Saying · 9 AH
Jibril has come and informed me that a pious brother of yours has died in a neighboring land.
~9 AH · 9 AH
Scholars read this differently
Scholars differ on why the Prophet ﷺ prayed this absentee funeral prayer only for the Najashi; per Sh. Yasir Qadhi, likely because no one in Abyssinia performed the funeral prayer over him as a secret Muslim.
The Najashi was the king of Abyssinia who had given shelter to the Muslim emigrants, and who had secretly become a Muslim. A number of years later, he died there. The Prophet ﷺ told the sahaba (companions) in Madinah, "Jibril has come and informed me that a pious brother of yours has died in a neighboring land." He then led them in Salat al-Janazah ala al-Gha'ib, the funeral prayer in absentia. It was the only time in his life that the Prophet ﷺ prayed a funeral prayer over someone whose body was not present.
A unique honor shown to the Najashi among all the Companions and allies of the Prophet ﷺ.
Other events recorded in 9 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
Jibril has come and informed me that a pious brother of yours has died in a neighboring land.