Hijrah paling awal umat Islam dari Mekkah adalah ketika sekelompok umat Islam direkomendasikan Muhammad untuk hijrah meminta perlindungan ke Raja negeri Abyssinia (Ethiopia) yang beragama Kristen Trinitarian. Berikut ini hanya dipaparkan data dan fakta apa saja yang bisa kita dapati dari kisah tersebut.A. PENGANTAR
B. DALIL QURAN
QS 5:82 (Al-Ma'aidah - Hidangan, Urutan Turun Surah: 112, Madaniyah)
latajidanna asyadda alnnaasi 'adaawatan lilladziina aamanuu alyahuuda waalladziina asyrakuu WALATAJIDANNA AQRABAHUM MAWADDATAN LILLADZIINA AAMANUU ALLADZIINA QAALUU INNAA NASHAARAA dzaalika bi-anna minhum qissiisiina waruhbaanan wa-annahum laa yastakbiruuna
Sesungguhnya kamu dapati orang-orang yang paling keras permusuhannya terhadap orang-orang yang beriman ialah orang-orang Yahudi dan orang-orang musyrik. DAN SESUNGGUHNYA KAMU DAPATI YANG PALING DEKAT PERSAHABATANNYA DENGAN ORANG-ORANG BERIMAN IALAH ORANG-ORANG YANG BERKATA: "SESUNGGUHNYA KAMI INI ORANG NASRANI". Yang demikian itu disebabkan karena di antara mereka itu (orang-orang Nasrani) terdapat pendeta-pendeta dan rahib-rahib, (juga) karena sesungguhnya mereka tidak menyombongkan diri.
Perikop: QS 5:62-86 Orang-orang Yahudi dan Orang-orang Nasrani serta Hubungan Mereka dengan Orang-orang Mukmin
latajidanna asyadda alnnaasi 'adaawatan lilladziina aamanuu alyahuuda waalladziina asyrakuu WALATAJIDANNA AQRABAHUM MAWADDATAN LILLADZIINA AAMANUU ALLADZIINA QAALUU INNAA NASHAARAA dzaalika bi-anna minhum qissiisiina waruhbaanan wa-annahum laa yastakbiruuna
Sesungguhnya kamu dapati orang-orang yang paling keras permusuhannya terhadap orang-orang yang beriman ialah orang-orang Yahudi dan orang-orang musyrik. DAN SESUNGGUHNYA KAMU DAPATI YANG PALING DEKAT PERSAHABATANNYA DENGAN ORANG-ORANG BERIMAN IALAH ORANG-ORANG YANG BERKATA: "SESUNGGUHNYA KAMI INI ORANG NASRANI". Yang demikian itu disebabkan karena di antara mereka itu (orang-orang Nasrani) terdapat pendeta-pendeta dan rahib-rahib, (juga) karena sesungguhnya mereka tidak menyombongkan diri.
Perikop: QS 5:62-86 Orang-orang Yahudi dan Orang-orang Nasrani serta Hubungan Mereka dengan Orang-orang Mukmin
C. ASBABUN NUZUL DAN TAFSIR (1)
Asbabun Nuzul Wahidi
[5:82-86]. These verses were revealed about the Negus and his followers. Said Ibn "Abbas: "When he was in Mecca, the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, used to fear the idolaters" persecution of his Companions. He therefore sent Ja"far ibn Abi Talib and "Abd Allah ibn Mas"ud, at the head of a group of his Companions, to the Negus. He said: "The Negus is a righteous man; he is not an oppressor and none is oppressed in his dominion. So head toward him and remain there until Allah creates relief for the Muslims". When they went to him, the Negus honoured them and then asked them: "Do you memorise anything of that which was revealed to you?" They answered in the affirmative and then recited to him [some Qur"an,] with monks and priests surrounding him. Whenever they read a verse, the tears rolled down their cheeks due to the truth which they recognized. Allah, exalted is He, says: (That is because there are among them priests and monks, and because they are not proud)".
Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Farisi informed us> Muhammad ibn "Abd Allah ibn Hamdun ibn al-Fadl> Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan> Muhammad ibn Yahya> Abu Salih, the scribe of al-Layth> al-Layth> Yunus> Ibn Shihab> Sa"id ibn al-Musayyab and "Urwah ibn al-Zubayr as well as others who said: "The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, sent "Amr ibn Umayyah al-Damri with a message to the Negus. The latter read the message of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and then called Ja"far ibn Abi Talib and all the Emigrants with him and he also invited priests and monks to the assembly. He ordered Ja"far ibn Abi Talib to recite to them from the Qur"an, and he read Surah Maryam, peace be upon her. They believed in the Qur"an and tears flowed from their eyes. It is about them that Allah, exalted is He, revealed (And thou wilt find the nearest of them in affection to those who believe (to be) those who say: Lo! We are Christians) up to His words (Inscribe us as among the witnesses)".
Other commentators said: "Ja"far ibn Abi Talib and his companions came from Abyssinia accompanied by a delegation from the Negus to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace. The delegation included seventy men, all wearing wool. There were sixty-two from Abyssinia and eight from Syria: Bahirah the monk, Abrahah, Idris, Ashraf, Tammam, Quthaym, Durayd and Ayman. When the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, recited to them Surah Yasin, they wept and believed. They commented: "How similar is this to what used to be revealed to Jesus". And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed about them these verses".
Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-"Adl informed us> Zahir ibn Ahmad> Abu"l-Qasim al-Baghawi> "Ali ibn al-Ja"d> Sharik> Salim> Sa"id ibn Jubayr who, commenting on Allah"s words (That is because there are among them priests and monks), said: "The Negus sent thirty men among his best subjects to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace. When the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, recited to them Surah Yasin, they wept, and so this verse was revealed".
[5:82-86]. These verses were revealed about the Negus and his followers. Said Ibn "Abbas: "When he was in Mecca, the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, used to fear the idolaters" persecution of his Companions. He therefore sent Ja"far ibn Abi Talib and "Abd Allah ibn Mas"ud, at the head of a group of his Companions, to the Negus. He said: "The Negus is a righteous man; he is not an oppressor and none is oppressed in his dominion. So head toward him and remain there until Allah creates relief for the Muslims". When they went to him, the Negus honoured them and then asked them: "Do you memorise anything of that which was revealed to you?" They answered in the affirmative and then recited to him [some Qur"an,] with monks and priests surrounding him. Whenever they read a verse, the tears rolled down their cheeks due to the truth which they recognized. Allah, exalted is He, says: (That is because there are among them priests and monks, and because they are not proud)".
Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Farisi informed us> Muhammad ibn "Abd Allah ibn Hamdun ibn al-Fadl> Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan> Muhammad ibn Yahya> Abu Salih, the scribe of al-Layth> al-Layth> Yunus> Ibn Shihab> Sa"id ibn al-Musayyab and "Urwah ibn al-Zubayr as well as others who said: "The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, sent "Amr ibn Umayyah al-Damri with a message to the Negus. The latter read the message of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and then called Ja"far ibn Abi Talib and all the Emigrants with him and he also invited priests and monks to the assembly. He ordered Ja"far ibn Abi Talib to recite to them from the Qur"an, and he read Surah Maryam, peace be upon her. They believed in the Qur"an and tears flowed from their eyes. It is about them that Allah, exalted is He, revealed (And thou wilt find the nearest of them in affection to those who believe (to be) those who say: Lo! We are Christians) up to His words (Inscribe us as among the witnesses)".
Other commentators said: "Ja"far ibn Abi Talib and his companions came from Abyssinia accompanied by a delegation from the Negus to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace. The delegation included seventy men, all wearing wool. There were sixty-two from Abyssinia and eight from Syria: Bahirah the monk, Abrahah, Idris, Ashraf, Tammam, Quthaym, Durayd and Ayman. When the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, recited to them Surah Yasin, they wept and believed. They commented: "How similar is this to what used to be revealed to Jesus". And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed about them these verses".
Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-"Adl informed us> Zahir ibn Ahmad> Abu"l-Qasim al-Baghawi> "Ali ibn al-Ja"d> Sharik> Salim> Sa"id ibn Jubayr who, commenting on Allah"s words (That is because there are among them priests and monks), said: "The Negus sent thirty men among his best subjects to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace. When the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, recited to them Surah Yasin, they wept, and so this verse was revealed".
Al-Jalalayn
You, O Muhammad (s), will truly find the most hostile of people to those who believe to be the Jews and the idolaters, of Mecca, because of the intensity of their disbelief, ignorance and utter preoccupation with following whims; and you will truly find the nearest of them in love to those who believe to be those who say ‘Verily, we are Christians’; that, nearness of theirs in love to the believers is, because some of them are priests, scholars, and monks, devout worshippers, and because they are not disdainful, of following the truth, as the Jews and the Meccans are.
Ibn Kathir
(and you will find the nearest in love to the believers those who say: "We are Christians.'') refers to those who call themselves Christians, who follow the religion of the Messiah and the teachings of his Injil. These people are generally more tolerant of Islam and its people, because of the mercy and kindness that their hearts acquired through part of the Messiah's religion. In another Ayah, Allah said;
(And We ordained in the hearts of those who followed him, compassion, mercy, and monasticism...) 57:27. In their book is the saying; "He who strikes you on the right cheek, then turn the left cheek for him.'' And fighting was prohibited in their creed, and this is why Allah said,
(That is because among them are Qissisin (priests) and Ruhban (monks), and they are not proud.) This means that among them are Qissisin (priests). The word Ruhban refers to one dedicated to worship. Allah said,
(That is because among them are priests and monks, and they are not proud.) This describes them with knowledge, worship and humbleness, along with following the truth and fairness.
Ibn ‘Abbâs
Allah then showed their enmity towards the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions, saying: (Thou wilt find) O Muhammad (the most vehement of mankind in hostility) and most vile in speech (to those who believe) Muhammad and his Companions ((to be) the Jews) the Jews of the Banu Qurayzah, Banu'l-Nadir, Fadak and Khaybar (and the idolaters) and the most vehement in hostility to the believers among the idolaters are the idolaters of Mecca. (And thou wilt find the nearest of them in affection) in their bond and most lenient in speech (to those who believe) Muhammad and his Companions ((to be) those who say: Lo! We are Christians) the Negus and his followers who were 32 men; it is also said that they were 40 people in total: 32 from Abyssinia, and eight monks from Historic Syria: the monk Bahirah and his followers Abrahah, Ashraf, Idris, Tamim, Tammam, Durayd and Ayman. (That) affection (is because there are among them priests) ascetics whose heads are shaved in the middle (and monks) secluded in monasteries who are their men of knowledge, (and because they are not proud) in believing in Muhammad and the Qur'an.
Ada beberapa fakta menarik yang disampaikan oleh Ibn Ishaq dalam Sīratu Rasūlillāh. Setelah menjabarkan panjang lebar daftar nama-nama umat yang berhijrah, Ibn Ishaq di hlm. 150 masuk dalam penceritaan tentang "Utusan Quraysh yang Datang ke Abyssinia untuk Membawa Pulang Imigran Islam". Berikut dikutip ulang ngetik fakta penting yang tertulis di hlm 152-155:D. SIRATU RASULILLAH - IBNU ISHAQ: UTUSAN KAFIR MEKKAH MENEMUI NEGUS (2)
The Negus asked is they had with them anything which had come from God. When Ja'far said that he had, the Negus commanded him to read it to him, so he read him a passage from (sura) KHY'S. The Negus wept until his beard was wet and the bishops wept until their scrolls were wet, when they heard what he read to them. Then the Negus said, 'of a truth, this and what Jesus brought have come from the same niche. You two may go, for by God, I will never give them up to then they shall not be betrayed.
When the two had gone, Amr said, 'TOMORROW I WILL TELL HIM SOMETHING THAT WILL UPROOT THEM ALL'. Abdullah, who was the more god-fearing of them in his attitude toward us, said, 'do not do it, for they are our kindred though they have gone against us. He said, 'BY GOD, I WILL TELL HIM THAT THEY ASSERT THAT JESUS, SON OF MARY, IS A CREATURE'. ...
