In this article, I will spotlight the most prominent Christians who embraced Islam in Prophet Muhammad\u2019s lifetime. We may wonder: could those people have been believers in the Trinity\u00a0or such monotheists who embraced Islam as a final monotheistic message which came as an extension to the previous monotheistic messages conveyed by the past prophets and messengers of God?<\/p>\n
Monotheistic Christians & Profession of Islam upon the Advent of Prophet Muhammad<\/strong><\/p>\n An-Najashi (Negus)<\/strong><\/p>\n An-Najashi was the title of the king of Abyssinia. One Najashi, namely As-hamah ibn Abjar, who was contemporary with Prophet Muhammad embraced Islam, became a good Muslim and was counted as a grand Companion of Prophet Muhammad though he did not migrate to Medina or even meet Prophet Muhammad. He died during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad who offered funeral prayer for him in absentia. It is not reported that Prophet Muhammad offered funeral prayer for an absent deceased except An-Najashi.<\/p>\n In Siyar A`lam An-Nubala\u2019<\/em>, Adh-Dhahabi reported that when `Amr ibn Al-`As and `Abdullah ibn\u00a0Abi Rabia`h (or `Imarah bn Al-Walid) asked An-Najashi to extradite the Companions who migrated to Abyssinia, the following conversation took place between An-Najashi and the grand Companion Ja`far ibn Abi Talib:<\/p>\n An-Najashi wondered: \u201cDo you memorize some revelation he (Prophet Muhammad) received from God?\u201d Ja`far replied: \u201cYes.\u201d An-Najashi said: \u201cRead it to me!\u201d Then Ja`far read to him the opening verses of the Chapter of Maryam (Mary). Thereupon, An-Najashi kept crying until he moistened his beard and his bishops also kept crying until they moistened their scriptures. Then, An-Najashi said: \u201cIndeed, this (Qur\u2019an) and the revelation conveyed by Moses get out of the same lantern. Go where you like. By God, I will not, and even may not extradite you!\u201d<\/p>\n On the next day, at Amr ibn Al-`As\u2019 request, An-Najashi summoned the Companions and wondered: \u201cWhat do you believe about Jesus?\u201d Ja`far replied: \u201cWe have the same belief which our Prophet affirmed. We believe that he is God\u2019s servant, messenger, spirit and word which He communicated to Mary, the Virgin.\u201d Then, An-Najashi struck the ground, picked up a rod and said: \u201cJesus did not come out with as much as this rod more than what you said.\u201d Then, patriarchs around him kept snorting. Then, he said: \u201cEven though you snort, by God! Go where you like. You are safe in my land.\u201d<\/p>\n Ibn Ishaq reported: Ja`far ibn Muhammad quoted his father as saying: \u201cThe Abyssinians rebelled and revolted against An-Najashi whom they accused of the renunciation of their faith. So he prepared ships for Ja`far and his comrades and told them: \u201cBoard the ships! If I am defeated, go away. If I clinch victory, stay here.\u201d Then, he had a piece of writing in which he bore witness that there is no god but God, Muhammad is God\u2019s servant and messenger and Jesus is God\u2019s servant, messenger, spirit and word which He communicated to Mary. Then, he kept this piece of writing in his garment.<\/p>\n Thereupon, he went out to the Abyssinians who lined up for him. Then he wondered: \u201cO people of Abyssinia, am I not the worthiest one to rule over you?\u201d They said: \u201cYes.\u201d He asked: \u201cHow have you found my rule?\u201d They answered: \u201cIt is the best rule.\u201d Then, he asked: \u201cSo what is wrong with you?\u201d They replied: \u201cYou have renounced our faith, alleging that Jesus is just a servant (of God).\u201d Then, he asked: \u201cWhat do you believe about Jesus?\u201d They replied: \u201cHe is the son of God.\u201d Then he made a signal at his chest towards the piece of writing, indicating his belief in the piece of writing. But, the Abyssinians thought that he meant by this signal that he agreed with them. Then, they became pleased with him and dispersed. When An-Najashi died, Prophet Muhammad offered funeral prayer for him and prayed to God for his forgiveness.<\/p>\n Heracle (Heraclius)<\/strong><\/p>\n Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Imam Ahmad, and other hadith compilers reported on the authority of `Abdullah ibn `Abbas that Prophet Muhammad wrote to Caesar and invited him to Islam \u2026 When the letter of Prophet Muhammad reached Caesar, he said after reading it, \u201cSeek for me anyone of his people (Arabs from Quraish tribe) if present here, in order to ask him about Muhammad.\u201d At that time, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb was in the Levant with some men from Quraish who had come (to the Levant) as merchants \u2026 Abu Sufyan said, \u201cCaesar\u2019s messenger found us somewhere in the Levant so he took me and my companions to Jerusalem and we were admitted into Caesar\u2019s court.\u201d<\/p>\n Heracle kept asking Abu Sufyan about Prophet Muhammad and Abu Sufyan kept answering his questions. Then, Heracle said to Abu Sufyan: \u201cThese are really the qualities of a prophet who, I knew (from the previous Scriptures) would appear, but I did not know that he would be from amongst you. If what you say should be true, he will very soon occupy the earth under my feet, and if I knew that I would reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet Him; and were I with him, then I would certainly wash his feet.\u201d Abu Sufyan added, \u201cCaesar then asked for the letter of the Messenger of God and it was read. It read: \u201cIn the name of God, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful, (This letter is) from Muhammad, the servant and messenger of God to Heraclius, the Roman Emperor. Peace be upon the followers of guidance. Now then, I invite you to Islam, so embrace Islam and you will be safe; embrace Islam and God\u00a0will bestow on you a double reward. But if you reject this invitation of Islam, you shall be responsible for misguiding the peasants (i.e. your nation). O people of the Scriptures! Come to a word common to us and you, that we worship none but God, and that we associate nothing in worship with Him; and that none of us shall take others as lords besides God. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him) (3:64)\u201d<\/p>\n Abu Sufyan added, \u201cWhen Heraclius had finished reading, there was a great hue and cry caused by the Byzantine royalties surrounding him, and there was so much noise that I did not understand what they said. So, we were turned out of the court. When I went out with my companions and we were alone, I said to them, \u2018Verily, Ibn Abi Kabsha\u2019s (i.e. the Prophet\u2019s) affair has gained power. This is the King of Bani Al-Asfar fearing him.\u2019\u201d Abu Sufyan added, \u201cBy Allah, I remained low and was sure that his religion would be victorious till God converted me to Islam, though I disliked it.\u201d<\/p>\n Al-Mundhir Ibn Sawa<\/strong><\/p>\n Al-Mundhir ibn Sawa was the King of the Persian Gulf during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad. He was a Christian as his people, namely `Abd Shams, were Christians. Prophet Muhammad wrote him a letter in which he invited him to Islam.<\/p>\n Then, Al-Mundhir embraced Islam but he was not a member of the delegation who attended from Bahrain to meet Prophet Muhammad. Instead, he wrote Prophet Muhammad a letter affirming his profession of Islam.<\/p>\n Al-Mundhir\u2019s letter to Prophet Muhammad read: \u201cO Messenger of God, I read your letter, which you wrote to the people of Bahrain extending to them an invitation to Islam. Islam appealed to some of them and they entered the fold of Islam, while others did not find it appealing. In my country, there live Magians and Jews; therefore, you may inform me of the treatment to be extended to them.\u201d<\/p>\n In reply to Al-Mundhir\u2019s letter, Prophet Muhammad wrote: \u201cIn the name of God, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful, (This letter is) from Muhammad, the Messenger of God to Al-Mundhir ibn Sawa. May peace be on you! I praise God, Who is One and there is none to be worshipped except Him. I bear witness that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is a servant and messenger of God.<\/p>\n Thereafter I remind you of God. Whoever accepts admonition does it for his own good. Whoever followed my messengers and acted in accordance with their guidance; he, in fact, accepted my advice. My messengers have highly praised your behavior. I authorize you to deal with your people. So let Muslims follow Islam. I forgive the offences of the offenders. Therefore, you may also forgive them. Whoever wants to continue in their Jewish or Magian faith should be made to pay tribute.\u201d<\/p>\n Waraqah ibn Nawfal<\/strong><\/p>\n Waraqah ibn Nawfal was the cousin of Prophet Muhammad\u2019s first wife, Lady Khadijah, the Mother of the Believers. He was a Christian before Prophet Muhammad\u2019s prophethood, but he embraced Islam at the outset of Prophet Muhammad\u2019s prophethood.