Migration to Abyssinia

The hardships and suffering of the Muslims increased. The Holy Prophet therefore, gave permission to a group of Muslims to migrate to Abyssinia. Accordingly in the fith year of prophethood, a group of eleven men and four women secretly left Abyssinia. These included Hazrat Usman and his wife Ruqayya, daughter of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H). Then followed another group of seventy-nine men and seven women including Hazrat Jafar, son of Abu Talib. 

       Najashi, the Christian king of Abyssinia treated the Muslims with kindness and respect and the Muslims found a safe place to live.

       When the Quraish came to know of this, they sent a deputation with some gifts to the king to request him to hand over the emigrants to them.

'       Najashi was a kind and just man. He said in reply that he could not hand over the Muslims to them until he found out the truth about their religion. He called the Muslims to his court and after hearing the speech of Hazrat Jafar who explained the principles of Islam and what the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) had taught them, Najashi refused to send them back.

         It is said that Najashi asked Jafar to recite some ayats from the Holy Quran and Jafar recited a portion of Surah Maryam. After hearing it, Najashi said: "By God this and the Gospel are the lights of one candle".

          Thereafter Najashi returned the gifts brought by the leaders of Makkah. Thus the mission failed and the Quraish returned totally disappointed.