The Abyssinians Revolt Againts The Negus
Ja'far b. Muhammad told me the authority of his father that the Abyssinians assembled and said to Negus, 'You have left our religion' and they revolted againts him. So he sent to Ja'far and his companions and prepared ships for them, saying, 'Embark in these and be ready. If i am defeated, go where you please; if iam victorious, then stay where you are'. Then he took paper and wrote, 'He testifies that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and apostle; and he testifies that Jesus, Son of Mary. is His slave, His apostle, HIS SPIRIT AND HIS WORD, which HE CAST INTO MARY'. Then he put it in his gown near the right shoulder and went out to the Abyssinians, who were drawn up in array to meet him. He said, 'O people, have i not the best claim among you?' 'Certaintly', they said. 'And what do you think of my life among you?' 'Excellent.; 'Then what is your trouble?' 'YOU HAVE FORSAKEN OUR RELIGION AND ASSERT THAT JESUS IS A SLAVE'. 'Then what do you say about Jesus?' 'WE SAY THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD'. ...
When the two had gone, Amr said, 'TOMORROW I WILL TELL HIM SOMETHING THAT WILL UPROOT THEM ALL'. Abdullah, who was the more god-fearing of them in his attitude toward us, said, 'do not do it, for they are our kindred though they have gone against us. He said, 'BY GOD, I WILL TELL HIM THAT THEY ASSERT THAT JESUS, SON OF MARY, IS A CREATURE'. ...
The Abyssinians Revolt Againts The Negus
Ja'far b. Muhammad told me the authority of his father that the Abyssinians assembled and said to Negus, 'You have left our religion' and they revolted againts him. So he sent to Ja'far and his companions and prepared ships for them, saying, 'Embark in these and be ready. If i am defeated, go where you please; if iam victorious, then stay where you are'. Then he took paper and wrote, 'He testifies that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and apostle; and he testifies that Jesus, Son of Mary. is His slave, His apostle, HIS SPIRIT AND HIS WORD, which HE CAST INTO MARY'. Then he put it in his gown near the right shoulder and went out to the Abyssinians, who were drawn up in array to meet him. He said, 'O people, have i not the best claim among you?' 'Certaintly', they said. 'And what do you think of my life among you?' 'Excellent.; 'Then what is your trouble?' 'YOU HAVE FORSAKEN OUR RELIGION AND ASSERT THAT JESUS IS A SLAVE'. 'Then what do you say about Jesus?' 'WE SAY THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD'. ...
◾ Agama Almasih dan Kitab InjilE. PEMBAHASAN
Ibn Kathir menyebut, " ... Christians, who follow the religion of the Messiah and the teachings of his Injil ... In their book is the saying; "He who strikes you on the right cheek, then turn the left cheek for him.'' And fighting was prohibited in their creed, ... The word Ruhban refers to one dedicated to worship. ... "
Garis bawahi:
agama Mesias dan ajaran Kitab Injil, ditampar pipi kanan beri pipi kirimu (Matius 5:39), dilarang memerangi dan ruhban (alim) - rahbaniyah (one dedicated for worship)
Dari situ kita mengetahui bahwa Muhammad memuji umat Nasrani Abbysinia yang mengikuti "the religion of the Messiah" dan mereka memiliki kitab Injil ditambah keberadaan para alim dan pendeta yang disebut secara baik di QS 5:82. Bandingkan pula data asbabun nuzul dan beberapa tafsir yang memang sejak dari Mekkah, Muhammad sudah mengetahui kebaikan hati Nasrani di Abbysinia sebelum mereka (diklaim) percaya pada kenabian Muhammad.
