.’ Ja’far repeated his words and the Negus said...

.’ Ja’far repeated his words and the Negus said: ‘Indeed, then let them enter with the safety of God and His protection.’ They entered but did not prostrate to him. The Negus said: ‘What prevented you from prostrating to me?’ They said: ‘We prostrate only to Allah who created you and gave you your dominion.

We practised prostration as a greeting when we were idolaters but Allah sent a true Prophet to us and ordered us to use the greeting, which He sees fit, which is ‘Peace’, the greeting of the people of Paradise. The Negus realised that this was the truth and it was in the Torah and the Evangel, and he asked: ‘Which of you called for permission to enter?’ Ja’far said: ‘It was I.’ The Negus said: ‘Then speak.’ Ja’far said: ‘You are a king and long speeches are not fitting in front of you.

I wish to speak on behalf of my companions so let one of those men speak and you will hear our conversation.’ ‘Amr ibn al-‘As said: ‘Then speak.’ Ja’far said to the Negus: ‘Ask him whether we are slaves or free men, and if we are slaves who have escaped from our masters then return us to them.’ ‘Amr said: ‘Nay, they are free and noble men.’ Ja’far said: ‘Have we spilt blood unjustly to warrant retaliation against us?’ ‘Amr said: ‘Not a drop.’ Ja’far said: ‘Have we taken people’s wealth unjustly which we must repay?’ ‘Amr said: ‘Not a penny.’ The Negus said: ‘Then what is it you want from them?’ ‘Amr said: ‘Us and them were on one religion, the religion of our forefathers, but they have left that and followed another.’ The Negus said to Ja’far: ‘What was the religion you followed and what do you follow now?

Tell me the truth.’ Ja’far said: ‘As for the religion we left, that was the religion of Satan; we used to deny Allah and worship stones. As for the religion which we have changed to, it is the religion of Allah, Islam, brought to us from Allah by a messenger, with a book like the book of the son of Mary and in concord with it.’ The Negus said: ‘You have spoken of a momentous matter so be at ease.’ Then the Negus ordered that the bell be rung and every priest and monk gathered in his presence.

Then he said to them: ‘I ask you by God who sent down the Evangel upon Jesus, do you find between Jesus and the Day of Rising another prophet sent?’ They said: ‘Aye by God, Jesus gave us tidings of him and said: ‘Whoever believes in him has believed in me but whoever denies him has denied me.’ The Negus said to Ja’far: ‘What does this man say to you?