The Bible and Christianity (an Islamic View)

The Negus Embraces Islam

The Negus accepted Islam and believed in the Prophet secretly. He said: ‘If I was able to visit the Prophet I would do so.’ The Prophet wrote to him suggesting to him to marry Umm Habibah the daughter of Abu Sufyan.

She had made the migration to Abyssinia with her husband ‘Ubeidullah ibn Jahsh who had died there. The Prophet married the Negus to Umm Habibah and set the dower at four hundred dinars (gold coins). Khalid ibn Sa’id ibn al-‘As took care of the marriage. The Prophet also wrote to the Negus asking him to send back the remainder of his companions. He transported them in two ships with ‘Amr ibn Ummayah, and they reached the Messenger of Allah when he had liberated Khaybar, in 7 H, 628 CE.

When the Negus died, in the 9th year after Hijra – around 630 CE, the Prophet announced it on the same day, went to the Mosque and made five takbirs. Turning to his companions he said: ‘Seek the forgiveness of Allah for your brother’, then Holy Prophet performed the prayers-for-thedeceased for him.

A Delegation of Abyssinian Priests

It is known that while the Messenger of Allah was in Makkah, he was visited by about twenty Christians from Abyssinia who had heard news of the Prophet. They found him in the sacred mosque and sat with him and spoke to him and questioned him in the presence of the Quraysh who were in their usual gatherings around the Ka’bah15.

After they finished questioning the Messenger of Allah, he summoned them and recited the Qur’an for them. When they heard the Qur’an their eyes flowed with tears. They then answered his call and believed in him, as they had recognised him from the descriptions found in their own books of him.

When they rose and left, Abu Jahl and a group of the Quraysh detained them and said to them: ‘What a sorry party you are, you were sent by the people of your religion on a reconnaissance mission for them and to bring them information about the man Muhammad, but hardly had you sat down with him but you leave your religion and believe in what he says. I have never seen a more foolish delegation than you.’

They answered him: ‘Peace be upon you, we will not vie with you in ignorance, to you your way and to us ours, we do not wish to neglect what is good.’ Then the following verses were revealed:

{Those who were given the book previously, they are believers in it. And when it is recited to them, they say: “We believe therein, for it is the Truth from our Lord: indeed we have been muslims (surrender to Allah's Will) from before this.” Twice will they be given their reward, for that they have persevered, that they avert Evil with Good, and that they spend (in charity) out of what We have given them. And when they hear vain talk, they turn away therefrom and say: “To us our deeds, and to you yours; Peace be upon you we do not wish to consort with the ignorant.”}16 * * *

In modern times, people continue to adopt Islam as their way of life, after studying the teachings of Islam and realising the truth of its message. 15 The Ka’bah is the cubical building the in the grand mosque of Makkah, symbolising the house of God.

16 The Holy Qur’an: The Stories (28): 52-55.

Many go on to express their new findings and the significant impact Islam had on their lives. The following are a few examples of their expressions. Why they chose Islam as their way of life?

The renowned French thinker, professor Roger Garoudi tells of the greatness of Islam and the secret behind the transformation in his life Only in following Islam can the world find a way out of its crisis. Islam holds the key to reform. It has two important attributes: sublimation and the spirit of the group.

The Qur'an teaches us to find in any occurrence, and in everything a sign of Allah and a symbol of a higher existence moving us, nature and society. The main goal of religion is the achievement of harmony and unity which issues from Allah and returns to Him. His will to achieve the Will of Allah is what grants man his humanity.

The West is now much in need of Islam more than at any other time. Islam can give life a meaning and history a sense. It can alter the West's method of separating science from wisdom, thinking from the means, and thinking from the results. Islam never erects a wall between science and faith. On the contrary, it ties them together as being an inseparable whole... Islam calls man to search and seek the final end and his fate. In our western societies, split apart by individuality, Islam can revive the hope in our world which is heading toward suicide.

Marmaduke (Muhammad) Pickthall (1836-1936), the renowned Englishman of letters, who translated the meanings of the Qur'an Never is there a worldly grace every enjoyed by man greater than that of being happy and content after being guided to Islam by Allah: to see, by the light of Islam, the truths of the world and the Hereafter and to distinguish between right and wrong and the path of happiness from that of misery. I prostrate myself gratefully to Allah, for this great grace He endowed me with, which flooded my being with true happiness and made me stand in the shade of this great fruitful tree which is the tree of Islamic brotherhood and family.

Dr. Murad Hofmann, former German ambassador to Algeria & Morocco Nobody at least halfway alert to cultural phenomena, regardless of geographic location, will deny that the future development of his world is going to be influenced, if not determined, by what will happen in the Muslim world and to Islam itself. Could Islam, as a consequence, turn out to be the very therapy that could save the West from itself?