Mu'jam Kabir Tabarani 1465 — Quraysh sent Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As

Sayyiduna Ja'far bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Quraysh sent Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As and Umarah bin al-Walid to the Negus (al-Najashi) with a gift from Abu Sufyan. The two of them said to the Negus, while we were present with him: They have sent to you some of our lowly and foolish people, so hand them over to us. The Negus said: No, not until I hear what they have to say. So he summoned us and said: What do you say? We said: Our people worship idols, and Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, sent us a Messenger, so we believed in him and affirmed him as truthful. The Negus said to them: Are these your slaves? They said: No. He said: Do you have any debt owed by them? They said: No. He said: Then leave them alone. So we left his presence. Then Amr bin al-As said: These people say something about Isa (peace be upon him) other than what you say. The Negus said: If they do not say about Isa (peace be upon him) the same as what I say, I will not let them stay in my land for a single hour of the day. The narrator said: So he summoned us, and this second summons was far harder on us than the first. He said: What does your companion say about Isa son of Maryam (peace be upon them both)? We said: He says that he is the spirit of Allah and His word, which He cast to the chaste virgin. The narrator said: Then the Negus said: Call such-and-such priest and such-and-such monk. So some of them came to him, and he said: What do you say about Isa son of Maryam? They said: You are more knowledgeable than us; what do you say? The Negus picked something up from the ground and said: Isa is only this much; there is nothing about him beyond what these people have said. Then he said to them (the Muslims): Is anyone harming you? They said: Yes. So he ordered a crier, and he announced: Whoever harms any one of them shall be fined four dirhams. Then he said: Is that enough for you? We said: No. So he doubled it. The narrator said: Then, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) emigrated to Madinah and gained the upper hand there, we said to the Negus: Our companion has gone out to Madinah and gained the upper hand there, and has emigrated, and he has killed those about whom we had told you, and we intend to go to him, so give us provisions. He said: Yes. So he gave us mounts, gave us provisions and gave us gifts. Then he said: Tell your companion what I have done for you. This is my messenger who will go with you. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that he is the Messenger of Allah, so tell him to seek forgiveness for me. Sayyiduna Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We set out until we reached Madinah. the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) received me and embraced me, then said: "I do not know whether I am happier at the conquest of Khaybar or at the arrival of Ja'far." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down, and the messenger of the Negus stood up and said: Here is Ja'far; ask him what our companion (the Negus) did for them. I said: Yes, he did such-and-such for us; he gave us mounts, gave us provisions and helped us, and he bore witness that there is no god but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah, and he said: Tell him to seek forgiveness for me. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up, performed ablution (wudu), then supplicated three times: "O Allah, forgive the Negus," and the Muslims said: Amin. Sayyiduna Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I said to the messenger: Go and tell your companion what you have seen of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).