Al-Imam Ahmad reports in his Musnad, in a long hadith narrated by Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her) that when asked to describe his faith by the Negus of Abyssinnia, Jafar b. Abi Talib replied:

“O King, we were a people of ignorance; worshiping idols, eating carrion, committing indecencies, breaking family ties, dreadful to our neighbors, the strong would devour the weak.

This was our

state until God send to us a Messenger from us; we know his lineage, his truthfulness, his trustworthiness, and his chastity. He called us to God so that we declare his oneness and worship him, and leave off what we and our forefathers would worship from other than him of stones and idols.

He orders us to be truthful in speech, to fulfill our trusts, to care for our relatives, to be good neighbors. He ordered us to abstain from the forbidden and from killing. He forbade us from committing indecencies, from false witness, devouring the wealth of orphans, and accusing innocent women.

He orders us to worship God alone and not associate any partners with him, and he ordered us with prayer, charity, and fasting. He enumerated to us the affairs of Islam, so we believed him, had faith in him, and followed him in what he brought to us.

So we worshiped God alone, not admitting any partners in that worship. We abstained from which he forbade us, and held permitted that which he permitted us.

Due to this our people transgressed upon us, they punished and castigated us. They seek to drive us away from our faith and worship of God to return us to the worship of idols, and that we permit those filthy things we used to permit.

When they overcame us, oppressed us, and demoralized us, coming between us and our faith, we migrated to you, and chose you over others, desiring to live in your presence, hoping that we would not be oppressed in your presence, O King.”

َيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ، كُنَّا قَوْمًا أَهْلَ جَاهِلِيَّةٍ نَعْبُدُ الْأَصْنَامَ، وَنَأْكُلُ الْمَيْتَةَ وَنَأْتِي الْفَوَاحِشَ، وَنَقْطَعُ الْأَرْحَامَ، وَنُسِيءُ الْجِوَارَ يَأْكُلُ الْقَوِيُّ مِنَّا الضَّعِيفَ، فَكُنَّا عَلَى ذَلِكَ حَتَّى بَعَثَ اللهُ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولًا مِنَّا نَعْرِفُ نَسَبَهُ، وَصِدْقَهُ، وَأَمَانَتَهُ، وَعَفَافَهُ، ” فَدَعَانَا إِلَى اللهِ لِنُوَحِّدَهُ، وَنَعْبُدَهُ، وَنَخْلَعَ مَا كُنَّا نَعْبُدُ نَحْنُ وَآبَاؤُنَا مِنْ دُونِهِ مِنَ الحِجَارَةِ وَالْأَوْثَانِ، وَأَمَرَنَا بِصِدْقِ الْحَدِيثِ، وَأَدَاءِ الْأَمَانَةِ، وَصِلَةِ الرَّحِمِ، وَحُسْنِ الْجِوَارِ، وَالْكَفِّ عَنِ الْمَحَارِمِ، وَالدِّمَاءِ، وَنَهَانَا عَنِ الْفَوَاحِشِ، وَقَوْلِ الزُّورِ، وَأَكْلِ مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ، وَقَذْفِ الْمُحْصَنَةِ، وَأَمَرَنَا أَنْ نَعْبُدَ اللهَ وَحْدَهُ لَا نُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَأَمَرَنَا بِالصَّلاةِ، وَالزَّكَاةِ، وَالصِّيَامِ “، قَالَ: فَعَدَّدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمُورَ الْإِسْلامِ، فَصَدَّقْنَاهُ وَآمَنَّا بِهِ وَاتَّبَعْنَاهُ عَلَى مَا جَاءَ بِهِ، فَعَبَدْنَا اللهَ وَحْدَهُ، فَلَمْ نُشْرِكْ بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَحَرَّمْنَا مَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْنَا، وَأَحْلَلْنَا مَا أَحَلَّ لَنَا، فَعَدَا عَلَيْنَا قَوْمُنَا، فَعَذَّبُونَا وَفَتَنُونَا عَنْ دِينِنَا لِيَرُدُّونَا إِلَى عِبَادَةِ الْأَوْثَانِ مِنْ عِبَادَةِ اللهِ، وَأَنْ نَسْتَحِلَّ مَا كُنَّا نَسْتَحِلُّ مِنَ الخَبَائِثِ، فَلَمَّا قَهَرُونَا وَظَلَمُونَا، وَشَقُّوا عَلَيْنَا، وَحَالُوا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ دِينِنَا، خَرَجْنَا إِلَى بَلَدِكَ، وَاخْتَرْنَاكَ عَلَى مَنْ سِوَاكَ، وَرَغِبْنَا فِي جِوَارِكَ، وَرَجَوْنَا أَنْ لَا نُظْلَمَ عِنْدَكَ أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ،