The Story of the Negus (from the Prophetic biography)

Quraysh then said, “Our chance for vengeance lies in the land of Abyssinia,” and they chose ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀs and Ibn Abī Rabīʿah for the mission.

Al-Zuhrī relates: “I have been informed that they set out after the Battle of Badr.”

When the Prophet ﷺ heard of their departure, he sent ʿAmr ibn Umayya al-Ḍamrī with a letter to the Negus.

Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib and others add: The unbelievers sent with ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀs and ʿAbd Allah ibn Abī Rabīʿah gifts for the Negus and for the leading men of Abyssinia. When they reached the Negus, he accepted the gifts and seated ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀs upon his throne. ʿAmr addressed him, saying, “In your land there are men of ours who follow neither your religion nor ours; hand them over to us.” The Abyssinian dignitaries said to the Negus, “He has spoken the truth; give them up to him.” The Negus replied, “Not until I have spoken with them.”

Al-Zuhrī also transmits—through Abū Bakr ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān—from Umm Salamah, who said: “We settled in Abyssinia and enjoyed the best neighbor in the Negus. He granted us safety to practice our faith, and we worshipped Allah without harm or hearing anything we disliked. When this reached Quraysh, they consulted among themselves to send to the Negus two men bearing items rare in Mecca. Of the things he prized most were leather goods, so they gathered a large quantity and left no courtier of his without a gift. They dispatched ʿAbd Allah ibn Abī Rabīʿah and ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀs, saying, ‘Present each courtier with his gift before you speak to the Negus.’”