<\/p>\n In his Sahih, under the Chapter of the Outset of Revelation, Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of `Aishah that Khadija accompanied Prophet Muhammad to her cousin Waraqah\u00a0ibn\u00a0Naufal ibn\u00a0Asad ibn\u00a0`Abdul `Uzza, who, during the pre-Islamic period, became a Christian and used to write writings with Hebrew letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as God wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadija said to Waraqah, \u201cListen to the story of your nephew, O my cousin!\u201d Waraqah asked, \u201cO my nephew! What have you seen?\u201d The Messenger of God described whatever he had seen. Waraqah said, \u201cThis is the same one who keeps the secrets (Angel Gabriel) whom God had sent to Moses. I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would drive you out.\u201d The Messenger of God asked, \u201cWill they drive me out?\u201d Waraqah replied in the affirmative and said, \u201cAnyone who came out with something similar to what you will come out with was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be driven out then I would support you strongly.\u201d But after a few days Waraqah died.<\/p>\n It is noteworthy that Waraqah ibn Nawfal was the first person to bring Lady Khadijah glad tidings about Prophet Muhammad\u2019s prophethood after she had told him about what happened during Prophet Muhammad\u2019s journey with her slave Maysarah along with her caravan travelling to the Levant, especially the cloud which was shading him until he came back to Mecca.<\/p>\n It is reported that he said to her: \u201cIf this is true, O Khadijah, Muhammad will be the prophet of this nation. I have known that this nation waits for a prophet who is about to appear.\u201d (Ar-Rawd Al-Unuf<\/em>: vol. 2, p. 161) About one month later, Lady Khadijah married the Messenger of God. Waraqah composed a poem apparently after this conversation, given the mention of Prophet Muhammad\u2019s journey with Khadijah\u2019s caravan, the glad tidings about Prophet Muhammad\u2019s prophethood and the promise to follow him.<\/p>\n In his Musnad<\/em>, At-Tayalisi reported that Waraqah ibn Nawfal and Zayd ibn `Amr ibn Nufayl went out in quest of the true religion. So they went to a monk at Mosul. The monk said to Zayd ibn `Amr ibn Nufayl: \u201cWhere have you come from, O camel rider?\u201d He replied: \u201cFrom Abraham\u2019s household.\u201d The monk wondered: \u201cWhat do you seek after?\u201d He replied: \u201cI seek after the true religion.\u201d He said to him: \u201cCome back for the one you seek after is about to appear at your homeland.\u201d<\/p>\n Nestorian Monk: Bahira<\/strong><\/p>\n At-Tirmidhi and Al-Hakim reported on the authority of Abu Bakr ibn Abu Musa Al-Asha`ri on the authority of his father that Abu Talib traveled\u00a0to the Levant, and the Prophet left with him, along with some older men from Quraish. When they came across the monk they stopped there and began setting up their camp, and the monk came out to them. Before that they used to pass by him and he wouldn\u2019t come out nor pay attention to them. They were setting up their camp when the monk was walking amidst them, until he came and took the hand of the Messenger of Allah. Then he said: \u201cThis is the master of men and jinn, this is the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds. God will send him as mercy to men and jinn.\u201d So some of the older people from Quraish said: \u201cHow do you know that?\u201d He said: \u201cWhen you came along from the road, neither a rock nor a tree was left, except that it prostrated, and they do not prostrate except for a prophet. And I can recognize him by the seal of prophethood which is below his shoulder blade, like an apple.\u201d Then he went back, and made them some food, and when he brought it to them, he [Prophet Muhammad] was tending camels. So he said: \u201cSummon him.\u201d So he came, and there was a cloud over him that was shading him. When he came close to the people, he found that they had sat down under the tree\u2019s shade before he came. So when he sat down, the shade of the tree leaned towards him. He (the monk) said: \u201cLook at the shade of the tree leaning towards him.’