(Ethiopia’s strong and positive support towards the advent of Islam in the 7th century)
The Horn of Africa used to be known by a variety of names including Punt, Ethiopia/Nubia, and Ethiopia. The area extended from today’s eastern parts of the Sudan to the Indian Ocean including modern day Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia.
Richard Pankhurst states: “The coastal areas of Ethiopia in Pharonic times formed part of what the ancient Egyptians termed the land of Punt, and sometimes God’s Land.”
According to E. Naville, Punt “….must have begun near Suakim or Massawah and stretched to the south, perhaps even beyond the straits of Bab el-Mandeb and the Cape of Gardafui to the coast of Somalis”.5 Sergew Hable Selassie states: “No doubt that the present (1972) Ethiopian Empire was included within the region of Punt.”
During the early parts of the first millennium C.E. the Horn of Africa’s (i.e. Ethiopia’s) authority extended to South Arabia. H. von Wissman states: “….the first Ethiopian occupation in Arabia lasted over one and a half centuries, from 80 or 90 C.E. to 265 C.E.”9 By the 6th century, Ethiopian territory in the Arabian Peninsula included not only “the Kingdom of Himyar and Saba but extended further to the north as far as Nagran….” Ethiopian garrisons were present in “key positions” such as Zafar and Nagran.
As the major power in the Horn of Africa and with territories in South Arabia; Ethiopia was treated with the respect and deference due a superpower.
The Emperor of Constantinople “….dispatched an ambassador to Axum (Ethiopia) to negotiate a treaty of alliance with the Negoos and to bring about his friendly attachment to the Roman Empire….”
Renowned sociologist, Donald Levine, states: “In the latter part of the third century Mani wrote that Axum (Ethiopia) ranked third among the great powers of the world…..To many Byzantine emperors Ethiopia appeared a most desirable ally….”
Quoting Antonio Gramsci, Daniel Kendie states: “Having controlled the Red Sea-Indian Ocean trade,…..Axum carved out an empire that extended from Nubia to Somalia, and from South Arabia to Southern Ethiopia”13
Among the numerous occurrences of those times that clearly illustrate the might of the Horn of Africa’s Ethiopia was an event that took place in Nagran and Zafar. An Arab prince by the name of Dhu Nuwas converted to the Jewish faith.
In his effort to convert the residents of the two settlements to Judaism, 3000 people, including Ethiopians were massacred. Although the Ethiopian king of the time, Emperor Caleb, was already in the process of taking punitive measures, the head of the Roman Empire, Justin I (518-27) attempted to persuade” …the Aksumite (Ethiopian) King, Kaleb to go to the rescue of a group of Christians attacked by a 6 South Arabian prince who had adopted the Jewish faith…..”
Emperor Caleb launched a counter attack using 70 large and 100 small ships built at Adulis in Ethiopia and 60 additional ships obtained from elsewhere, along with an army that was reported to range from 70,000 to 120,000. He undertook two military expeditions into Southern Arabia in 523 and 525 which resulted in a complete victory and the restoration of Ethiopian authority over its territory across the Red Sea.
“The success of the Abyssinian expedition in 525 C.E., led to the founding of a new and powerful dynasty at Sanaa, the capital of Yemen”16
Another, even more renowned event is the expedition to Mecca in 570 C.E. by the Ethiopian Emperor’s representative in South Arabia, Abraha and his army which was accompanied by elephants.
According to Ethiopian historians, the main purpose of the expedition was to divert trade from Mecca to Sanaa and to destroy the Kabba which was at the time a place for worshipping idols.
On his way to Mecca, Abreha’s forces defeated two resisting armies. The story as to what transpired once the army reached Mecca varies. The Arab version—which is related to this day—is that the sky was filled with birds each of which was carrying three pebbles of stone, one in its bill and the other two in its feet.
The birds dropped the pebbles on the Ethiopian army which suffered death and defeat. This episode is referred to in the Holy Quran as “Um al-Fil” meaning the Year of the Elephant. The Ethiopian version is that the Ethiopian Army was affected by an incidence of smallpox causing the Arab army to retreat.
In any case, Abreha returned with his army to Sanaa and continued his reign until he died and was replaced successively by his sons Yaksum and Masruk. 17
The Ethiopian occupation of South Arabia ended as a result of several factors including the waning strength of the Axumite Empire, the harsh rule by Abreha’s sons, and the intervention by the Persian Empire at the request of the then Arabian prince, Sayf b. Dhu Yazan.
Nevertheless, the Horn of Africa continued, through Ethiopia, to be a force to be reckoned with in Middle Eastern affairs. This is illustrated by its strong and positive support on the advent of Islam in the 7th century when its first followers suffered persecution and the Prophet Mohammed advised them to take refuge in Ethiopia.
He is quoted to have stated that Ethiopia had “….a king under whom none are persecuted. It is a land of righteousness where God will give you relief from what you are suffering.”
It is interesting to note that the Prophet chose Ethiopia as a place of refuge over Persia and the Byzantine Empire. He was wise in doing so as soon after the first migration took place in 615, the Meccan officials (the Quraysh) followed them to Axum and tried, unsuccessfully, to have them repatriated to South Arabia.
The refugees numbering over 100 and including the Prophet’s daughter Rockeya and her husband Othman, stayed in Ethiopia for some 15 years and those who wished to do so eventually returned to their country safely.
Other examples of the continued prowess of Horn of Africa’s Ethiopia was its invasions of Jeddah in 702 and 768 C.E. and its attempt, again, to march to Mecca. However, both attacks were repulsed.
During the first millennium C.E., the Horn of Africa was reputed for its civilization and commerce. It had its own written language, an active trade with Egypt, Persia, the Arab Peninsula and India in valuable products including gold, spices, cassia, calamus, animals and animal products. The Horn of Africa also accepted Christianity23 and Islam peacefully without any military duress.
With the increasing expansion of the Ottoman and Arab hegemony, Ethiopia and the rest of the Horn of Africa became isolated and the region’s decline set in during the ninth and early tenth centuries. In addition, internal conflicts intensified thereby finally ending the glorious reign of the Axumite Empire.
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday Edition 17 Novebmer 2019
BY KIDANE ALEMAYEHU
