through it while stooping low (1). He therefore entered it walking backwards, which displeased them and they were about to lay hands on him.
The Negus said to him, “What kept you from bowing?”
He replied, “We do not even do that for our own Prophet.”
The Negus said, “He has spoken the truth; leave him alone.”
Someone then said to the Negus, “He claims that Jesus is merely a servant.”
He asked, “What do you say about Jesus?”
He answered, “He is the Word of God and His Spirit.”
The Negus remarked, “Jesus himself could not say anything beyond that.” (2)
ʿAmr ibn Umayya died during the reign of Muʿawiya.
34 – Rafiʿ ibn Khadij ibn Rafiʿ ibn ʿAdi ibn Tazid al-Ansari* (3) (ʿ)
Al-Khazraji, of Medina, Companion of the Prophet ﷺ.
He was considered too young on the day of Badr, but he witnessed Uhud and the later campaigns. An arrow struck him at Uhud; he pulled it out, yet the arrowhead remained lodged in his flesh until he died.
It is also reported that the Prophet ﷺ said to him, “I shall testify on your behalf on the Day of Resurrection.” (4)
(1) That is, they were bending forward because of excessive bowing (takfir), i.e. the pronounced inclination performed in prayer. It refers to a marked forward bend while still standing, before entering ruku (the formal bow).
(2) Reported by Ibn Asakir, 13/201b, 222a.
(*) Further references: Khalifa’s Tabaqat, d. 519; al-Muhabbar, pp. 411-412; al-Tarikh al-Kabir 3/299; al-Tarikh al-Saghir 1/105; al-Ma‘arif, p. 306; al-Jarh wa-l-Ta‘dil 3/479; Mashahir ‘Ulama al-Amsar, no. 39; al-Mustadrak 3/561; Jumharat Ansab al-‘Arab, p. 340; al-Isti‘ab, p. 479; al-Jam‘ bayna Rijal al-Sahihayn 1/139; Usd al-Ghabah 1/151; Tadhhib al-Asma wa-l-Lughat 1/1/187; Tahdhib al-Kamal, p. 402; Tadhhib al-Tahdhib 1/214a; Mir’at al-Jinan 1/155; al-Bidayah wa-l-Nihayah 9/3; Majma‘ al-Zawa’id 9/345; al-Isabah 1/495; Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 3/229; al-Matalib al-‘Aliyah 4/110; Mu‘jam al-Tabarani 4/282, 343; Khulasat Tadhhib al-Kamal, p. 97; Shadharat al-Dhahab 1/82.
(3) The correct reading is Tazid, written with a dotted ta above the line, as in the base manuscript, where the word “sahh” (sound) is also written; the author confirmed this spelling in al-Mushtabih 2/668. Most biographical sources, however, mistakenly render it as Yazid.
(4) Reported by Ahmad, 6/378, through the chain of ‘Amr b. Marzuq from Yahya b. ‘Abd al-Hamid b. Rafi‘ b. Khadij: “My grandmother, the wife of Rafi‘, informed me that Rafi‘ fought with the Messenger of Allah on the day of Uhud or the day of Khaybar …” (see also).