The First Migration (part 2 of 2): Come to a word that is just between us and you

The First Migration (part 2 of 2): Come to a word that is just between us
and you
Description: A refuge for the first Muslims and a secret
conversion.By Aisha
Stacey (© 2012 IslamReligion.com)Published on 23
Jan 2012 - Last modified on 23 Jan 2012 Viewed: 205
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> The Prophet
Muhammad > His
Characteristics
“Good is (the reward) for those who do
good in this world, and God's earth is spacious so if you cannot worship God at
a place, then go to another...” (Quran 39:10)
Muslims will often say to those of the Christian faith, “We love
Jesus too”. Muslims have a deep affection for Prophet Jesus as they do for all
of God’s prophets. This point became obvious to the King of Ethiopia and it
caused the King, his priests, and possibly others at his court to understand how
close the two religions, Islam and Christianity, are.
“ ...and you will find the nearest in
love to the believers (Muslims) those who say: “We are Christians.” That is
because amongst them are priests and monks, and they are not proud.” (Quran
5:82)
Let us revisit what we learned in
part 1. In the fourth year of prophethood, God’s messenger Muhammad sent a
small band of Muslims to Ethiopia. Among them were the weakest converts to the
new religion. Prophet Muhammad believed that the King of Ethiopia, being a
devout Christian, would give his people sanctuary and treat them with
compassion. The Meccan leaders however refused to let the new Muslims find
relief and hastened to send their own emissaries to slander and defame them.
The King, who was wise and just,
made sure he heard both sides of the debate. When each side had stated their
case he asked to hear something of the recitation sent down from God. Jafar
recited the opening verses of chapter 19 of Quran, called Maryam in honour of
the mother of Jesus. The following is a small portion of Maryam.
(The angel) said: “I am only a
messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son.”
She said: “How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I
unchaste?” He said: “So it will be, your Lord said: ‘That is easy for Me (God):
And We wish to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (God), and
it is a matter already decreed.’ “So she conceived him, and she withdrew with
him to a far place (i.e. Bethlehem valley).” (Quran 19:19-22)
The King and those with him were
moved to tears. Silent tears rolled down their cheeks and soaked into their
beards. The sublime words of Quran melted their hearts, as it had already begun
to do in Mecca. Interestingly most of the people at the Ethiopian court would
not have understood Arabic, yet the eloquence and subtly of Quran moved them.
The words were then translated for them. At this point in the story it is
fascinating to realise that God described the Christians as those whose tears
overflow when they hear the truth.
And when they who call themselves
Christians listen to what has been sent down to the Messenger, you see their
eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth they have recognised. They
say: “Our Lord! We believe; so write us down among the witnesses”.(Quran
5:83)
The King was overcome, and
exclaimed, “It appears that these words and those that were revealed to Jesus
are from the same source.” Turning to the Meccan envoys he said, “I am afraid,
I will not hand these refugees over to you. They are free to live and worship
as they please under my protection” .This did not please or satisfy the
Meccans. Their mission was to discredit the Muslims and thus the religion of
Islam. The Meccans moved forward with another plan to destroy the fledging
religion, in a pathetic attempt to influence the King they declared that the
Muslims spoke disrespectfully about Jesus.
After hearing Quran it is
unlikely that the King gave their assertion very much credit, however he called
the Muslims back into his presence and asked about their belief in Jesus. Jafar
answered truthfully and immediately. “Our belief in Jesus relies on what our
prophet has told us about him, that Jesus is God’s servant and messenger and His
Word which he bestowed on Mary. On hearing this the King declared that this
description of Jesus did not differ from their own Christian belief. The result
was that the Meccans left Ethiopia in disgrace, while the Muslims lived in peace
and security for several years before they returned to Mecca.
Several years later Prophet
Muhammad wrote letters to different rulers throughout the world inviting them to
accept Islam as their religion. Among the first leaders to receive the letter
was the King of Ethiopia. What follows is an approximate translation of that
letter.
In the Name
of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious. From Muhammad, the Messenger of
God, to the King of Ethiopia.
Peace is for
the one who follows the right guidance and believes in God and His Messenger. I
bear witness that there is no god but God. He is one and has no partners. He
has neither wife nor child. And Muhammad is His servant and His
Messenger.
I call you
to accept Islam. I call both you and your army towards God, Who is worthy of
all respect and esteem. I have thus discharged my duty of conveying His message
and advice. You should accept it, May peace be on the followers of the
guidance.
(It is believed that Prophet
Muhammad included this verse from Quran.)
“O people of the Scripture (Jews and
Christians): come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship
none but God(alone), and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none
of us shall take others as lords besides God.” (Quran 3:64)
The king received the letter with
great respect and it is believed that he accepted Islam, despite the objection
of his family and the Church. He replied to the letter saying, “O Prophet of
God, I had the honour of seeing your esteemed letter. I swear by the God, that
Jesus is nothing more than what you have described. I bear evidence that you
are a true Prophet of God and I have taken an oath of allegiance to God and His
prophet.) If you will so order, I will present myself to you. May peace and
blessings of God be upon you”.
We place great credence in this
final chapter of the story of the King of Ethiopia because when it was revealed
to the Prophet that the King, whom he had never met, had passed away, the
Prophet offered the first funeral prayer in absentia for him.
The story of the King of Ethiopia
is a small snapshot in time. It teaches us about the manners and diplomacy
between Prophet Muhammad and the noble rulers of the time. It shines a light on
the closeness of the two religions, Christianity and Islam. Prophet Muhammad
knew that truly pious Christians were, and still are, but a step away from the
religion of Islam. The eloquence of Quran is able to penetrate the hearts of
whomever God chooses to guide and the religion of Islam is open to all, king or
commoner, rich or poor, black or white.
Previous: The First Migration
(part 1 of 2): Linked by their Love for Prophet Jesus

Parts of This Article
The First
Migration (part 1 of 2): Linked by their Love for Prophet Jesus
The First Migration (part 2 of 2): Come to a word that is just
between us and you
View all parts
together