Aṣ-ḥamah, also spelt as Aṣ-ḥama (Tigrinya: ንጉስ, Arabic: أَصْحَمَة), was the Negus (Arabic: ٱلنَّجَاشِيّ, romanized: An-Najāshī) ruler of the Kingdom of Aksum who reigned from 614–630 C.E..[1] It is agreed by Muslim scholars that Najashi gave shelter to early Muslim refugees from Mecca, around 615–616 at Aksum.[3][4]
Reign
The Najashi reigned for almost 17 years from 614–630 CE.[citation needed] Not much is known about his personal life and reign[2] other than that during his reign Muslims migrated to Abyssinia and met the Najashi. According to a story recorded by the Muslim biographer Ibn Ishaq (c. 704–767), Muhammad's cousin, Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, told Najashi about the religious persecution they faced at the hands of the Arab tribe of Quraysh. The Najashi asked if they had with them any scripture from God. Ja'far then recited a verse from Surat Maryam (called KAHA initially) in the Quran, regarding Jesus in Islam and Maryam, as Daughter of Imran is known in Islam. When the Najashi heard the Quranic verse (Ayat), he wept and exclaimed:
Verily, this (Ayat) and what Isa brought (Injeel word of Jesus) has come from the same source of light.
— Najashi
According to Ibn Ishaq, the Najashi then affirmed that he would support the early Muslim refugees. In fact, he gave refuge to early Muslims who came to his kingdom seeking protection and trade opportunities. Later Islamic sources suggest many Abyssinians struggled in this period economically accused their King of hardship but continued to support the King for his kind gesture and hospitality of early Muslim refugees as per the states Christian values and tolerant beliefs. He asked knowing Paganistic lifestyle of Quraysh Arabs what their beliefs were. Once they explained their Christian doctrine to him, and they shared the letter (Astinameh) of the Prophet of Islam Mohammad in which he and early converts of Islam including the refugees confirmed Jesus Sahadah (covenant) and divinity he replied:[4]
Atkins, Brian; Juel-Jensen, Bent (1988). "The Gold Coinage of Aksum: Further Analyses of Specific Gravity, A Contribution to Chronology". Numismatic Chronicle (148).
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