Second migration, 615 The second migration consisted of 79 men and 9 women. According to some reports the number is 83 men and 18 women (The number differs largely). This group was headed by Jafar ibn Abī Tālib, who was also the only person from the Banu Hashim clan who migrated to Axum. Quraish delegation The migration of the Muslims to the Axumite empire, and their reception at the friendly court of that country, alarmed the Quraysh. They entertained the fear that Muslims might grow in strength, or find new allies, and then, some day, might return to Mecca to challenge them. To head off this potential threat, such as they saw it, they decided to send an embassy to the court of the king of Axum to try to persuade him to extradite the Muslims to Mecca. The Muslim refugees who had expected to be left in peace, were surprised by the arrival, in the Axum capital, of an embassy from Mecca, led by a certain Amr ibn al-As. Amr had brought rich presents for the king and his courtiers to ingratiate himself with them. When the king gave audience to the emissary of the Quraysh, he said that the Muslims in Axum were not refugees from persecution but were fugitives from justice and law, and requested him to extradite them to Mecca. The king, however, wanted to hear the other side of the story also before giving any judgment, and summoned Jafar ibn Abī Tālib to the court to answer the charges against the Muslims. Jafar made a most memorable defense. Following is a summary of his speech in the court of Axumin answer to the questions posed by the Christian king. When Jafar concluded his speech, the king asked him to read some verses which were revealed to Muhammad. Jafar read a few verses from Sura Maryam (Mary), the 19th chapter of the Quran. When the king heard these verses, he said that their fountainhead was the same as that of the verses of the Evangel. He then declared that he was convinced of his veracity, and added, to the great chagrin of Amr bin Aas, that the Muslims were free to live in his kingdom for as long as they wished. But Amr bin Aas bethought himself of a new stratagem, which, he felt confident, would tilt the scales against Jafar. On the following day, therefore, he returned to the court and said to the king that he (the king) ought to waive his protection of the Muslims because they rejected the divine nature of Christ, and claimed that he was a mortal like other men. When questioned on this point by the king, Jafar said: The king said: Jesus is just what you have stated him to be, and is nothing more than that. Then addressing the Muslims, he said: Go to your homes and live in peace. I shall never give you up to your enemies. He refused to extradite the Muslims, returned the presents which Amr bin Aas had brought, and dismissed his embassy. End
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 11:30:21 +0000
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