Name: Amr ibn al-As's Encounter with the Najashi in Abyssinia
Start: 628
Location: Abyssinia

What happened

Sensing after the Battle of Khandaq that Muhammad ﷺ would eventually prevail, Amr ibn al-As led a group of Quraysh notables to Abyssinia to place themselves under the protection of the Najashi rather than face either outcome of the conflict at home. There he found Amr ibn Umayyah al-Damri, an envoy sent by the Prophet ﷺ to the Najashi to summon Ja'far ibn Abi Talib RA back to Madinah. Not knowing the Najashi was secretly a Muslim, Amr ibn al-As sought permission to kill the envoy in revenge for Quraysh dead. The Najashi, enraged, refused and instead gave Amr dawah, comparing the Prophet ﷺ's coming victory to that of Musa AS over Pharaoh. Amr, overwhelmed, accepted Islam there and then and gave his bay'ah to the Najashi on the Prophet ﷺ's behalf.

Significance

The Najashi, a mukhadram who never saw the Prophet ﷺ and so is not himself a sahabi, became, in this episode, the only tabi' recorded to have given dawah to someone who would go on to become a sahabi (Amr ibn al-As RA). It set in motion Amr's emigration to Madinah alongside Khalid ibn al-Walid and Uthman ibn Talha shortly after Umrah al-Qada.

Sayings & Actions1

Amr ibn al-As RATo As'hama ibn Abjar

Saying · c. 7 AH

This man represents someone whom we despise, and he has killed many of our noblemen. Will you allow me to kill him in revenge?

withAmr ibn Umayyah RA

Amr sought the Najashi's permission to kill Amr ibn Umayyah al-Damri, the Prophet ﷺ's envoy, not knowing the Najashi was secretly a Muslim.

Amr ibn al-As RA

Saying · c. 7 AH

I did not know you would get so angry: if I had known, I would never have asked this of you.

The Najashi struck his hand on his own nose in a sign of anger and disgust at the request.

As'hama ibn AbjarTo Amr ibn al-As RA

Saying · c. 7 AH

Do you wish me to deliver into your hands the envoy of the one whom the Great Spirit descends upon? O Amr, woe to you! Obey me in this, and follow this man: for he is upon the Truth, and he will surely be victorious over his enemies, just as Musa was victorious over Pharaoh.

withMuhammad ﷺ

Amr ibn al-As RATo As'hama ibn Abjar

Saying · c. 7 AH

Will you accept my Islam on behalf of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?

withMuhammad ﷺ

The Najashi accepted, and Amr gave his bay'ah for Islam to the Najashi there and then.