𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗟-𝗡𝗔𝗝𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗜, 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗕𝗬𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗔
𝗔𝗹-𝗡𝗮𝗷𝗮𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶
Najashi was not his actual name, as often mistakenly believed by many who are familiar with early Islamic History and the first Hijrah. In fact, Ashama ibn Abjar is the Arabic rendition of his birth name which is Armah ( አርማህ ), the proper pronunciation in Ge'ez. Al-Najaashi is the Arabic rendition of his imperial title Negus by which people made reference to the Kings of Aksum, much like Ceasar, Pharaoh and Tubba were used for Roman, Egyptian and Yemenite Kings of the past, respectively.
Al-Najaashi is said to have reigned over the mighty Aksumite Empire (also known as Kingdom of Axum) for approximately eighteen years between 614–631 CE. He was a contemporary of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and was described as a "Just ruler" under whose protection (between 615–616) the early Arab Muslim converts would be safe and honored.
Unbeknownst to many, the same Najaashi (King Armah) made reverence of in Islamic history has artifacts that still exist and have been examined by specialists. One such specimen is an official silver coin bearing his image, which was confirmed and verified by Stuart Munro-Hay, an expert on ancient Aksumite history.
King Armah is identified as the man depicted on the silver coinage bearing the image of a king sitting on a throne embellished by Christian motifs.
𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙠𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙀𝙢𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙘 𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜
• The blessed year in which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was born is known as the "Year of the Elephants", which derives its name from a direct reference to the mighty Aksumite army that marched from Yemen towards Makkah accompanied by African elephants (previously unprecedented) under the command of Abraha, who had colonised and claimed Yemen for himself.
• The Black Leather Socks (Kuffayn) and the Spear which was used by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in order to create a barrier when praying (Sutra) were both gifts from the Ethiopians and have since become subject to principles regarding the validity of Wudhu (ritual ablutions) and Salah (ritual prayer) in Islamic Jurisprudence.
• There are Hadith traditions and reports of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ using words from the Ethiopians to express himself. Words such as Harj, Sanah, Suur for example.
• The Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ silver ring contained a black Onyx stone that was from Ethiopia, the stone was called al-Fass
• A number of the early companions were also born in Ethiopia during the first Hijrah, while one of the wives of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to recount her experiences in Ethiopia to him, describing it's architecture and the religion as well as cultural practices of its inhabitants in great detail.
• The first Nikah (marriage) and Janazah (Funeral) ever performed in Absentia in the history of Islam were carried out by al-Najaashi and for al-Najaashi.
• The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prohibited his companions from attacking the Ethiopian kingdom after he informed them that they would soon conquer over the Persians and Romans.
This is contrary to the claims that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ordered slave raids against black populations and endorsed racism.
He did the exact opposite and there was not a single war or hostilities against Aksumites during his lifetime. It was therefore forbidden to attack the Africans during the Prophet's lifetime and mission (contrary to the gross propaganda claiming otherwise).