streated our neighbors and our strong exploited the weak. We thus lived that way, until
God raised among us an Prophet (r), of whose noble birth and lineage, truthfulness,
honesty and purity we were aware. He invited us to acknowledge the Unity of God and to
worship Him, and to renounce the stones and idols our forefathers and we ourselves used
to venerate. He enjoined us to speak the truth, to redeem our pledges, to be kind and
considerate to our kin and neighbors; he forbade us to refrain from every vice, bloodshed,
shamelessness, lies and deceit and asked us neither to encroach upon the substance of
orphans nor to vilify chaste women. He commanded us to pay divine homage to Allah
alone and never associate ought with Him; he ordered us to pay the poor-due, to observe
fast (thus enumerating other injunctions of Islam). We acknowledged his truthfulness and
believed in him; we followed him in whatever he brought from God and we worshipped
only One God without associating ought with Him; we treated as unlawful what he prohi-
bited and accepted what he made lawful for us. From then on, we were estranged from
our own people such that they persecuted us, tried to seduce us from our faith and forced
us to take back our idols for our God and they compelled us to return to the abominations
we used to commit earlier. So when they tortured and held us under their tyranny and
stood between us and our religion, we fled to your country, having chosen you above
others for our refuge. We have come here, O King, to your land seeking your protection
and we do hope that we shall not be dealt with unjustly.”
Negus listened patiently to J’afar Ibn Abi Talib (t). Then he asked J’afar if he had some-
thing brought by his Prophet (r) from God.
J’afar replied in the affirmative. Negus asked him to recite the same. Thereupon J’afar re-
cited the opening verses of Soorah Maryam. (19th Chapter, “Mary”) Negus wept until his
beard was wet, as the bishops sobbed until their scrolls were moistened with their tears,
too.
DISCOMFITURE OF THE QURAYSHITE EMISSARIES
“Truly, this and what Jesus brought are traditions from the same Heavenly light”, said
Negus. Then turning to the envoys of the Quraysh he continued, “You may go. By God, I
shall never give them up to you.”
Now, the shrewd poet ‘Amr Ibn al-‘As hurled his last shot and what a deadly tirade at that
for he said, “O King, they assert a dreadful thing about Jesus which is even unwholesome
to repeat before thee.”
Negus demanded from J’afar , “What do you say about Jesus?”
J’afar Ibn Abi Talib replied, “We say about which our Prophet (r) has taught us. He was a
creature of God and His Prophet (r), as well as His Spirit and His Word, which was cast
unto the blessed Virgin Maryam.”