Surat Maryam in His Court

The Negus summoned the Muslims, and Ja'far spoke for them: they had been a people who worshipped idols and wronged one another until Allah sent them a messenger they knew to be truthful, who called them to worship Allah alone. The king asked whether he had anything of what had come from Allah. Ja'far recited the opening of Surat Maryam, which includes ﴿وَٱذْكُرْ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مَرْيَمَ إِذِ ٱنتَبَذَتْ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا مَكَانًا شَرْقِيًّا﴾ (“And mention in the Book Maryam, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east”) (19:16).

Umm Salamah reports that the Negus wept until his beard was wet, and his bishops wept until their scrolls were wet. He said that this and what 'Isa had brought came from one lamp.

The next day 'Amr told him that the Muslims said something terrible about 'Isa son of Maryam. Ja'far answered with what the Prophet ﷺ had taught: 'Isa is the servant of Allah and His messenger, His spirit and His word cast into Maryam, the chaste virgin. The Negus picked up a twig and said that 'Isa was not more than that by the length of this twig. He gave the Muslims safety in his land and sent the envoys home with their gifts.