Sirat Ibn Hisham 29
The beginning of the establishment of Christianity in Najran
ابْتِدَاءُ وُقُوعِ النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ بِنَجْرَانَ [ فَيْمِيُونُ وَصَالِحٌ وَنَشْرُ النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ بِنَجْرَانَ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: حَدَّثَنِي الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ أَبِي لَبِيَدٍ مَوْلَى الْأَخْنَسِ عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ الْيَمَانِيِّ أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَهُمْ: أَنَّ مَوْقِعَ ذَلِكَ الدِّينِ بِنَجْرَانَ كَانَ أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ بَقَايَا أَهْلِ دِينِ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ يُقَالُ لَهُ فَيْمِيُونُ، وَكَانَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا مُجْتَهِدًا زَاهِدًا فِي الدُّنْيَا، مُجَابَ الدَّعْوَةِ، وَكَانَ سَائِحًا يَنْزِلُ بَيْنَ الْقُرَى، لَا يُعْرَفُ بِقَرْيَةِ إلَّا خَرَجَ مِنْهَا إلَى قَرْيَةٍ لَا يُعْرَفُ بِهَا، وَكَانَ لَا يَأْكُلُ إلَّا مِنْ كَسْبِ يَدَيْهِ، وَكَانَ بَنَّاءً يَعْمَلُ الطِّينَ وَكَانَ يُعَظِّمُ الْأَحَدَ، فَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْأَحَدِ لَمْ يَعْمَلْ فِيهِ شَيْئًا، وَخَرَجَ إلَى فَلَاةٍ مِنْ الْأَرْضِ يُصَلِّي بِهَا حَتَّى يُمْسِيَ. قَالَ: وَكَانَ فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِنْ قُرَى الشَّامِ يَعْمَلُ عَمَلَهُ ذَلِكَ مُسْتَخْفِيًا، فَفَطِنَ لِشَأْنِهِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا يُقَالُ لَهُ صَالِحٌ، فَأَحَبَّهُ صَالِحٌ حُبًّا لَمْ يُحِبَّهُ شَيْئًا كَانَ قَبْلَهُ، فَكَانَ يَتْبَعُهُ حَيْثُ ذَهَبَ، وَلَا يَفْطِنُ لَهُ فَيْمِيُونُ: حَتَّى خَرَجَ مَرَّةً فِي يَوْمِ الْأَحَدِ إلَى فَلَاةٍ مِنْ الْأَرْضِ، كَمَا كَانَ يَصْنَعُ، وَقَدْ اتَّبَعَهُ صَالِحٌ وفَيْمِيونُ لَا يَدْرِي فَجَلَسَ صَالِحٌ مِنْهُ مَنْظَرَ الْعَيْنِ مُسْتَخْفِيًا مِنْهُ، لَا يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ بِمَكَانِهِ. وَقَامَ فَيْمِيُونُ يُصَلِّي، فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يُصَلِّي إذْ أَقْبَلَ نَحْوَهُ التِّنِّينُ - الْحَيَّةُ ذَاتُ الرُّءُوسِ السَّبْعَةِ - فَلَمَّا رَآهَا فَيْمِيُونُ دَعَا عَلَيْهَا فَمَاتَتْ، وَرَآهَا صَالِحٌ وَلَمْ يَدْرِ، مَا أَصَابَهَا فَخَافَهَا عَلَيْهِ، فَعِيلَ عَوْلُهُ، فَصَرَخَ: يَا فَيْمِيُونُ، التِّنِّينُ قَدْ أَقْبَلَ نَحْوَكَ، فَلَمْ يَلْتَفِتْ إلَيْهِ، وَأَقْبَلَ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِ حَتَّى فَرَغَ مِنْهَا، وَأَمْسَى فَانْصَرَفَ. وَعَرَفَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ عُرِفَ، وَعَرَفَ صَالِحٌ أَنَّهُ قَدْ رَأَى مَكَانَهُ، فَقَالَ ( لَهُ: يَا ) فَيْمِيُونُ، تَعْلَمُ وَاَللَّهِ أَنِّي مَا أَحْبَبْتُ شَيْئًا قَطُّ حُبَّكَ، وَقَدْ أَرَدْتُ صُحْبَتَكَ، وَالْكَيْنُونَةَ مَعَكَ حَيْثُ كُنْتَ، فَقَالَ: مَا شِئْتَ أَمْرِي كَمَا تَرَى، فَإِنْ عَلِمْتَ أَنَّكَ تَقْوَى عَلَيْهِ فَنَعَمْ ؟ فَلَزِمَهُ صَالِحٌ. وَقَدْ كَادَ أَهْلُ الْقَرْيَةِ يَفْطِنُونَ لِشَأْنِهِ، وَكَانَ إذَا فَاجَأَهُ الْعَبْدُ بِهِ الضُّرُّ دَعَا لَهُ فَشُفِيَ، وَإِذَا دُعِي إلَى أَحَدٍ بِهِ ضُرٌّ لَمْ يَأْتِهِ، وَكَانَ لِرَجُلِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقَرْيَةِ ابْنٌ ضَرِيرٌ، فَسَأَلَ عَنْ شَأْنِ فَيْمِيُونَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إنَّهُ لَا يَأْتِي أَحَدًا دَعَاهُ وَلَكِنَّهُ رَجُلٌ يَعْمَلُ لِلنَّاسِ الْبُنْيَانَ بِالْأَجْرِ. فَعَمَدَ الرَّجُلُ إلَى ابْنِهِ ذَلِكَ فَوَضَعَهُ فِي حُجْرَتِهِ وَأَلْقَى عَلَيْهِ ثَوْبًا، تَمَّ جَاءَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا فَيْمِيُونُ، إنِّي قَدْ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَعْمَلَ فِي بَيْتِي عَمَلًا، فَانْطَلِقْ مَعِي إلَيْهِ حَتَّى تَنْظُرَ إلَيْهِ، فَأُشَارِطُكَ عَلَيْهِ. فَانْطَلَقَ مَعَهُ، حَتَّى دَخَلَ حُجْرَتَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: مَا تُرِيدُ أَنْ تَعْمَلَ فِي بَيْتِكَ هَذَا ؟ قَالَ: كَذَا وَكَذَا، ثُمَّ انْتَشَطَ الرَّجُلُ الثَّوْبَ عَنْ الصَّبِيِّ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: يَا فَيْمِيُونُ، عَبْدٌ مِنْ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ أَصَابَهُ مَا تَرَى، فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لَهُ. فَدَعَا لَهُ فَيْمِيُونُ، فَقَامَ الصَّبِيُّ لَيْسَ بِهِ بَأْسٌ. وَعَرَفَ فَيْمِيُونُ أَنَّهُ قَدْ عُرِفَ، فَخَرَجَ مِنْ الْقَرْيَةِ وَاتَّبَعَهُ صَالِحٌ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ يَمْشِي فِي بَعْضِ الشَّامِ إذْ مَرَّ بِشَجَرَةِ عَظِيمَةٍ. فَنَادَاهُ مِنْهَا رَجُلٌ، فَقَالَ: يَا فَيْمِيُونُ؛ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: مَا زِلْتُ أَنْظُرُكَ وَأَقُولُ مَتَى هُوَ جَاءٍ، حَتَّى سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَكَ، فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّكَ هُوَ، لَا تَبْرَحْ حَتَّى تَقُومَ عَلَيَّ، فَإِنِّي مَيِّتٌ الْآنَ، قَالَ: فَمَاتَ وَقَامَ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى