Why the Najashi's Islam Mattered Most

Not all migrations were necessarily to Medina. There were some that were from Mecca just simply leaving Mecca, going to Abbasinia, going to Medina, and elsewhere. We mentioned that there was a first initial allowance for a migration from Mecca to Abbasinia. Then there was a second. And this one was more prominent and it was more more attended by the many of the companions We mentioned that after this, The prophet made the major migration which was from Mecca to Medina. And after this he called those who were in Abbasinia, namely Jafar, Ibn Abia Talib, and those who were with him there to arrive back at Medina and to come to Medina because a new Muslim state had begun and during this time, the prophet sent to the king or emperor of Ethiopia. He sent a letter for him, a message through Omega. Inviting him to Islam, and responded by becoming Muslim and mentioning that had it not been for certain factors that kept him from may migrating himself to Medina, he would have surely done so. So, is a very good example of a Mukhabram. We said Al Mukhabram in the language or the vocabulary and the that a Mukhadram in the terminology of the scholars of Hadith and historians. This refers to someone who was a contemporary of the prophet Muhammad believed in him but did not meet him. So he accepted Islam. He lived in the same time that the prophet lived but he did not meet him physically. And the Jeshi is a perfect example of this group. Muhammad and he accepted Islam. He had some kind of contact with him in the in the form of messages that were relayed between himself and the prophet via his messengers and his companions. However, he now formed him and the prophet informed us of a Najeshi's Islam and told the companions of his death upon Islam. Is the only time a Najeshi's death is the only time in which the prophet made without the body present. This is the only time in all of his recorded history that he made. The funeral prayer. Without the present. you know, many of his companions died or were murdered, etcetera, elsewhere. Many of them died in Mecca. They died in on in route to battle, returning from battle, whatever it is, in battle, and he did not make which is referred to by the as the the prayer of the absent. The absentee funeral prayer which means that the body is physically somewhere else and we make without the body. This is something that has become overused, overused. There were plenty of people that pass way and the prophet time that were elsewhere. They there were some that were in Mecca, there were some that were all over the the known world at that time and they would pass away and the prophet did not make he only made it for Najashi. and so should only be made in the way that the prophet made it. Which means that it should only be made given circumstances a Najeshi circumstances. So what the have done is they've looked at this he made a she passes away. He is in Ethiopia. Prophet is in Medina. He tells his companions and they stand and they make they look at this and they see all the other times when he informed his companions of other people's deaths that were Muslim. But he did not do this. He did not make so what's the difference? Right? Why did he make over in Najashi and not others of his companions. Is it an issue of is it an issue of that an issue of we do not have access to the body? Is it an issue of stature? Meaning in Najesh, he was of high status and therefore, we make and others were not of high status. So, he didn't. This is not the reason, right? There were plenty of his companions who were of higher status than in Nejeshi and he didn't make it is when we look at the circumstances of a Najeshi. So, the circumstances of a Nejeshi is that he was in a land where he was Muslim and his Islam was discrete. It was not something that was public. It was not a public matter, right? Due to the circumstances that he was faced with and so, when he passed away, there was noone to make over in Najeshi. He was in a a land of predominantly non Muslims and he was his Islam and his identity as a Muslim was not a matter of public knowledge. And so when he passed away there was noone to make over in Najeshi. So the prophet made from Madina. The other companions that passed away various lands. He made they made whoever was with them would have made even if there's just one person. Even just one person buries the other and makes that is enough. That is sufficient, right? But if someone dies in a land that's in in similar to the circumstances of a Najeshi, then it is something that is that should be done and this is something that is very that is a very isolated incident in the time of the prophet all of the deaths that had occurred during his lifetime in 23 years. It was only something that happened once. Often times, in many Masajid in many places, when someone of of great prominence passes away such as a scholar or something of that sort, a good doer, passes away many massaged around the world will make not to say that is unacceptable in that case. As we said, it is a difference of opinion amongst the but we do know that for a where was done and performed under these circumstances. So, the best way to perform is under these circumstances as well. Likewise, The prophet sent message to Al Na that married to him is the daughter of Abu Sufian Omnibint Abi Sofian, who later became Muslim. She was married to difference of opinion. Many scholars and many historians mentioned that obeyed Allah have been Jash. Was Muslim. Made the first Hijra. arrived there in the land of Christianity in Ethiopia was impressed by the devoutness shall we say of the Christians there and later accepted Christianity and passed away as a Christian there. This is what is mostly reported in the books of history and Ibn Rahim Allah mentions this exact same thing. He mentions that Husband. husband was he left with her for the first hijara. He migrated to Ethiopia. He stayed there. He later became Christian. Died upon Christianity. After his death, The prophet sent a message to who at that point had accepted Islam and would be the one who is responsible for alright? Because her father at that point was not Muslim. And husband has passed away. And so her the person who would be her guardian, her legal guardian in this instance would be Al Wali. So it would be a Najayashi. So the prophet said to him requesting to be married to her. Says he gave 400 pieces of gold to her as her dowry on behalf of the prophet and commissioned bin Saeed Ibn Al As to Mary. Umu Habiba to the prophet The prophet then sent word to and to a after the seventh year after Hijalah to have his companions that are there to that are residing there that had made that first and second Hijla to make Hijra to him in Medina. And that he should send them to him. And so and Najashi commissioned two ships. along with Amar Ibn to bring them to the prophet and this was coinciding with and by the time that second group, that group had arrived from Al Habasha to Medina. Khaibar had just been, had just fallen. So, was around that time. of those who became Muslim and migrated to the prophet along with them was Abu Musal Ashari. the great Yemeni scholar and the great narrator of Hadith, one of the those who narrated the most narrations of the prophet that Abu Musa had migrated from Yemen to Ethiopia to Abyssinian and from there migrated with and group of companions with migrated to Medina. And finally met the prophet and was there with him. And so we surmise from this that Abu Musal Ash Hari had arrived and met the prophet beginning after the fall of Chaibar. After the fall of Haibar. Which is important in the science of Fiq. Ibn he says A.