\u201d While he was standing with them, telling them not to take him to the Romans \u2013 because if the Romans were to see him, they would recognize him by description, and they would kill him \u2013 he turned, and there were seven people who had come from among the Romans. So he received them and said: \u201cWhy have you come?\u201d They said: \u201cWe came because a prophet is going to appear during this month, and there isn\u2019t a road left except that people have been sent to it, and we have been informed of him, and we have been sent to this road of yours.\u201d So he said: \u201cIs there anyone better than you behind you?\u201d They said: \u201cWe only have news of him from this road of yours.\u201d He said: \u201cDo you think that if there is a matter which God wishes to bring about, there is anyone among people who can prevent it?\u201d They said: \u201cNo.\u201d So they gave him their pledge, and they stayed with him. And he said: \u201cI ask you by God, which of you is his guardian?\u201d They said: \u201cAbu Talib.\u201d So he kept adjuring him until Abu Talib returned him (back to Mecca).<\/p>\n Salman Al-Farisi<\/strong><\/p>\n In his Musnad<\/em>, Imam Ahmad reported on the authority of `Abdullah ibn `Abbas that Salman Al-Farisi had a long conversation with him, in which he said: \u201cI was a Persian man \u2026 I strove hard in the Magian religion \u2026 I passed by one of the Christian churches, where I could hear their voices as they were praying \u2026 When I saw them, I was impressed with their prayer \u2026 I said to them: \u2018Where did this religion originate?\u2019 They said: \u2018In the Levant\u2019 \u2026 I sent word to the Christians saying: \u2018If any Christian merchants come to you from the Levant, tell me about them.\u2019 He said: \u2018Some Christian merchants came to them from the Levant \u2026 and I went out with them, until I came to the Levant \u2026<\/p>\n Salman kept serving monks, one after another, from the Levant through Mosul and Nusaybin to Amorium. When the monk of Amorium was about to die, and Salman asked him to tell him about the next monk to serve, he said to him: \u2018O my son, by God, I do not know of anyone who follows our way to whom I can advise you to go. But there has come the time of a prophet, who will be sent with the religion of Abraham. He will appear in the land of the Arabs and will migrate to a land between two harrahs (lands with black rocks), between which there are palm trees. He will have characteristics that will not be hidden. He will eat of what is given as a gift but he will not eat of what is given as charity. Between his shoulder blades is the seal of prophethood. If you can go to that land then do so.\u2019<\/p>\n Then, Salman traveled to Arabia and stayed in Medina. When he knew that the people of Medina were gathering in Quba\u2019 to receive a man whom they believed to be a prophet, he went to him.<\/p>\n Salman said: \u201cI had something that I had collected, and when evening came, I went to the Messenger of God when he was in Quba\u2019, and I entered to him and said to him: \u2018I have heard that you are a righteous man and that you have companions who are strangers and are in need. This is something that I have to give in charity, and I see that you are more in need of it than anyone else.\u2019<\/p>\n I brought it near to him and the Messenger of God said to his companions: \u201cEat,\u201d but he refrained from eating. I said to myself: \u2018This is one.\u2019 Then I went away and collected some more.<\/p>\n The Messenger of God settled in Medina, then I came to him and said: \u2018I see that you do not eat (food given in) charity; this is a gift with which I wish to honor you.\u2019 The Messenger of God then ate some of it and told his companions to eat too. I said to myself: \u2018This is two.\u2019<\/p>\n Then I came to the Messenger of God when he was in Baqi` Al-Gharqad, where he had attended the funeral of one of his companions and he was wearing two shawls and was sitting down among his companions. I greeted him, then I moved behind him, trying to look at his back to see the seal that my companion had described to me. When the Messenger of God saw me going behind him, he realized that I was trying to ascertain something that had been described to me, so he let his garment drop from his back, and I saw the seal and recognized it. Then I embraced and kissed him, while weeping \u2026 Then, Salman embraced Islam and became a good Muslim.<\/p>\n From: Islamforchristians<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"