The Seerah · Chapter 10
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PART 2 · THE MAKKAN PERIOD · الْعَهْدُ الْمَكِّيُّ

STAGE 3 · THE OPEN CALL

الْهِجْرَةُ إِلَى الْحَبَشَةِ

Chapter 10: The Migration to Abyssinia

A just king across the sea gave the believers safety

Sheikh Mohamed Fawzyالشيخ محمد فوزي

© 2026 Sheikh Mohamed Fawzy. All rights reserved. Version 1.7

Year 5 of prophethood الْهِجْرَةُ الْأُولَى

A just king across the sea

As the torture grew, the Prophet ﷺ allowed some Muslims to migrate to Abyssinia, across the Red Sea. Its Christian king, the Negus (al-Najāshī), was known for his justice.

قُلۡ يَٰعِبَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمۡۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحۡسَنُواْ فِي هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٞۗ وَأَرۡضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٰسِعَةٌۗ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّـٰبِرُونَ أَجۡرَهُم بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٖ ۝١٠
Say, "O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good, and the earth of Allah is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account."
Surat al-Zumar 39:10سورة الزمر: ١٠
RED SEAABYSSINIAARABIAMakkah مكةShu‘aybah port الشعيبةAksum أكسومYemen اليمن

Ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm: in Rajab of the 5th year, a first group of twelve men and four women left, among them ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān and his wife Ruqayyah, the Prophet’s daughter. Later a larger second group of more than eighty followed.

Who went? الْمُهَاجِرُونَ

Two migrations to Abyssinia

  1. Group 1 A small group — twelve men and four women — including ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān and his wife Ruqayyah, the Prophet’s daughter.
  2. Group 2 A larger group — more than eighty — among them Ja‘far ibn Abī Ṭālib, the Prophet’s cousin.
  3. Years later Many stayed in Abyssinia for years and returned to the Prophet ﷺ in Madinah.
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: كُنَّا نُسَلِّمُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَيَرُدُّ عَلَيْنَا، فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّجَاشِيِّ سَلَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْنَا وَقَالَ «إِنَّ فِي الصَّلَاةِ شُغْلًا».
‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd said: “We used to greet the Prophet ﷺ with salām while he was praying, and he would answer us. When we came back from the Negus [al-Najāshī], we greeted him and he did not answer, and he said: ‘In prayer there is enough to keep one busy.’”
Sahih al-Bukhari 1199Sahih
Numbers: Ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm.
At the king’s court عِنْدَ النَّجَاشِيِّ

Quraysh follow them across the sea

Quraysh sent two men with gifts to the Negus, asking him to send the Muslims back. The Negus refused to judge without hearing the Muslims. Ja‘far ibn Abī Ṭālib spoke for them:

Ja‘far’s speech — in summary

“O King, we were a people of ignorance: we worshipped idols, ate dead animals, did shameful things, cut off our relatives and treated our neighbours badly; the strong among us ate up the weak.

Then Allah sent us a Messenger from among us, whose family, truthfulness, trustworthiness and purity we knew. He called us to worship Allah alone, to be truthful, keep our trusts, keep ties with relatives and be good to neighbours — and to pray, give charity and fast…”

Source: the long narration of Umm Salamah, who was among the emigrants, in Musnad Aḥmad (no. 1740). Aḥmad Shākir graded its chain ṣaḥīḥ, and al-Wādi‘ī graded it ḥasan (Ṣaḥīḥ Dalā’il al-Nubuwwah 96). Told here in summary.

Ask: how did Ja‘far describe Islam to a Christian king? (By its effect on people’s character — compare Chapter 1.)

The verdict حُكْمُ النَّجَاشِيِّ

“Go — you are safe in my land”

The Qur’an

The Negus asked to hear some of the revelation. Ja‘far recited the opening of Surat Maryam. The king wept.

About ‘Īsā

Quraysh tried again: “Ask them what they say about ‘Īsā!” Ja‘far said: he is the servant of Allah and His messenger, His word and a spirit from Him.

The verdict

The Negus said this came from the same source as what Mūsā brought. He returned Quraysh’s gifts and let the Muslims live in safety.

Same narration of Umm Salamah (Musnad Aḥmad 1740), in summary.
Years later مَوْتُ النَّجَاشِيِّ

“A righteous man has died today”

عَنْ جَابِرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ مَاتَ النَّجَاشِيُّ: «مَاتَ الْيَوْمَ رَجُلٌ صَالِحٌ، فَقُومُوا فَصَلُّوا عَلَى أَخِيكُمْ أَصْحَمَةَ».
Jābir said: When the Negus died, the Prophet ﷺ said: “A righteous man has died today. Stand and pray [the funeral prayer] for your brother Aṣḥamah.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3877Sahih

The just king became a Muslim. When he died, the Prophet ﷺ prayed the funeral prayer for him from Madinah, calling him “your brother”.

Even Abū Bakr أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُهَاجِرُ

Abū Bakr sets out for Abyssinia

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا: ... فَلَمَّا ابْتُلِيَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ خَرَجَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ مُهَاجِرًا نَحْوَ أَرْضِ الْحَبَشَةِ، حَتَّى بَلَغَ بَرْكَ الْغِمَادِ لَقِيَهُ ابْنُ الدَّغِنَةِ وَهْوَ سَيِّدُ الْقَارَةِ. فَقَالَ أَيْنَ تُرِيدُ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَخْرَجَنِي قَوْمِي، فَأُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسِيحَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَأَعْبُدَ رَبِّي. قَالَ ابْنُ الدَّغِنَةِ فَإِنَّ مِثْلَكَ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ لَا يَخْرُجُ وَلَا يُخْرَجُ، إِنَّكَ تَكْسِبُ الْمَعْدُومَ، وَتَصِلُ الرَّحِمَ وَتَحْمِلُ الْكَلَّ، وَتَقْرِي الضَّيْفَ، وَتُعِينُ عَلَى نَوَائِبِ الْحَقِّ، فَأَنَا لَكَ جَارٌ...
‘Ā’ishah said: “…When the Muslims were put to the test, Abū Bakr set out as an emigrant towards the land of Abyssinia. When he reached Bark al-Ghimād, Ibn al-Dughunnah, the chief of the Qārah tribe, met him and said: ‘Where are you going, Abū Bakr?’ He said: ‘My people have driven me out, so I want to travel the land and worship my Lord.’ Ibn al-Dughunnah said: ‘A man like you should not leave, nor be driven out. You give to the one who has nothing, keep ties with relatives, carry the burden of the weak, honour guests and help in times of real hardship. I will protect you.’…”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3905Sahih

Abū Bakr returned under the protection of Ibn al-Dughunnah — until Quraysh objected to his reciting the Qur’an aloud. The rest of this hadith is in Chapter 16 (the Hijrah).

Lessons دُرُوسٌ وَعِبَرٌ

What we learn

1

Leave for your faith

When you cannot practise your religion, Allah’s earth is wide (al-Zumar 39:10).

2

Justice is respected

The Prophet ﷺ chose a just king, even though he was not Muslim.

3

Speak with wisdom

Ja‘far explained Islam through its effect on character, and the king was moved.

Review مُرَاجَعَةٌ

Quick quiz

Score: 0 / 4
1.Who was the king of Abyssinia?
Correct.
It was the Negus, al-Najāshī.
2.Who spoke for the Muslims at the king’s court?
Right.
Ja‘far ibn Abī Ṭālib.
3.Which surah did Ja‘far recite to the Negus?
Correct.
The opening of Surat Maryam.
4.What did the Prophet ﷺ do when the Negus died?
Yes (al-Bukhari 3877).
He prayed for him and called him “your brother Aṣḥamah”.

Across the sea, the believers found safety

ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam ﷺ

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