The second migration to Abyssinia

When the Muslims' ordeal grew heavy the Prophet ﷺ pointed them to a second migration to Abyssinia — harder than the first — and eighty-three men and about eighteen women reached the Negus.

The ordeal on the Muslims grew heavy, their clans bearing down, so the Prophet ﷺ pointed them to migrate to Abyssinia once more — harsher than the first, for Quraysh resolved to foil it, but the Muslims were quicker and reached the Negus. This time eighty-three men migrated — Ammar being among them is doubted — and eighteen or nineteen women. Grieved that they found safety, the polytheists sent two hardened men — Amr ibn al-As (may God be pleased with him) and Abdullah ibn Abi Rabi'a, before their Islam — with gifts to the Negus to have them expelled. The Negus heard Ja'far ibn Abi Talib describe Islam, then recite the opening of Surat Maryam, and wept with his bishops, saying this and what Jesus brought come from one lamp-niche; asked their word on the Messiah, Ja'far said: God's servant and messenger, His spirit and His word cast upon Mary — he refused to hand them over and returned the gifts.

The ordeal on the Muslims grew heavy, their clans bearing down, so the Prophet ﷺ pointed them to migrate to Abyssinia once more — harsher than the first, for Quraysh woke to it and resolved to foil it, but the Muslims were quicker and reached the Negus before they were overtaken. This time eighty-three men migrated — Ammar being among them is doubted — and eighteen or nineteen women. Grieved that they found safety, the polytheists picked two hardened men — Amr ibn al-As (may God be pleased with him) and Abdullah ibn Abi Rabi'a, before their Islam — and sent them with gifts to the Negus and his bishops to have the Muslims expelled. The Negus heard Ja'far ibn Abi Talib describe Islam, then recite the opening of Surat Maryam, and wept till his beard was wet, his bishops weeping too, saying this and what Jesus brought come from one lamp-niche; in a further meeting he asked their word on the Messiah and Ja'far said: we say what our Prophet brought us — God's servant and messenger, His spirit and His word cast upon Mary — and the Negus took a stick from the ground saying 'Jesus son of Mary did not exceed what you said by this stick', refusing to hand them over and returning the gifts. The sources do not date the two delegations, but the book judges on reflection that they came mid-way through the prophethood's sixth year, a short gap between them.