{"id":10,"date":"2026-02-24T07:31:47","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T07:31:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alnejashifoundation.org.et\/?page_id=10"},"modified":"2026-07-28T11:02:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T11:02:38","slug":"the-history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/alnejashifoundation.org.et\/?page_id=10","title":{"rendered":"The History"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n\/*<br \/>\n   Color Palette aligned with the Foundation's dignified theme:<br \/>\n   Primary: #1a3c2a (Deep Forest Green - Ethiopia's landscape & Islamic tradition)<br \/>\n   Accent:  #c9a84c (Saffron Gold - Royalty & spiritual light)<br \/>\n   Background: #faf8f2 (Cream - for a clean, readable look)<br \/>\n*\/<br \/>\n.nejashi-container {<br \/>\n    max-width: 900px;<br \/>\n    margin: 0 auto;<br \/>\n    padding: 40px 30px;<br \/>\n    background-color: #faf8f2;<br \/>\n    font-family: 'Segoe UI', Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;<br \/>\n    color: #2c2c2c;<br \/>\n    border-radius: 12px;<br \/>\n    box-shadow: 0 10px 30px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08);<br \/>\n    line-height: 1.8;<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>.nejashi-container h2 {<br \/>\n    font-size: 28px;<br \/>\n    font-weight: 700;<br \/>\n    color: #1a3c2a;<br \/>\n    margin-top: 40px;<br \/>\n    margin-bottom: 15px;<br \/>\n    padding-bottom: 10px;<br \/>\n    border-bottom: 4px solid #c9a84c;<br \/>\n    display: inline-block;<br \/>\n    letter-spacing: -0.5px;<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>.nejashi-container h2:first-of-type {<br \/>\n    margin-top: 0;<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>.nejashi-container p {<br \/>\n    font-size: 17px;<br \/>\n    margin-bottom: 20px;<br \/>\n    color: #333;<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>\/* Highlighted Key Detail Box *\/<br \/>\n.nejashi-highlight {<br \/>\n    background: #ffffff;<br \/>\n    border-left: 6px solid #c9a84c;<br \/>\n    padding: 18px 25px;<br \/>\n    margin: 25px 0;<br \/>\n    border-radius: 0 8px 8px 0;<br \/>\n    box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.04);<br \/>\n    font-weight: 500;<br \/>\n    color: #1a3c2a;<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>.nejashi-container ul {<br \/>\n    list-style: none;<br \/>\n    padding: 0;<br \/>\n    margin: 20px 0;<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>.nejashi-container ul li {<br \/>\n    background: #ffffff;<br \/>\n    padding: 16px 25px;<br \/>\n    margin-bottom: 12px;<br \/>\n    border-radius: 8px;<br \/>\n    border: 1px solid #e8e2d4;<br \/>\n    box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.02);<br \/>\n    transition: transform 0.2s ease, box-shadow 0.2s ease;<br \/>\n    font-size: 16px;<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>.nejashi-container ul li:hover {<br \/>\n    transform: translateY(-2px);<br \/>\n    box-shadow: 0 6px 14px rgba(26, 60, 42, 0.10);<br \/>\n    border-color: #c9a84c;<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>.nejashi-container ul li strong {<br \/>\n    color: #1a3c2a;<br \/>\n    font-weight: 700;<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>\/* The \"Second Mecca\" special callout *\/<br \/>\n.nejashi-sacred {<br \/>\n    background: #1a3c2a;<br \/>\n    color: #faf8f2;<br \/>\n    padding: 18px 25px;<br \/>\n    border-radius: 8px;<br \/>\n    margin: 25px 0;<br \/>\n    border: 1px solid #c9a84c;<br \/>\n    box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(26, 60, 42, 0.15);<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>.nejashi-sacred strong {<br \/>\n    color: #c9a84c;<br \/>\n    font-weight: 700;<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>\/* Divider Styling *\/<br \/>\n.nejashi-divider {<br \/>\n    height: 2px;<br \/>\n    background: linear-gradient(to right, #c9a84c, #e8e2d4, #c9a84c);<br \/>\n    margin: 45px 0 35px 0;<br \/>\n    border: 0;<br \/>\n    opacity: 0.6;<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>\/* Responsive tweaks *\/<br \/>\n@media (max-width: 600px) {<br \/>\n    .nejashi-container {<br \/>\n        padding: 20px 15px;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n    .nejashi-container h2 {<br \/>\n        font-size: 22px;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n    .nejashi-container ul li {<br \/>\n        padding: 14px 18px;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n}<br \/>\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"nejashi-container\">\n<p><!-- Section 1 --><\/p>\n<h2>The Flight to Abyssinia<\/h2>\n<p>In <strong>615 AD<\/strong>, the early Muslims in Mecca faced severe persecution. In response, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instructed his followers to seek refuge in the Christian Kingdom of Aksum, a realm renowned for its just and righteous ruler.