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And the prophet initially sent them to Ethiopia. There were other places they could have gone. But the politics of the area and the social climate was very unpredictable. I have to remember that these tribes especially the tribes of Mecca And the tri of Quraish. They were at the heart the destination of all of the Arab tribes and the entirety of the area. Everyone made this migration to Mecca every year. Some of them performed Hajj, some of them came just to capitalize on the commerce at the time. And so, everyone would come to Mecca and then everyone would leave. And it was always this. So, people made it a priority to have good relations with Qureish. Because they were in charge of Mecca. And if Quraish wanted, they could make things very hard for other people. And they could make things very hard for other tribes. And there were certain tribes in certain regions that this yearly migration yearly hedge that took place was their livelihood. Meaning they would make in commerce, in sales, they would make their sustenance for the rest of the year. So it was really a or death situation and so, one of the things that you did not want to do if you were from Yemen or if you were from Southern Arabia or if you were from Hashem or if you were from any of these areas, one thing you don't want to do is have bad relations with because if they decide to exile you, to excommunicate you, if they decide that you're not allowed to attend this or other tribes to put to put to leverage other tribes against you. Things could become very bad And so while other tribes in the Arab region and in the Arab Peninsula may have been neutral at that time. It's unsure and unclear what the future holds. They their neutrality could be swayed. One or another based on how things turn out and so, what is the point of leaving Mecca, migrating to somewhere that is just in a year or two going to turn against you. Now, not only are you being turned against but you're being turned against by people that you have no relationship with, that you are, an interloper amongst and so, in that case, it would just be safer to remain in Mecca amongst your own tribesmen. So, to send them far away from these politics, he sent them to a Nejeshi, which is the closest, the closest, empire or closest refuge that they could go to be more or less insulated from this from these politics and this political climate that was very unpredictable at the time. And Najesh, he was Christian but he was known for his fairness. He was known to be very just, very fair, and very reasonable man. And so the prophet sent them there to him under the pretext that he is a Christian, but that he is fair and he is a person who's very god fearing and so when they made that migration there, again, Quraish did try to leverage in the against them which is what the prophet predicted was going to happen. And so, they sent a delegation headed by Abdullah. And later accepted Islam But was known Who hearers, constituents, he was known to his peers as being a man very very well spoken. He was somebody that was extremely clever and was one of those folks that could kind of talk his way out of anything, right? And so, they sent him along with Abdullah, Quraish sent him to a to get to get in his ear and to convince him to turn over these companions that had migrated to him to turn on his own refugees. and so, they arrived there in Ethiopia and they used all of their, all of their ties and connections to try to do this. they tried to leverage Najeshi's own courtesy against him. His own courtiers tried to leverage them against him. Meaning that people that are close to a Najeshi you know, they would try to get them to put in a good word for them and to try to convince in the Jeshe to turn them over And also some of Najeshi's generals to turn on him or to convince a Najeshi to hand them over. And regardless who approached and Najeshi with this this proposition of handing over his refugees, he refused to do so and so, Abdullah decided to play on a own faith. He's a Christian man And they knew that Christians were devout They have very devout reverence for Jesus. and so, they decided to kind of instigate a Najeshi against them and they said, you know, I mean, these guys that you've taken in, these refugees, they don't hold Asaph and Mariam. They don't hold Jesus in the regard that you do. They say that he's a slave, right? They left out the part that a slave to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, right? They just said a slave and it comes off the way that you say that. It comes off as if they're saying that he is less less less of a man, let alone be a prophet. And so, they brought many presents and gifts and tried to butter up in Najeshi and so, upon hearing this, he requested that the refugees be brought and at the head of them, and he asked them, what it is they really say and what's their belief with regards to E7 Mariam. And so, when they arrived, Abdul Kaim tells us here that when they arrived, Jafar said to the gatekeepers, of a Najeshe's court, that tell your king that the that the allegiance or the alliance of Allah is here requesting to enter And so and Najeshi said to them have them repeat themselves. That's quite a claim. And so they said again reiterated that the alliance of Allah of God himself is here. And so they came in and was speaking on their behalf and he asked what is your belief and your prophet's belief with regards to Isa Ibn Mariam. And so Jafar, recited the first the first, third, of Surat Mariam. Of Surat Mariam, which is dedicated to the story of Asa Alaihi Sal largely and the story of Zacharia and Yahia and Mariam. And so and Najash he listened very carefully. After which he picked up a a small twig from the ground and said there is Asa Alaihi Salam is not more by even this much than you have described him. Right? So clearly here we see that in Najesh he was not deluded into thinking what's modern Christianity usually preaches and that is that is