وَارَاهُ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ، وَتَبِعَهُ صَالِحٌ، حَتَّى وَطِئَا بَعْضَ أَرْضِ الْعَرَبِ. فَعَدَوْا عَلَيْهِمَا. فَاخْتَطَفَتْهُمَا سَيَّارَةٌ مِنْ بَعْضِ الْعَرَبِ، فَخَرَجُوا بِهِمَا حَتَّى بَاعُوهُمَا بِنَجْرَانَ وَأَهْلُ نَجْرَانَ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَلَى دِينِ الْعَرَبِ، يَعْبُدُونَ نَخْلَةً طَوِيلَةً بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِهِمْ، لَهَا عِيدٌ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ، إذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ الْعِيدُ عَلَّقُوا عَلَيْهَا كُلَّ ثَوْبٍ حَسَنٍ وَجَدُوهُ، وَحُلِيَّ النِّسَاءِ، ثُمَّ خَرَجُوا إلَيْهَا فَعَكَفُوا عَلَيْهَا يَوْمًا. فَابْتَاعَ فَيْمِيُونُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَشْرَافِهِمْ، وَابْتَاعَ صَالِحًا آخَرُ. فَكَانَ فَيْمِيُونُ إذَا قَامَ مِنْ اللَّيْلِ يَتَهَجَّدُ فِي بَيْتٍ لَهُ - أَسْكَنَهُ إيَّاهُ سَيِّدُهُ - يُصَلِّي، اُسْتُسْرِجَ لَهُ الْبَيْتُ نُورًا حَتَّى يُصْبِحَ مِنْ غَيْرِ مِصْبَاحٍ، فَرَأَى ذَلِكَ سَيِّدُهُ، فَأَعْجَبَهُ مَا يَرَى مِنْهُ، فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ دِينِهِ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِهِ، وَقَالَ لَهُ فَيْمِيُونُ: إنَّمَا أَنْتُمْ فِي بَاطِلٍ، إنَّ هَذِهِ النَّخْلَةَ لَا تَضُرُّ وَلَا تَنْفَعُ، وَلَوْ دَعَوْتُ عَلَيْهَا إلَهِي الَّذِي أَعْبُدُهُ لَأَهْلَكَهَا، وَهُوَ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ. قَالَ: فَقَالَ لَهُ سَيِّدُهُ: فَافْعَلْ، فَإِنَّكَ إنْ فَعَلْتَ دَخَلْنَا فِي دِينِكَ، وَتَرَكْنَا مَا نَحْنُ عَلَيْهِ. قَالَ: فَقَامَ فَيْمِيُونُ، فَتَطَهَّرَ وَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ دَعَا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهَا، فَأَرْسَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهَا رِيحًا فَجَعَفَتْهَا مِنْ أَصْلِهَا فَأَلْقَتْهَا، فَاتَّبَعَهُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ أَهْلُ نَجْرَانَ عَلَى دِينِهِ، فَحَمَلَهُمْ عَلَى الشَّرِيعَةِ مِنْ دِينِ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، ثُمَّ دَخَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ الْأَحْدَاثُ الَّتِي دَخَلَتْ عَلَى أَهْلِ دِينِهِمْ بِكُلِّ أَرْضٍ، فَمِنْ هُنَالِكَ كَانَتْ النَّصْرَانِيَّةُ بِنَجْرَانَ فِي أَرْضِ الْعَرَبِ قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: فَهَذَا حَدِيثُ وَهْبِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ عَنْ أَهْلِ نَجْرَانَ.
