The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) – Volume III — Page 213
VI - All Races Invited to Islām 213 Letter of the Holy Prophet sa Inviting the Negus to Islām In volume 1 of this book, Abyssinia, the Christian government of the African continent, has already been mentioned. The hereditary title of the King of this empire was ‘ Negus. ’ It has also been mentioned in volume 1 that when the persecution of the Quraish took on force against the Muslims in Makkah, the Holy Prophet sa sent many of his Companions (which included various women as well) to Abyssinia. Even though the Quraish pursued them and attempted to deceive the Negus by countless means, he stood firmly upon a course of equity and justice, and the Muslim Muhājirīn continued to live in peace and security under his rule. 1 This Negus, whose name was Aṣḥamah, was already full of praise for the Holy Prophet sa since the beginning, and looked upon him with great reverence. His conduct towards the Companions was not only just, rather, it was actually protective. However, in any case, despite holding favourable views, until now, he had not yet become a Muslim. For this reason, after the Treaty of Ḥudaibiyyah, when the Holy Prophet sa dispatched letters inviting various Kings towards Islām, on this occasion, he dictated a letter addressed to the Negus as well, and committed it to a Companion by the name of ‘Amr bin Umaiyyah Ḍamrī. The text of this letter was as follows: ْ بِسْم ِ اللّٰه ِ الرَّحْمٰن ِ الرَّحِیْمِ. مِن ْ مُحَمَّد ٍ رَسُوْل ِ اللّٰه ِ اِلَی النَّجَاشِی ِّ مَلِك ِ الْحَبْشَة ِ سَلِّم ُ اَنْتَ. اَمَّا بَعْد ُ فَاِنِّی ْ اَحْمَد ُ اِلَیْك َ اللّٰه َ الَّذِی ْ لَا اِلٰه َ اِلَّا ھُو َ الْمَلِك ُ الْقُدُّوْس ُ السَّلَام َ الْمُؤْمِن ُ الْمُھَیْمِنُ. وَاَشْھَد ُ اَن َّ عِیْسٰی ابْن ُ مَرْیَم َ رُوْح ُ اللّٰه ِ وَكَلِمَتُه ٗ اَلْقَاھَا اِلی ٰ مَرْیَم ْ الْبَتُوْلِ. . . وَاِنِّی ْ اَدْعُوْك َ اِلی ٰ اللّٰه ِ وَحْدَه ٗ لَا شَرِیْك َ لَه ٗ وَالْمُوَالَاة ِ عَلی ٰ طَاعَتِه ٖ وَاَن ْ تَتَّبِعَنِی ْ وَتُؤْمِن َ بِالَّذِی ْ جَاءَنِی ْ فَاِنِّی ْ رَسُوْل ُ اللّٰه ِ وَاِنِّی ْ اَدْعُوْك َ وَجُنُوْدَك َ اِل َی اللّٰه ِ تَعَالی ٰ وَقَد َ بَلَّغْت ُ وَنَصَحْت ُ فَاقْبَلُوْا نَصِیْحَتِی ْ وَقَد ْ بَعَثْت ُ اِلَیْك َ ابْن َ عَمِی ِّ جَعْفَرًا وَمَعَه ٗ نَفَر ٌ مِن الْمُسْلِمِیْنَ. وَالسَّلَام ُ عَلی ٰ مَن ِ اتَّبَع َ الْھُدٰی. 1 Please refer to Sīrat Khātamun-Nabiyyīn sa , Volume 1