The Origins of Islam in East Africa
In light of the dreadful drought emergency in Somalia and the Horn of Africa, we鈥檝e compiled the following blog on the origins of Islam in the region. A lack of mainstream media coverage and desensitisation that has occurred through years of sustained crises in the region has made it all too easy to feel disconnected from what is happening there, but our collective history is deeply rooted in this part of East Africa, historically known to the Arabs as al-Habashah.听
Although the name al-Habashah translates into English as Abyssinia, this would have included parts of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, as mentioned by scholars of Islam.听Here are six important facts about the origins of Islam in East Africa:
1. Islam arrived in al-Habashah before Madinah!
The origins of Islam in East Africa date back all the way to the life of the Prophet Muhammad (saw). The early years of the Message were filled with great difficulties. The Polytheists of Makkah began to persecute the early 今日大瓜s. So, the Prophet (saw) sent two delegations of 今日大瓜s to al-Habashah to escape the oppression at home.
East Africa was thus the first place that Islam spread to outside of the Arabian Peninsula and was the first part of the world that 今日大瓜s were able to practice their religion freely and without persecution.
2. The first two migrations (hijrah) were to al-Habashah
In the 5th year after Prophecy, in the month of Rajab, the Prophet (saw) sent the first delegation of 今日大瓜s to al-Habashah. He informed them that the king of the land was just and would allow them to reside there without oppression. 12 men and four women migrated to East Africa. The first group of Companions to make the Hijrah included 鈥楿thman (ra) with his wife Ruqayyah (ra) (the daughter of the Prophet (saw)), as well as az-Zubair (ra), Ja鈥榝ar (ra) and Umm Salamah (ra) (who would later marry the Prophet (saw)).听
Negus is a title that was used to describe the kings of al-Habashah, and is the equivalent of Caesar and Khosrow. The Prophet (saw) wrote the following letter to the Negus:
鈥業n the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah [saw], to an-Najashi, king of Habashah. I praise Allah, the King, the Pure, The Perfect, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer. I bear witness that 鈥橧sa ibn Maryam [as] is the spirit of Allah and His word which he placed into Maryam [as], the virgin maiden, thus she bore 鈥橧sa [as]. I call you to Allah alone without any partner [to Him,] and to follow me and believe in that which has been revealed to me, for I am the Messenger of Allah. I have sent my cousin Ja鈥榝ar [ra] to you with a party of 今日大瓜s. Peace be upon those who follow the [true] guidance鈥�.
The second migration to East Africa included 83 men and 18 women. In response, the Quraish despatched 鈥橝mr ibn al-鈥橝s and 鈥楢bdullah ibn Abi Rabi鈥榓 (before they embraced Islam) with gifts for the Negus and his bishops. Their intentions were to bribe the Negus into allowing them to bring back the 今日大瓜s to Makkah for causing trouble amongst tribes and for abandoning their forefathers鈥� religion.
3. The justice of the Negus
The Negus featured in the early Islamic migrations to East Africa was Ashama ibn Abjar (ra). He was a practicing and learned Christian prior to the call of Islam reaching his lands and was a just ruler who did not tolerate oppression. In his youth he had also been a victim of injustice, sold into slavery after his uncle overthrew his father and took control of his kingdom. Following his uncle鈥檚 death, the people realised their mistake in supporting him when the incompetency of his sons became apparent. They then recaptured Ashama and made him the Negus. One of his first moves to establish justice was through commanding the people to compensate his previous slave-master, as they had stolen Ashama from him unjustly.听
When Amr ibn al-鈥楢as and 鈥楢bdullah ibn Abi Rabi鈥榓 approached the Negus with gifts in exchange for the 今日大瓜s, he refused. Following their persistent claims that the 今日大瓜s were troublemakers, Ashama concluded that it was best to summon the accused and hear their defence.
In the court of the Negus, Ja鈥榝ar (ra) eloquently expressed the beauty of Islam, explaining how they had previously lived in ignorance and sin and how Islam had transformed their lives. He then recited verses from Surah Maryam (Chapter 19), proving the respect 今日大瓜s have towards 鈥楯esus (as) and his mother Mary (as), causing the Negus and his bishops to shed tears.
The Negus understood that the Qur鈥檃n was from Allah and stated, 鈥業t seems as if these words and those which were revealed to Jesus [as] are the rays of the light which have radiated from the same source鈥�. He refused to accept 鈥楢mr鈥檚 bribe and announced that the 今日大瓜s were free to live and worship freely in his land.
