And ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azīz faced hostility and harm because of some of the justice he established; it has even been said that he was poisoned for that reason. Al-Najāshī and others like him will enjoy bliss in Paradise, even though they did not observe those ordinances of Islam that were beyond their ability. Rather, they judged according to such laws as they were able to apply.

This is why Allah counted these people among the People of the Book. Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, among the People of the Book are those who believe in Allah, in what has been revealed to you, and in what was revealed to them, humbly submitting to Allah. They do not exchange Allah’s revelations for a small price. They will have their reward with their Lord. Indeed, Allah is swift in reckoning.”

A group of the early generations said that this verse was revealed concerning al-Najāshī. This is reported from Jābir, Ibn ‘Abbās, and Anas. Others said that it concerned him and his companions, as al-Hasan and Qatādah stated. This is also what the Companions meant, though he was the one whom the others obeyed, for the wording of the verse is plural; it was not intended to refer to just one person.

It is reported that ‘Atā’ said: “It was revealed concerning forty people from Najrān, thirty from Abyssinia, and eight from among the Byzantines. They followed the religion of Jesus, then believed in Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”

These commentators did not mention those who believed in the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—in Medina, such as ‘Abd Allāh ibn Salām and others who had been Jews, or Salmān al-Fārisī and others who had been Christians. These people, however, had become numbered among the believers, so it is not said of them:

“Indeed, among the People of the Book are those who believe in Allah and in what has been revealed to you