embracing Islam; rather, only a few of them embraced it with him. For this reason,

“When he died, there was no one there to offer the funeral prayer for him, so the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—offered it for him in Medina. He took the Muslims out to the prayer ground, arranged them in rows, and offered the funeral prayer for him. He informed them of his death on the very day he died, saying, ‘A righteous brother of yours from among the people of Abyssinia has died.’”

He had not observed many, or even most, of the ordinances of Islam because he was unable to do so. He did not emigrate, take part in jihad, or perform the pilgrimage to the House. Indeed, it has been reported that he did not perform the five daily prayers, fast the month of Ramadan, or pay the prescribed zakat, because these practices would have become apparent to his people, who would have objected, and he was unable to oppose them.

We know with certainty that he could not judge among them according to the Quran. Yet Allah had enjoined His Prophet in Medina, whenever the People of the Book came to him, to judge among them only according to what Allah had revealed to him. He also warned him against their luring him away from any part of what Allah had revealed to him. This includes imposing the prescribed penalty of stoning for unlawful sexual intercourse on a person of the requisite marital status, judging fairly in matters of blood money, and treating the highborn and the lowly equally in matters of bloodshed: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, and so forth.

Al-Najāshī could not judge according to the Quran, for his people would not allow him to do so. Often a man assumes office as a judge—or even a ruler—among the Muslims and the Tatars, wishing to implement certain measures of justice, but is unable to do so because others prevent him. Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity.