Ibn Isḥāq also reports what transpired between ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ and ʿAmārah ibn al-Walīd: ʿAmr threw him overboard, then denounced him to the Negus, alleging that he had entered upon one of the king’s wives—or at least one of his female attendants—and that the scent of the king’s own perfume could be detected on him. The Negus therefore summoned magicians, who worked their spells on ʿAmārah and blew into his private parts. He was stricken, withdrew to the open country, and wandered aimlessly until he reached a place where his relatives tried to capture him. As they drew near, his soul departed and he died.
Ibn Isḥāq further said: al-Zuhrī related, “I told ʿUrwah ibn al-Zubayr the report of Abū Bakr on the authority of Umm Salama. He asked me, ‘Do you know what the Negus meant when he said: “Allah did not take a bribe from me when He restored my kingdom to me, so how should I accept a bribe on His behalf? Nor did people obey me against Him that I should now obey them concerning Him”?’ I replied, ‘No.’
“He explained: ʿĀʾishah told me that the Negus’s father had been the king of his people and had no child other than the Negus. The Negus had an uncle whose own loins had produced twelve sons, and that household constituted the royal family of Abyssinia. The Abyssinians said, ‘If we kill the Negus’s father and make his brother king, his sons will inherit after him and our kingdom will endure for ages.’ So they killed his father and enthroned his brother.
“The Negus grew up with his uncle. He proved intelligent and resolute, so much so that he came to dominate his uncle’s affairs. When the Abyssinians noticed this they said, ‘We fear he will take the throne after him, and if he does he will kill us to avenge his father.’ They therefore goaded his uncle, saying, ‘Either kill this youth or expel him from our midst.’ He replied, ‘Woe to you! You killed his father only yesterday—am I to kill him today? I shall rather banish him.’
“So they led him out and sold him to a merchant for six hundred dirhams, and the man set sail with him. Toward evening a storm-cloud of the autumn season arose; the uncle went out beneath it hoping for rain, but a bolt of lightning struck and killed him. The Abyssinians rushed to his sons, only to find them witless—there was no good in any of them—and the affairs of the kingdom fell into disarray