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effort and used all means of modern technology to verify the text of the letter, which reads as
follows:
“In the Name of Allâh,the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
From Muhammad the Messenger of Allâh to Negus, king of Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
Peace be upon him who follows true guidance. Salutations, I entertain Allâh’s praise, there is no g od
but He, the Sovereign, the Holy, the Source of peace, the Giver of peace, the Guardian of faith, the
Preserver of safety. I bear witness that Jesus, the son of Mary, is the spirit of Allâh and His Word
which He cast into Mary, the virgin, the good, the pure, so that she conceived Jesus. Allâh created
him from His spirit and His breathing as He created Adam by His Hand. I call you to Allâh Alone with
no associate and to His obedience and to follow me and to believe in that which came to me, for I
am the Messenger of Allâh. I invite you and your men to Allâh, the Glorious, the All-Mighty. I hereby
bear witness that I have communicated my message and advice. I invite you to listen and accept
my advice. Peace be upon him who follows true guidance.”
The text of this letter is doubtlessly authentic, but to maintain that it was written after Al-
Hudaibiyah event is still a question lacking in definite evidence.
When ‘Amr bin Omaiyah Ad-Damari communicated the Apostolic letter to Negus, the latter took the
parchment and placed it on his eye, descended to the floor, confessed his faith in Islam and wrote
the following reply to the Prophet (Peace be upon him).
“In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
From Negus Ashama to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allâh. Peace be upon you, O Messenger of
Allâh! and mercy and blessing from Allâh beside Whom there is no god. I have received your letter
in which you have mentioned about Jesus and by the Lord of heaven and earth, Jesus is not more
than what you say. We fully acknowledge that with which you have been sent to us and we have
entertained your cousin and his companions. I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allâh,
true and confirming (those who have gone before you), I pledge to you through your cousin and
surrender myself through him to the Lord of the worlds.”
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) had asked Negus to send Ja‘far and his companions, the
emigrants to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), back home. They came back to see the Prophet (Peace be upon
him) in Khaibar. Negus later died in Rajab 9 A.H. shortly after Tabuk
Ghazwa
. The Prophet (Peace
be upon him) announced his death and observed prayer in absentia for him. Another king succeeded
Negus to the throne and another letter was sent to him by the Prophet (Peace be upon him) but
whether or not he embraced Islam is still a question not answered yet.
2.Letter to the Vicegerent of Egypt, called Muqawqas:
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) wrote to Juraij bin Matta, called Muqawqas, vicegerent of Egypt
and Alexandria saying:
“In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
From Muhammad slave of Allâh and His Messenger to Muqawqas, vicegerent of Egypt.
Peace be upon him who follows true guidance. Thereafter, I invite you to accept Islam. Therefore, if
you want security, accept Islam. If you accept Islam, Allâh, the Sublime, shall reward you doubly.
But if you refuse to do so, you will bear the burden of the transgression of all the Copts.
·
“Say [O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)]: ‘O people of the Scripture (Jews and
Christians), come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but
Allâh, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as
lords besides Allâh.’ Then, if they turn away, say: ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’ ”
[3:64]
Hatib bin Abi Balta‘a, who was chosen to communicate the message, requested an audience with
Muqawqas before imparting the contents of the letter. He addressed Egypt’s vicegerent saying:
“There used to be someone before you who had arrogated the status of the Supreme Lord, so Allâh
puhim and made an example of him in the Hereafter, and in this life; therefore, take warning and
never set a bad example to others.” Muqawqas answered: “We are in no position to relinquish our
religion except for a better one.” Hatib resumed: “We invite you to embrace Islam, which will suffice
you all what you may lose. Our Prophet has called people to profess this Faith, Quraish and the Jews
stood against him as bitter enemies, whereas Christians stood closest to his Call. Upon my life,
Moses’s news about Christ is identical to the latter’s good tidings about the advent of Muhammad;
likewise, this invitation of ours to you to embrace Islam is similar to your invitation to the people of
Torah to accept the New Testament. Once a Prophet rises in a nation, he is eligible for positive
response, hence you are subject to the same Divine Law. Bear in mind that we have not come to
dissuade you from religion of Christ but rather bidding you to adhere to its tenets.” Muqawqas
meditated over the contents of the letter deeply and said: “I have come to the conviction that this
Prophet bids nothing abominable; he is neither a straying magician nor a lying soothsayer. He bears
the true manifest seeds of Prophethood, and so I will consider the affair deeply.” He took the
parchment and ordered that it be kept in an ivory casket. He called a scribe to write the following
reply in Arabic:
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