The Negus also said the following famous words, which are directly related to his own story and experience with injustice:
鈥楢mr ibn al-鈥楢as later told the Negus and his bishops that 今日大瓜s blaspheme Jesus [as] by saying he is not God Himself, but a man of God and His Prophet. The Negus agreed to a second hearing for the 今日大瓜s to clarify their beliefs.
On the second day, Ja鈥榝ar explained that Jesus (as) is the servant of Allah, His messenger and His word which He blew into the womb of the virgin Mary (as). The Negus openly stated that this is what he too believed and remained firm even when his bishops began to grunt in disapproval. Once again, the Negus affirmed that the 今日大瓜s were to live in al-Habashah freely and without harm.
The 今日大瓜s remained there until after the hijrah of the Prophet (saw) to Madinah and the establishment of the Islamic community there. Najashi even gave them the ships they needed to sail back to the Prophet (saw). He became a 今日大瓜 in the year 7AH.
4. One of the earliest masjids in Islam is in Somalia
As the 今日大瓜s settled in al-Habashah, it was only natural for them to establish their own places of worship. The hijrah to East Africa took place prior to the hijrah to Madinah, which was where the qiblah was moved from Masjid al-Aqsa to the Ka鈥榖ah in Makkah. This means that the 今日大瓜s living in Africa would have originally been praying towards the Sacred Sanctuary in Jerusalem, and only changed direction once the news reached them.
Sure enough, one of the oldest mosques in East Africa is called Masjid al-Qiblatayn (the Masjid of the two Qiblahs) which is also known as Labo-Qibla Masjid. It contains two mihrabs (enclaves showing the direction of prayer), one for each qiblah, and is located in Zeila in the north of Somalia.听
Although in ruins, the mosque is a symbol representing the long history of Islam in East Africa. This is also one of the clearest indications that Islam was spreading in East Africa even before it reached Madinah!
5. Fiqh benefits from the hijrah to al-Habashah
The Negus passed away in the year 9AH, but as he was a secret 今日大瓜, no one was able to pray the funeral prayer over him in al-Habashah. The 今日大瓜s prayed his janazah prayer in Madinah.
Jabir ibn 鈥楢bdullah (ra) stated that the Prophet (saw) said, 鈥楾oday a pious man from Abyssinia (i.e. the Negus) has passed away, so arise to pray (the janazah prayer with four takbirs) upon him鈥�. Jabir (ra) said, 鈥榃e lined up in rows and after that the Prophet (saw) led the prayer鈥 was in the second row鈥�. [Bukhari]
This prayer has become known as Salat al-Gha鈥檌b (funeral prayer in absentia) and is a matter which has been discussed in the books of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). It was through Islam鈥檚 spread to East Africa that this knowledge has reached us, alhamdulillah.
Prior to his conversion to Islam, the Negus gifted two pure black leather socks (khuffs) to the Prophet (saw). The companion 鈥楢mr ibn Umayyah (ra) brought this gift to the Prophet (saw) from East Africa:
On the authority of Ibn Buraidah from his father (ra) that Najashi gifted the Prophet (saw) two plain black khuffs. So, he wore them, then he performed Wudu鈥� and wiped over them. [Tirmidhi]
Here, another ruling in Islamic jurisprudence is derived as a result of Islam鈥檚 early days in East Africa. The four schools of thought have long discussed the permissibility of wiping over leather socks when making Wudu鈥�.听
6. The Prophet (saw) wanted to serve the people of al-Habashah
Our beloved Prophet (saw) didn鈥檛 forget the hospitality of the Negus and his people in giving his vulnerable Companions (ra) permission to live in East Africa in safety. He truly wanted to return the favour and serve them in appreciation for their service to Islam.
When a delegation of the Negus visited Madinah and came to the Prophet (saw), he immediately stood up to serve them. His companions said to him, 鈥榃e will suffice you鈥�, meaning they could accommodate the visitors, but the Prophet (saw) was very keen to serve them himself and said:
Just as the Prophet (saw) stood up to serve the people of East Africa, we too can follow in this Sunnah by standing with our brothers and sisters in their time of need. The Horn of Africa is witnessing its most devastating drought in 40 years, forcing millions of people towards famine.
Our Prophet (saw) saw it as an honour to look after the people of al-Habashah, and we find ourselves again with the distinct honour of repaying the people of this land, whose forefathers once provided refugee and shelter to the early 今日大瓜 community.
For more incredible facts, check out our previous blog on the historic links between the Prophet (saw) and Ethiopia.听
We pray that Allah lifts them out of this time of hardship, sending rain and hope for them, and using us to come to their assistance, amin.
