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<strong>Al</strong>-Zuhree said: I narrated this Hadeeth on the authority of Umm Salamah رضيُاهللُعنها to<br />
`Urwah Ibn al-Zubair. `Urwah asked (al-Zuhree): ‘Do you know what al-Najaashee<br />
meant when he said: ‘<strong>Al</strong>laah did not take from me a bribe when He restored my<br />
kingdom to me, so why should I take a bribe to go against Him (concerning them)? And<br />
He (<strong>Al</strong>laah) did not listen to the people concerning me, so why should I listen to them<br />
and go against Him?’’ I (al-Zuhree) said: ‘I don’t know, as Abu Bakr Ibn `Abdul Ramḥaan<br />
Ibn Ḥaartih Ibn Hishaam did not narrate to me about its meaning from Umm Salamah.’<br />
`Urwah said: (My aunt) `Aaishah رضيُاهلل ُعنها informed me: ‘<strong>Al</strong>-Najaashee’s father was a<br />
king of the people (of Abyssinia), and he had a brother who had twelve sons. As for al-<br />
Najaashee’s father, he had no other son except for al-Najaashee. The (elites) of<br />
Abyssinia formed an opinion among themselves and said: ‘If we kill the father of al-<br />
Najaashee, and his brother takes over as the king, and he has twelve sons from his<br />
progeny, they will inherit the kingdom, and Abyssinia will live (and flourish) for a long<br />
time to come. They will not have clashes between them. So they turned against him (al-<br />
Najaashee’s father) and killed him, and his brother became the king. (<strong>Al</strong>-Najaashee<br />
grew under his uncle’s care) and was intelligent and judicious. He got his uncle’s favor<br />
and had so much influence on his uncle that no one but he could direct all the affairs.<br />
When the (elite) of Abyssinia saw his status with his uncle, they said: ‘This lad has<br />
overtaken the affairs of his uncle, and we could never be safe if he is made to rule over<br />
us, for he knows that we had killed his father. If he becomes the ruler, not a noble will<br />
be left among us except that he would be killed.’ So they discussed whether to kill him<br />
or to have him exiled. So they approached his uncle and said to him: ‘We have seen the<br />
position this youth enjoys with you, and you know that we killed his father and allowed<br />
you to take his place (as a king). We could never be safe if he ruled over us, for he<br />
would have us all killed. So you either kill him or have him exiled from our land.’ His<br />
uncle replied: ‘Woe to you! Previously you killed his father and today you want me to<br />
kill him? Rather, exile him from your land.’ So, they took al-Najaashee to the<br />
marketplace and for six hundred Dirhams they sold him to a merchant who (planned)<br />
to take him on board a ship (to another country). It was autumn, and that evening the<br />
rain clouds had gathered. His uncle went out to soak in the rain but was fatally struck<br />
by a thunderbolt. (After his demise), the (elite) of Abyssinia rushed towards his sons<br />
but found that all of them were fools; not a single one of them was of sound judgment.<br />
The news spread wide across the land. So, some of them said to the others: ‘By <strong>Al</strong>laah!<br />
You know well that the only king fit to manage the affairs of the country is the one you<br />
sold this morning. So, if you wish well for Abyssinia, then find him before he is taken<br />
away.’ They went out in search of al-Najaashee and the person who had bought him.<br />
When they found them, they took him and brought him (to the palace) and placed a<br />
crown over his head, and made him sit on the throne, and declared him the king. The<br />
merchant said: ‘Return to me my money since you have taken away my slave.’ They<br />
refused, so he said: ‘By <strong>Al</strong>laah, then I will speak to the king.’ So he went to him and<br />
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