Translation
✧ The beginning of the establishment of Christianity in Najran [Faymiyun and Salih and the spread of Christianity in Najran] Ibn Ishaq said: Al-Mughirah b. Abi Labid, the client of al-Akhnas, related to me from Wahb b. Munabbih al-Yamani, that he related to them: That the entry of that religion into Najran came about because a man among the remnants of the people of the religion of Jesus son of Mary, called Faymiyun, was a righteous man, diligent in worship, abstinent from the world, whose supplication was answered. He was a wanderer who alighted between villages; no sooner did he become known in a village than he left it for a village where he was unknown. He ate only from the work of his own hands, and he was a builder who worked in clay. He used to venerate Sunday, and when it was Sunday he did no work at all, but went out to a desolate stretch of land and prayed there until evening. He said: He was in a village of the villages of Syria, doing that work of his in concealment, when a man of its inhabitants called Salih became aware of his affair. Salih loved him with a love he had never felt for anything before, and he used to follow him wherever he went, while Faymiyun did not notice him—until one Sunday, Faymiyun went out to a desolate stretch of land as he was wont to do, with Salih following him while Faymiyun did not know. Salih sat within sight of him, keeping hidden from him, not wishing him to know his whereabouts. Faymiyun stood up to pray. While he was praying, a dragon—the serpent with seven heads—came toward him. When Faymiyun saw it, he prayed against it and it died. Salih saw it but did not know what had befallen it, and feared for him. He became anxious and cried out: "O Faymiyun, the dragon has come toward you!" But Faymiyun did not turn toward him, and continued his prayer until he finished it. When evening came, he departed. He realized that he had been recognized, and Salih knew that he had seen his place. So Salih said to him: "O Faymiyun, by God, you know that I have never loved anything as I love you, and I have wanted your companionship and to be with you wherever you are." Faymiyun said: "Whatever you wish; my affair is as you see. If you know that you can bear it, then yes." So Salih kept close to him. The people of the village had almost become aware of his affair. Whenever a servant was suddenly afflicted with harm, he would pray for him and he would be healed; but if he was summoned to someone who had harm, he would not come to him. A man of the village had a blind son. He asked about Faymiyun's affair and was told: "He does not come to anyone who summons him, but he is a man who does building work for people for hire." So the man took his son and placed him in his room and threw a garment over him. Then he came to him and said: "O Faymiyun, I want to have some work done in my house, so come with me to it so that you may look at it, and I will make an agreement with you about it." He went with him until he entered his room. Then he said to him: "What do you want to do in this house of yours?" He said: "Such and such." Then the man snatched the garment off the boy, and said to him: "O Faymiyun, a servant among God's servants has been afflicted with what you see, so pray to God for him." Faymiyun prayed for him, and the boy stood up with no harm in him. Faymiyun knew that he had been recognized, so he left the village, and Salih followed him. While he was walking in some part of Syria, he passed by a great tree. A man called out to him from it, saying: "O Faymiyun." He said: "Yes." The man said: "I have been watching for you and saying, 'When will he come?' until I heard your voice and knew it was you. Do not leave until you have stood over me, for I am dying now." He said: So he died, and Faymiyun stood over him until he had buried him. Then he departed, and Salih followed him, until they set foot in some land of the Arabs. They were attacked and seized by a caravan of some Arabs, who carried them off and sold them in Najran. At that time the people of Najran followed the religion of the Arabs, worshipping a tall palm tree in their midst. It had a festival every year: when that festival came, they hung upon it every fine garment they found and the women's ornaments, then they went out to it and devoted themselves to it for a day. Faymiyun was bought by one of their nobles, and Salih was bought by another. When Faymiyun arose at night to keep vigil in a house of his—which his master had lodged him in—to pray, the house would be lit up for him with light until morning, without any lamp. His master saw that, and he was pleased with what he saw of him. He asked him about his religion, and Faymiyun informed him of it, and said to him: "You are only in falsehood. This palm tree can neither harm nor benefit. If I prayed against it to my God whom I worship, He would destroy it. He is God alone, with no partner." He said: His master said to him: "Then do it, for if you do it, we will enter your religion and abandon what we are upon." He said: So Faymiyun arose, purified himself, and prayed two rak'ahs, then prayed to God against it. God sent a wind upon it that uprooted it from its base and cast it down. Thereupon the people of Najran followed him in his religion, and he made them adhere to the sacred law of the religion of Jesus son of Mary ﷺ. Then later corruptions entered among them, such as had entered among the people of their religion in every land. Thus it was that Christianity came to be in Najran in the land of the Arabs. Ibn Ishaq said: This is the account of Wahb b. Munabbih concerning the people of Najran.
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