Ibrāhīm ibn Ḥamad and a group of scholars related to us, saying, “Ibn Mulāʿib informed us; al-Armawī narrated to us; Jābir ibn Yāsīn told us; al-Mukhlis reported to us; al-Baghawī transmitted to us; ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar ibn Abān conveyed to us; Asad ibn ʿAmr al-Bajalī, from Mujālid, from al-Shaʿbī, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Jaʿfar, from his father, said:

‘The Quraysh sent ʿAmr and ʿUmārah with a gift to the Negus so that they might harm the Emigrants. The story goes as follows: The Negus asked them, “Are these people your slaves?”

They replied, “No.”

He said, “Do you hold any debt against them?”

They said, “No.”

He declared, “Then leave them alone.”

ʿAmr countered, “They say about Jesus something different from what you say.”

The Negus thereupon summoned us again—the second summons was even more daunting—and asked, “What does your companion say about Jesus?”

We answered, “He says that he is the Spirit of Allah and His Word which He cast into a chaste virgin.”

The Negus ordered, “Bring me So-and-so the priest and So-and-so the monk.” Some of them came, and he asked, “What do you say about Jesus?”

They replied, “You are the most knowledgeable among us.”

He then picked up a small piece of earth and said, “Jesus did not go beyond what these people have just said by even this much.”

After that he asked us, “Does anyone harm you?”

We said, “Yes.”

He proclaimed: “Whoever harms any one of them shall pay a fine of 4 dirhams.” Then he asked, “Is that sufficient?” We said, “No,” so he doubled it.

When the Prophet ﷺ appeared openly and migrated, we informed the Negus. He sent us back, provided us with mounts and supplies, and said, “Inform your companion of what I have done for you. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah and that he is the Messenger of Allah. Ask him to seek forgiveness for me.”

We reached Madinah, and the Prophet ﷺ came out to meet me, embraced me, and said, “I do not know which pleases me more—the arrival of Jaʿfar or the conquest of Khaybar!” Then he supplicated, “O Allah, forgive the Negus,” three times, and the Muslims said, “Āmīn.”