◾ Sirat Rasūlillāh Ibn Ishaq dan QS 5:83
Debater Islam umumnya akan segera menyebutkan kelanjutan ayatnya, yaitu:
QS 5:83 (Al-Ma'aidah - Hidangan, Urutan Turun Surah: 112, Madaniyah)
wa-idzaa sami'uu maa unzila ilaa alrrasuuli taraa a'yunahum tafiidhu mina alddam'i mimmaa 'arafuu mina alhaqqi yaquuluuna rabbanaa aamannaa fauktubnaa ma'a alsysyaahidiina
Dan apabila mereka mendengarkan apa yang diturunkan kepada Rasul (Muhammad), kamu lihat mata mereka mencucurkan air mata disebabkan kebenaran (Al Qur'an) yang telah mereka ketahui (dari kitab-kitab mereka sendiri); seraya berkata: "Ya Tuhan kami, kami telah beriman, maka catatlah kami bersama orang-orang yang menjadi saksi (atas kebenaran Al Qur'an dan kenabian Muhammad s.a.w.).
Debater Islam mengklaim bahwa Nasrani menjadi percaya akan Muhammad karena mereka "mendengarkan maka mereka mencucurkan air mata karena mengakui kebenaran Quran".
Akan tetapi nanti dulu, jika kita cermat membaca asbabun nuzul, Anda akan menemukan: "... He therefore sent Ja"far ibn Abi Talib and "Abd Allah ibn Mas"ud, at the head of a group of his Companions, to the Negus. He said: "The Negus is a righteous man; he is not an oppressor and none is oppressed in his dominion. ..." Jadi pujian itu memang sudah sedari awal ada dan diketahui oleh Muhammad jauh sebelum sekelompok Islam dibawah pimpin Jafar berhijrah ke Abbysinia.
Pun jika kita membaca data yang disebutkan oleh Ibn Ishaq seperti yang telah kita baca bersama di atas, tidakkah ada sesuatu yang aneh di sana? Ja'far diminta untuk membaca ayat Quran dihadapan Negus dan para alim - pendeta Abbysinia. Kemudian Ja'far membaca surat KHY'S (QS 19, Maryam) - menurut Jalalayn, Ibn Abbas yang dibaca adalah Surah Ya Sin - Kemudian Negus dan para alim - pendeta menjadi "mencucurkan air mata" mendengarkan apa yang dibaca dalam Quran itu (dikira) sama seperti yang di-imani oleh Nasrani Abbysinia.
Coba Anda perhatikan bagaimana reaksi utusan Mekkah yang mendengar Neguz menjadi percaya pada Quran yang dibacakan Ja'far tersebut:
" .. Amr said, 'TOMORROW I WILL TELL HIM SOMETHING THAT WILL UPROOT THEM ALL'. Abdullah, who was the more god-fearing of them in his attitude toward us, said, 'do not do it, for they are our kindred though they have gone against us. He said, 'BY GOD, I WILL TELL HIM THAT THEY ASSERT THAT JESUS, SON OF MARY, IS A CREATURE'. ... "
Perhatikan pula bagaimana reaksi masyarakat Nasrani Abbysinia yang memprotes Negus:
" ... Then he took paper and wrote, 'He testifies that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and apostle; and he testifies that Jesus, Son of Mary. is His slave, His apostle, HIS SPIRIT AND HIS WORD, which HE CAST INTO MARY'. Then he put it in his gown near the right shoulder and went out to the Abyssinians, who were drawn up in array to meet him. He said, 'O people, have i not the best claim among you?' 'Certaintly', they said. 'And what do you think of my life among you?' 'Excellent.; 'Then what is your trouble?' 'YOU HAVE FORSAKEN OUR RELIGION AND ASSERT THAT JESUS IS A SLAVE'. 'Then what do you say about Jesus?' 'WE SAY THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD'. ... "
Dua fakta di atas cukup untuk membuktikan bahwa Negus dan para alim - pendeta Abbysinia telah "salah sangka" terhadap Ja'far yang membacakan ayat-ayat Quran tentang Isa yang disebut di sana "Kalimatullah dan Ruhullah", yang dikira sama seperti pemahaman Nasrani Abbysinia, akan tetapi ternyata tidak sama.
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Footnote
(1) http://quranx.com/Tafsirs/5.82
(2) Ibn Ishāq, Sīratu Rasūlillāh (tr. Alfred Guillaume), (Oxford University Press, 2004), hlm. 150-155. http://www.justislam.co.uk/images/Ibn%20Ishaq%20-%20Sirat%20Rasul%20Allah.pdf