IMAM ABU AL-FIDA' ISMA'IL IBN KATHTR 9"He replied, 'If they do not say about Jesus as I do, I will not allow them to
stay in my land a single hour of the day!'
"And so he sent for us, this second invitation being harder upon us than the
first.
"The Negus asked, 'What does your master say about Jesus, son of Mary?'
"We replied, 'He says that He is the spirit of God and His word that He cast
to a chaste virgin.'
"He then dispatched a messenger, saying, 'Summon to me such-and-such a
priest, such-and-such a monk.'
"Some men of theirs came and he asked, 'What do you say concerning Jesus,
son of Mary? '
"They replied, 'You are the most knowledgeable of us; what do you say?'
"The Negus replied, having picked something up from the ground, 'Jesus is
no more different from what these people say than this much.'
"He then asked, 'Is anyone harming you people?'
"They replied, 'Yes.'
"So then a crier announced, 'Whoever harms any one of them is to be fined
fow dirhams.'
"Then he asked, 'Is this enough for you?'
"We replied, 'No.' So the king doubled the fine."
Ja'far went on: "When the Messenger of God (SAAS) emigrated to Medina
and proclaimed himself there, we told him (the Negus) 'The Messenger of God
(SAAS) ha proclaimed himself and gone to Medina; he has killed those we told
you about. We wish to travel to him, so send us back.'
"'Yes, I will,' he replied. He gave us mounts and provisioned us, then said,
'Inform your master how I have treated you. This man, my friend, will go with
you. I bear witness that there is no god but God and that he is the Messenger of
God. Ask him to pray for forgiveness for me.'
Ja'far went on: "So we left and went to Medina where the Messenger of God
(SAAS) met us. He embraced me, then said, 'I don't know what pleases me more
-the victory at Khaybar, or the arrival of Jacfar!'"
This coincided with the victory at Khaybar. He then sat down.
The envoy of the Negus then said, "This man, Ja'far, ask hi how our master
treated him."
So he, Ja'far, said, "Yes, he acted in such-and-such a way, then gave us
mounts and provisions and bore witness that there is no god but God and that
you are the Messenger of God. He also told me, 'Ask him to pray for forgiveness
for me."'
The Messenger of God (SAAS) then arose, performed the prayer ablutions
and prayed three times: "0 God, forgive the Negus!" And the Muslims present
said, "Amen".
Then Ja'far said, "I then told the envoy of the Negus, 'Leave now, and tell
your master what you saw of the Messenger of God (SAAS).'"