god or that his one of three or any of these things that many Christians at that time we could dare say the majority of Christianity believed something very similar to what Muslims believe with regards to Isa Alaihi Salam. And so commanded that's all of the presence that was sent were sent by Quresh be returned to them. And when you this is how it works. If a person is in a position of power or authority, a position of discretion and someone brings them a gift, right? I'm in a position of authority, a position of discretion, and someone brings me a gift, person that I don't know. I don't know this person. They bring me a gift. Why did they bring me this gift? obviously because they want something. There is no such thing as a free lunch. People give things to receive better. That's how human beings work, right? And so, For this reason, the prophet prohibited the companions who collect and the companions who collect and so forth and go to calculate for people. He prohibited them from accepting gifts. Right? Because the only reason they're receiving this gift from this stranger is because of their position. And if you accept the gift in that position, you are indebted to the person that has given you this gift, with something in return. That's how it works. It's a transaction. It's something that's usually not spoken about A person doesn't bring a gift and say, here I give you this but I want something in return. It's understood and so, at Najesh, he returned these gifts because they gave him these gifts under the pretext that he would hand over his refugees. and he refused this and refused their gifts. And and the disillusion of his priest. It was a Christian country to the disillusion of his priest and Najashi was unwilling to believe that Asah Alaihi Salam was any different than the Quran's description of him. And And Najeshi at that point promised his refugees. And his band of companions, he promised them He promised them stability in his land and refuge. And he promised them safety. And he informed them that anyone who insults you or attempts to harm you here in my dominion and my kingdom will be punished for doing so. are considered to be almost their honored guests. He promised them safety. and he mentioned that no matter what Quresh gives him, even if it were a mountain of gold, he will not turn them over to Quresh and so, Quresh now were outplayed, right? The prophet predicted the leverage, and the political reach that Quraish and those tribes had on the Arab Peninsula and so he sent his companions somewhere where their authority would be questioned. And to a place that was economically, independent and autonomous, not reliant on Quraish, and not reliant on the religion of idolatry, and not reliant on the migration and the Hajj that happened every year. This is very important Very important because if he sent these companions to seek refuge in another tribe or in another place where they shared the same religion as Quraish or they shared an economy with Quraish or they shared some kind of incentive with Quraish, they would have probably been slain. However Alhamdulillah. The prophet thought forward and outplayed them in this and outsmarted them. He says Quresh and.

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Uncle Islam and many other prominent members of Quraish society And so Quraish started to get very worried that a lot of political clout is now making its way over to the prophet side. At first, it was just, you know, interlopers that were passing through Mecca or slaves or servants or people that were poor or not from any reputable tribe. But now we have people Hamza, Ibn Abdul Mukbalib and you have these prominent members and the elite of Quresh society and tribesmen start to become Muslim. This is a problem. Because that means that political plot and influence is now transitioning to the Muslim side. This is when they started to get really really worried And so They decided to band together and to collectively banish Hashem and Beni Al Mut Talib. Benny Hashem and Benim Mukpalib, the prophet strive. They decided that all of the tribes of Quresh were going to get together You know, his one uncle is now become Muslim, Hamza. And his uncle Abu Talib is not Muslim but he's protecting him and he's acting he's Muslim. So, we have to take matters a little bit more seriously and so, they decided to get together, the main tribes and to banish an excommunicate as it were, Benny Hasham and Benny Abdul and Beniel Muktalib. But they decided not to marry anyone from those tribes and that noone from those tribes was to marry outside of their own tribe. Nor will they speak to them. It is it is against this bond, this allegiance to even interact with them, to totally ostracize them. Nor to they are not to speak to them, they are not to wed from them, they are not to deal with them, They are not to sell or buy, or trade, or anything. Total excommunication, until they decide to give up the messenger of because they wanted to kill him. The only thing that stopped them really from killing him by Allah's grace is his status as being from Benihashem. And so this was very prominent tribe in Quraish. It's the most prominent tribe of Quraish. So they were really unable to unable to do really what they wanted to do. They're unable to do that because of the fallout that would happen. The fallout would be inevitably war and so forth. And so they decided, look, we're going to excommunicate, completely ostracize, and to have a an economic embargo against Benny Hasham until they hand over the prophet and so they wrote this in a document and they had the main tribesmen, tribe leaders signed this and they went and hung it in the Kaaba itself. This document, right? Basically, them all agreeing to oppress the messenger of Allah and anyone who would associate with him. And they took this and they hung it in the Kaaba almost as if to make themselves feel a little bit better about what they're really doing.

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Ibn And.