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JA'FAR IBN ABI TAALIB
You Resemble Your Prophet in Your Looks and Conduct.
Notice his majestic youth and blooming vigor, patience, compassion, piety, modesty, and devoutness.
Notice his fearlessness, generosity, purity, chastity, honesty, and trustworthiness. Notice his magnificent
nature, virtue, and greatness. Do not let the fact that all these excelling traits were found in one man
astonish you, for you are looking at a man who resembled the Prophet in his looks and conduct. The
Prophet gave him the epithet "Father of the Poor" and the agnomen "The Two Winged". You are about to
meet the twittering heavenly sparrow, Ja'far Ibn Abii Taalib, one of the great Muslims who contributed
much to shaping the conscience of life.
He embraced Islam and was raised to a high station among the early believers. On the same day, his
wife, Asmaa' Bint `Umais, submitted herself to Islam. They had their share of abuse and oppression,
which they withstood with courage and joy. When the Prophet (PBUH) advised his Companions to
emigrate to Abyssinia, Ja'far and his wife were among those who acted upon his advice. There, they
settled for a number of years, during which they had three children: Muhammad, `Abd Allah and `Awf.
In Abyssinia, Ja'far Ibn Abi Taalib was the eloquent Companion who won through in the way of
Allah and His prophet, for among Allah's graces bestowed on him were his noble heart, alert mind,
sagacious spirit, and fluent speech. The Battle of Mu'tah, in which he was martyred, was his most
magnificent, glorious and immortal feat. Yet the Day of Al-Mujaawarah, which he executed before An-
Najaashii in Abyssinia, was not less in magnificence glory and grace. In fact, it was a singular battle of
words and an impressive scene.
Now, the Muslim emigration to Abyssinia did not set the fears of the Quraish to rest nor lessen their
grudges and spite against the Muslims. On the contrary, the Quraish were afraid lest the Muslims should
gain momentum there and increase in number and power. If that did not happen, the Quraish's
haughtiness and arrogance could not accept the fact that those fugitives had fled their tyranny and
ruthlessness and had settled in another country which the Prophet (PBUH) saw as a promising land for
Islam. Therefore, the Quraish leaders decided to send delegates to An-Najaashii with expensive gifts and
the hope that he would expel those fugitives from his country. The two chosen delegates were `Abd
Allah lbn Abi Rabii'ah and `Amr Ibn Al-Aas before they had embraced Islam.
An-Najaashii, or Negus, the emperor of Abyssinia, was an enlightened believer. Deep inside he
embraced a rational and pure Christianity, void of deviation, fanaticism, and narrow-mindedness. He was
renowned and highly admired for his justice. Hence, the Prophet (PBUH) chose his country for his
Companions' immigration. Now, the Quraish were afraid lest they should not be able to convince him of
their viewpoint. Therefore, their two delegates carried many expensive gifts for the bishops and
archbishops of the church and were advised not to meet An-Najaashii until they had given those presents
to the bishops and convinced them of their viewpoint so that they would support them before An-
Najaashii.
As soon as the two delegates arrived in Abyssinia, they met the spiritual leaders and lavished the
gifts on them. Then they sent An-Najaashii his presents. Afterwards, they began to incite the priests and
bishops against the Muslim immigrants and asked them to support them in their plea to An-Najaashij to
expel them. A day was set for the Muslims to meet An-Najaashii and confront, before his eyes, their
spiteful and mischievous enemies.
On the appointed day, An-Najaashii sat on the throne in awesome dignity, surrounded by the
bishops and his retinue. Right in front of him in the vast hall sat the Muslim immigrants, enveloped by
Allah's calmness, tranquility, and mercy which He had sent down upon them. The two Quraish delegates
stood to reiterate their accusation which they had presented before An-Najaashii in a private meeting
right before this huge audience.