Chapter of Maryam (Mary), the blessed woman who was given the blessed child, Isa (Jesus), who spoke in his cradle and said that he is the Prophet of God.
The king wept, tears flowing down his cheeks, and the priests and monks wept. Negus confirmed that certainly their Holy Book and this Holy Book that was sent to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon) was from the same source, from One God.
Turning to the delegates from the Quraysh tribe, Al-Najashi said angrily, “I will not hand them to you and I will defend them. They are safe to stay in my country.”
He ordered his soldiers to dismiss the delegation of Quraysh and to return their gifts to them.
Al-Najashi supported the Muslims and welcomed them in his country, where they stayed until it was safe again for them to return to Makkah. After that, the Muslims prepared for their second migration, to Madinah where they would find fertile ground to worship freely and to establish an Islamic community.
Some historians wrote that Al-Najashi actually accepted and embraced the faith of Islam.
About 8 years after Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) migrated to Madinah, news came of the death of the noble king, Al-Najashi. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said to his companions, “Your pious brother Al-Najashi has passed away in a land other than yours.”
The Muslims gathered in the mosque and they prayed the funeral prayer for the king, who was and still is, remembered as the king who granted a safe haven to the Muslims, and who acknowledged the truth that Jesus (peace be upon him) is the Prophet of God, as is Muhammad (peace be upon him).
