Chief of the Prophets

Chief of the Prophets — Page 189

Chapter Eight 189 I have already sent my cousin Ja‘far and a party of Muslims to your country. Peace be on him who follows the guidance. When Negus received Muḥammad’s letter, he raised it to his eyes and descended from his throne out of respect, and said, “I bear witness that Muḥammad is a prophet of God. ” He sent for an ivory box and secured Muḥammad’s letter in it, and said, “I am certain that as long as this letter would remain secure in our house, the people of Abyssinia would continue drawing goodness and blessings from it. ” The author of Tārīkhul-Khamīs wrote that this letter was still secured with the royal family of Abyssinia. The translation of Negus letter in response to Muḥammad’s letter follows: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful. To Muḥammad, Messenger of Allah, from the Negus Aṣḥamah. Peace be on you, Messenger of Allah, and His mercy and His blessings. Allah, besides whom there is no one worthy of worship, He it is who has guided me to Islam. Messenger of Allah! Your letter has reached me. By the Lord of heaven and earth, Jesus, peace be on him, is not any more than you have mentioned, even by a particle. I have recognized that with which you have been sent to us. I bear witness that you are a true Messenger of Allah whose truth has been testified to. I make my pledge at the hand of your cousin and embrace Islam for the sake of Allah, Lord of the worlds. Peace be on you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. 1 The letters of Muḥammad sa and Negus, both had a strange aura. It appears as if Muḥammad sa had the conviction that Negus would believe immediately upon receiving the letter, and every single word of the response of Negus also proves that his soul was ready to 1 Az-Zarqānī.