Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 39389 — Reports on the letters of the Prophet

Ja'far bin Amr said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent four men as envoys to four persons: one man to Kisra, one man to Caesar, one man to al-Muqawqis, and Sayyiduna Amr bin Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) to the Negus. Each of these men came to speak the language of the people to whom he had been sent. When Sayyiduna Amr bin Umayyah came to the Negus, he found among them a small door through which people would pass bowing. When Sayyiduna Amr saw this, he went back walking backwards. The narrator said: This was hard on the Abyssinians sitting in the Negus's assembly, until they made a move against him, and until they said to King Negus: This man did not enter as we enter. The Negus asked: What prevented you from entering as the people do? Sayyiduna Amr said: We do not do this for our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and if we were to do this for anyone, we would do it for our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Negus said: He has spoken the truth. And the Negus said: Leave him. The people said to the Negus: This man claims that Isa (peace be upon him) is a slave. The Negus asked: What do you say about Isa? Sayyiduna Amr said: He is the word of Allah and the spirit of Allah. The Negus said: Isa could not go beyond this. (That is, it is really so.)