<\/p>\n<div class=\"nejashi-highlight\">\u2726 Among the first group of refugees were close relatives of the Prophet himself, marking the beginning of a profound historical bond between Ethiopia and the Islamic world.<\/div>\n<hr class=\"nejashi-divider\" \/>\n<p><!-- Section 2 --><\/p>\n<h2>The Righteous King: Al-Najashi<\/h2>\n<p>King Armah, known by the title <strong>Negus<\/strong> or <strong>Al-Najashi<\/strong>, received the Muslim refugees with exceptional dignity. When emissaries from the Quraish tribe arrived demanding their return\u2014offering bribes in exchange\u2014the king famously refused.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 20px; font-style: italic; color: #1a3c2a; text-align: center; padding: 10px 0; border-top: 1px dashed #c9a84c; border-bottom: 1px dashed #c9a84c;\">\u201cI will not give up the people who sought my protection, even for a mountain of gold.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This profound act of interfaith justice created a powerful and enduring legacy. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have prayed for King Al-Najashi upon his death, honoring his compassion and fairness.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"nejashi-divider\" \/>\n<p><!-- Section 3 --><\/p>\n<h2>The Settlement at Negash<\/h2>\n<p>The king settled the refugees in the area of <strong>Negash<\/strong>, where they lived in peace and established the very first Muslim community in Africa.<\/p>\n<div class=\"nejashi-highlight\">\u2726 The name <strong>&#8220;Negash&#8221;<\/strong> itself is derived from the local word for <em>&#8220;king&#8221;<\/em>\u2014a timeless tribute to the ruler who provided them sanctuary.<\/div>\n<hr class=\"nejashi-divider\" \/>\n<p><!-- Section 4 --><\/p>\n<h2>The Sacred Site Today<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>Al-Nejashi Mosque Complex<\/strong> stands today as a powerful, living symbol of this rich history. It is one of the most revered Islamic sites in the world.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>&#x1f54c; Africa&#8217;s First Mosque<\/strong><br \/>\nEstablished shortly after 615 CE, it is believed to be the oldest mosque on the African continent.<\/li>\n<li><strong>&#x26b0;&#xfe0f; The Tombs of the Sahaba<\/strong><br \/>\nThe site contains the tombs of <strong>15 companions (Sahaba)<\/strong> of the Prophet Muhammad, making it a uniquely sacred pilgrimage destination.<\/li>\n<li><strong>&#x2b50; &#8220;The Second Mecca&#8221;<\/strong><br \/>\nEthiopian Muslims revere Al-Nejashi as the <strong>&#8220;Second Mecca&#8221;<\/strong>\u2014the second holiest place for them after the Kaaba itself.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"nejashi-sacred\">&#x2b50; <strong>Did you know?<\/strong> Because of the 15 buried Sahaba, Ethiopian Muslims consider Al-Nejashi the <strong>second holiest site<\/strong> in the world for pilgrimage.<\/div>\n<hr class=\"nejashi-divider\" \/>\n<p><!-- Section 5 --><\/p>\n<h2>A Story of Coexistence<\/h2>\n<p>This history is a powerful testament to the long-standing, peaceful relations between Muslims and Christians in Ethiopia. The legacy of tolerance, justice, and refuge that began with the <strong>Flight to Abyssinia<\/strong> continues to inspire interfaith harmony in the Horn of Africa to this day.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background: #e8e2d4; padding: 15px 25px; border-radius: 30px; text-align: center; margin-top: 30px; color: #1a3c2a; font-weight: 600; border: 1px solid #c9a84c;\">\u2726 A legacy of peace that spans over 1,400 years \u2726<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Flight to Abyssinia In 615 AD, the early Muslims in Mecca faced severe persecution. In response, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instructed his followers to seek refuge in the Christian Kingdom of Aksum, a realm renowned for its just and righteous ruler. \u2726 Among the first group of refugees were close relatives of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alnejashifoundation.org.et\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alnejashifoundation.org.et\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alnejashifoundation.org.et\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alnejashifoundation.org.et\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alnejashifoundation.org.et\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/alnejashifoundation.org.et\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":244,"href":"https:\/\/alnejashifoundation.org.et\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10\/revisions\/244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alnejashifoundation.org.et\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}