Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1698
The messengers of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his correspondence to the kings and the like
إِرْسَالِهِ ﷺ عَمْرَو بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ الضَّمْرِيَّ ؓ إِلَى النَّجَاشِيِّ هُوَ عَمْرُو بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ خُوَيْلِدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ إِيَاسٍ الضَّمْرِيُّ أَبُو أُمَيَّةَ، أَسْلَمَ ثُمَّ هَاجَرَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ، وَأَوَّلُ مَشْهَدٍ شَهِدَهُ بِئْرُ مَعُونَةَ أَسْلَمَ حِينَ انْصَرَفَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ مِنْ أُحُدٍ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعَثَهُ فِي أُمُورِهِ، وَكَانَ مِنْ أَجْيَادِ الْعَرَبِ وَرِجَالِهَا، مَاتَ فِي أَيَّامِ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ ابْنُ سَعْدٍ: وَبَعَثَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى النَّجَاشِيِّ، واسمه أصحمة بن أبجر، وَتَفْسِيرُ "أَصْحَمَةَ" بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ: عَطِيَّةٌ بِكِتَابَيْنِ يَدْعُوهُ فِي أَحَدِهِمَا إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَيَتْلُو عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنَ، فَأَخَذَ كِتَابَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَوَضَعَهُ عَلَى عَيْنَيْهِ، وَنَزَلَ مِنْ سَرِيرِهِ، فَجَلَسَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ تَوَاضُعًا، ثُمَّ أَسْلَمَ وَشَهِدَ شَهَادَةَ الْحَقِّ وَقَالَ: لَوْ كُنْتُ أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ آتِيَهُ لَأَتَيْتُهُ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِإِجَابَتِهِ وَتَصْدِيقِهِ، وَإِسْلَامِهِ عَلَى يَدَيْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَفِي الْكِتَابِ الْآخَرِ يَأْمُرُهُ أَنْ يُزَوِّجَهُ أُمَّ حَبِيبَةَ بِنْتِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَبْعَثَ إِلَيْهِ بِمَنْ قِبَلَهُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ وَيَحْمِلُهُمْ فَجَهَّزَهُمْ فِي سَفِينَتَيْنِ مَعَ عَمْرِو بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ وَدَعَا بِحُقٍّ عَاجٍ فَجَعَلَ فِيهِ كِتَابَيْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَقَالَ: لَنْ تَزَالَ الْحَبَشَةُ بِخَيْرٍ مَا كَانَ هَذَانَ الْكِتَابَانِ بَيْنَ [أَظْهُرِهَا]. وَرَوَى الْبَيْهَقِيُّ عَنِ ابْنِ إِسْحَاقَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ قَالَ: بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَمْرَو بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ الضَّمْرَيَّ فِي شَأْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأَصْحَابِهِ، وَكُتَبَ مَعَهُ كِتَابًا [فِيهِ]: «بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِلَى النَّجَاشِيِّ الْأَصْحَمِ مَلِكِ الْحَبَشَةِ، سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكَ فَإِنِّي أَحْمَدُ إِلَيْكَ اللَّهَ الْمَلِكَ الْقُدُّوسَ الْمُؤْمِنَ الْمُهَيْمِنَ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رُوحُ اللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ الْبَتُولِ الطَّاهِرَةِ الطَّيِّبَةِ الْحَصِينَةِ، فَحَمَلَتْ بِعِيسَى فَخَلَقَهُ مِنْ رُوحِهِ وَنَفْخَتِهِ كَمَا خَلَقَ آدَمَ بِيَدِهِ، وَنَفْخَتِهِ وَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَالْمُوَالَاةِ عَلَى طَاعَاتِهِ، وَأَنْ تَتْبَعَنِي فَتُؤْمِنَ بِي وَبِالَّذِي جَاءَنِي فَإِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَقَدْ بَعَثْتُ إِلَيْكَ ابْنَ عَمِّي جَعْفَرَ وَمَعَهُ نَفَرٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَإِذَا جَاءُوكَ فَأَقْرِهِمْ، وَدَعِ التَّجَبُّرَ فَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ وَجُنُودَكَ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَقَدْ بَلَّغْتُ وَنَصَحْتُ فَاقْبَلُوا نَصِيحَتِي، وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى. فَكَتَبَ النَّجَاشِيُّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنَ النَّجَاشِيِّ الْأَصْحَمِ بْنِ أَبْجَرَ، سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الَّذِي هَدَانِي إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ، فَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي كِتَابُكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فِيمَا ذَكَرْتَ مِنْ أَمْرِ عِيسَى، فَوَرَبِّ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِنَّ عِيسَى مَا يَزِيدُ عَلَى مَا ذَكَرْتَ، وَقَدْ عَرَفْنَا مَا بَعَثْتَ بِهِ إِلَيْنَا، وَقَدْ قَرَيْنَا ابْنَ عَمِّكَ وَأَصْحَابَهُ، فَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَادِقًا وَمُصَدِّقًا، وَقَدْ بَايَعْتَكَ. وَبَايَعْتُ ابْنَ عَمِّكَ، وَأَسْلَمْتُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَقَدْ بَعَثْتُ إِلَيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِأَرِيحَا بْنِ الْأَصْحَمِ بْنِ أَبْجَرَ، فَإِنِّي لَا أَمْلِكُ إِلَّا نَفْسِي، وَإِنْ شِئْتَ أَنْ آتِيَكَ فَعَلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، فَإِنِّي أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مَا تَقُولُ حَقٌّ. وَرُوِيَ أَيْضًا عَنِ ابْنِ إِسْحَاقَ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى- قَالَ: هَذَا كِتَابٌ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ إِلَى النَّجَاشِيِّ الْأَصْحَمِ عَظِيمِ الْحَبَشَةِ، سَلَامٌ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى، وَآمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَشَهِدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذْ صَاحِبَةً وَلَا وَلَدًا، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، وَأَدْعُوكَ بِدَعَايَةِ اللَّهِ، فَإِنِّي أَنَا رَسُولُهُ، فَأَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلا نَعْبُدَ إِلا اللَّهَ وَلا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهَ [آلِ عِمْرَانَ 64] فَإِنْ أَبَيْتَ فَعَلَيْكَ إِثْمُ النَّصَارَى مِنْ قَوْمِكَ. تَنْبِيهٌ: قَالَ ابْنُ كَثِيرٍ: وَفِي ذِكْرِهِ هَا هُنَا نَظَرٌ، فَإِنَّ الظَّاهِرَ أَنَّ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَى النَّجَاشِيِّ، وَذَلِكَ حِينَ كَتَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى مُلُوكِ الْأَرْضِ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قُبَيْلَ الْفَتْحِ، قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ: كَانَتْ كُتُبُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَيْهِمْ وَاحِدَةً- يَعْنِي نُسْخَةً وَاحِدَةً، وَكُلُّهَا فِيهَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ [وَهِيَ سُورَةُ آلِ عِمْرَانَ] وَهِيَ مَدَنِيَّةٌ بِلَا خِلَافٍ، وَقَوْلُهُ فِيهِ إِلَى النَّجَاشِيِّ الْأَصْحَمِ، لَعَلَّهُ مُقْحَمٌ مِنَ الرَّاوِي بِحَسَبِ مَا فُهِمَ. وَأَنْسَبُ مِنْ هَذَا مَا رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ قَالَ: بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَمْرَو بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ الضَّمْرِيَّ، وَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ الْمُتَقَدِّمَ، قَالَ فِي زَادِ الْمَعَادِ، وَبَعَثَ عَمْرَو بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ الضَّمْرِيَّ إِلَى مُسَيْلِمَةَ الْكَذَّابِ بِكِتَابٍ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ بِكِتَابٍ آخَرَ مَعَ السَّائِبِ بْنِ الْعَوَّامِ أَخِي الزَّبِيرِ فَلَمْ يُسْلِمْ.
Translation
✧ His ﷺ sending ʿAmr b. Umayyah al-Ḍamrī ؓ to the Negus He is ʿAmr b. Umayyah b. Khuwaylid b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Iyās al-Ḍamrī, Abū Umayyah. He embraced Islam and then emigrated to Madinah. The first battle he witnessed was Biʾr Maʿūnah; he embraced Islam when the polytheists turned away from Uḥud. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to send him on his errands, and he was among the excellent men and stalwarts of the Arabs. He died in the days of Muʿāwiyah. Ibn Saʿd said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent him to the Negus, whose name was Aṣḥamah b. Abjar—the interpretation of "Aṣḥamah" in Arabic is "a gift"—with two letters, in one of which he called him to Islam and recited the Qurʾān to him. He took the letter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, placed it on his eyes, descended from his throne, and sat on the ground out of humility. Then he embraced Islam, bore the testimony of truth, and said: "If I were able to come to him, I would come to him." He wrote to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ informing him of his acceptance, his affirmation, and his Islam at the hands of Jaʿfar b. Abī Ṭālib. In the other letter, he commanded him to marry him to Umm Ḥabībah bt. Abī Sufyān, and he ordered him to send to him those of his companions who were with him and to convey them. So he equipped them in two ships with ʿAmr b. Umayyah, and he called for an ivory casket in which he placed the two letters of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: "Abyssinia will never cease to be in good as long as these two letters are in its midst." Al-Bayhaqī narrated from Ibn Isḥāq, may Allah Almighty have mercy on him, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent ʿAmr b. Umayyah al-Ḍamrī concerning the affair of Jaʿfar b. Abī Ṭālib and his companions, and he wrote with him a letter [in which was]: "In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. From Muḥammad, the Messenger of Allah, to the Negus al-Aṣḥam, king of Abyssinia. Peace be upon you, for I praise to you Allah, the King, the Holy, the Faithful, the Guardian. I bear witness that ʿĪsā b. Maryam is the Spirit of Allah and His Word which He cast to Maryam the chaste, pure, good, and guarded virgin. She conceived ʿĪsā, and He created him from His spirit and His blowing, just as He created Ādam with His hand and His blowing. I call you to Allah alone, with no partner to Him, to loyalty in His obedience, and to follow me and believe in me and in what has come to me. I am the Messenger of Allah, and I have sent to you my cousin Jaʿfar with a group of the Muslims. When they come to you, honor them and abandon arrogance. I call you and your armies to Allah Almighty. I have conveyed and counseled, so accept my counsel. Peace be upon him who follows the guidance." The Negus wrote to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: "In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. To Muḥammad, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, from the Negus al-Aṣḥam b. Abjar. Peace be upon you, O Prophet of Allah, from Allah, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. There is no god but He, who guided me to Islam. Your letter, O Messenger of Allah, has reached me regarding what you mentioned about the matter of ʿĪsā. By the Lord of the heaven and the earth, ʿĪsā does not increase over what you mentioned. We have recognized what you sent to us, and we have honored your cousin and his companions. I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah, truthful and confirming. I have pledged allegiance to you and I have pledged allegiance to your cousin, and I have embraced Islam at his hands for Allah, Lord of the worlds. I have sent to you, O Messenger of Allah, Arīḥā b. al-Aṣḥam b. Abjar, for I do not possess authority except over myself. If you wish that I come to you, I will do so, O Messenger of Allah, for I bear witness that what you say is true." It was also narrated from Ibn Isḥāq—may Allah Almighty have mercy on him—who said: This is a letter from the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ to the Negus al-Aṣḥam, the great one of Abyssinia. Peace be upon him who follows the guidance and believes in Allah and His Messenger, and bears witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner to Him, who has taken no consort and no son, and that Muḥammad is His servant and His Messenger. I call you with the call of Allah, for I am His Messenger. Submit and you will be safe. O People of the Book, come to a word common between us and you: that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate nothing with Him, and that none of us takes others as lords besides Allah [Āl ʿImrān 64]. If you refuse, then upon you will be the sin of the Christians among your people. Note: Ibn Kathīr said: There is a problem in mentioning this here, for the apparent thing is that this letter is to the Negus, and that was when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wrote to the kings of the earth calling them to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, shortly before the conquest. Al-Zuhrī said: The letters of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to them were one—meaning a single copy—and all of them contain this verse, which is Sūrat Āl ʿImrān, and it is Madinan without dispute. His saying in it "to the Negus al-Aṣḥam" was perhaps inserted by the narrator according to what he understood. More appropriate than this is what al-Bayhaqī narrated from Muḥammad b. Isḥāq who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent ʿAmr b. Umayyah al-Ḍamrī, and he mentioned the preceding ḥadīth. In Zād al-Maʿād he said: He sent ʿAmr b. Umayyah al-Ḍamrī to Musaylimah the liar with a letter, and he wrote to him another letter with al-Sāʾib b. al-ʿAwwām, the brother of al-Zubayr, but he did not embrace Islam.
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