A Faith Worth Dying for | إيمانهم وشهادتهم

شهادة كنيسة نجران

What They Believed:

قَبِلَت جميع الكنائس الممثلة في نجران قانون الإيمان من مجامع نيقية الأول (325 م) والقسطنطينية (381 م)

The various church communities represented in Najran (listed below) held to the foundational truths of the Gospel as set forth by the established creeds and councils of both Nicaea (325 AD) and Constantinople (381 AD). As demonstrated below, the Church of Najran did not hold to this faith in theory only, but indeed with their very lives. To the lion-hearted flock of Najran, this was a faith worth dying for. 

Local Church of Najran كنيسة نجران المحلية
 Syriac Orthodox Church الكنيسة الأرثوذكسية السريانية 
Ethiopian Orthodox Church الكنيسة الأرثوذكسية الإثيوبية
 Byzantine & Catholic Churches الكنائس الكاثوليكية
The Church of the East كنيسة المشرق

ويشمل قانون الإيمان الحقائق الإيمانية الأساسية وهي:

نؤمن بإله واحد
بالحقيقة نؤمن بإله واحد،1 الله الآب ضابط الكل،2 خالق السماء والأرض ما يرى وما لا يرى،3 نؤمن برب واحد يسوع المسيح ابن الله،4 الوحيد المولود من الآب5 قبل كل الدهور نور من نور6 إله حق من إله حق،7 مولود غير مخلوق واحد مع الآب في الجوهر الذي به كان كل شيء،8 هذا الذي من أجلنا نحن البشر ومن أجل خلاصنا نزل من السماء وتجسد9 من الروح القدس10 ومن مريم العذراء،11 تأنس وصلب عنا على عهد بيلاطس البنطي تألم وقبر،12 وقام من بين الأموات في اليوم الثالث13 كما في الكتب، وصعد إلى السموات وجلس عن يمين أبيه، وأيضاً يأتي في مجده ليدين الأحياء والأموات،14 الذي ليس لملكه انقضاء، نعم نؤمن بالروح القدس الرب المحيي15 المنبثق من الآب، نسجد له ونمجده مع الآب والابن الناطق بالأنبياء،16 وبكنيسة واحدة مقدسة جامعة رسولية،17 ونعترف بمعمودية واحدة18 لمغفرة الخطايا،19 وننتظر قيامة الأموات20 وحياة الدهر الآتي21. آمين

We believe in One God,1 the Father Almighty,2 Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.3 And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,4 begotten of the Father before all worlds,5 God of God, Light of Light,6 Very God of Very God,7 begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made;8 who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate9 by the Holy Spirit10 of the Virgin Mary,11 and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried,12 and the third day he rose again13 according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,14 whose kingdom shall have no end. And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life,15 who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.16 And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church.17 We acknowledge one baptism18 for the remission of sins.19 And we look for the resurrection of the dead,20 and the life of the world to come.21 Amen.

شرح مفهوم عقيدة الوحدانية والثالوث

Church of Najran: Kindling a Flame of Light and Life
  1. “The citizens (of Najran) replied: ‘We have been taught to venerate and worship Almighty God and his Word, through which everything has come to be, and his Holy Spirit, who breathes life into everything. We do not import multiple gods or recognize the reduction of monarchy but recognize rather one deity in three persons. We venerate and worship the same unique power as Abraham and others venerated.’” (Testimony of the citizens of Najran; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 5; translation of Martyrium s. Arethae et Sociorum; i.e., Acts of Harith); “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, One sole God.” (The Acts of Azqir; Anglican Theological Review, Vol. XXVII) ↩︎
  2. “Christ, the True God, who rules with the Father and the Holy Spirit…” (Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 4); “how much more ought we to abandon both our wretched sheds and opulent residencies and be with Christ in the fair mansions which are prepared for us in his Father’s dwelling.” (Simeon of Beth Arsham; The Martyrs of Najran: New Documents; p. 62) ↩︎
  3. “He did not blush when he (tried to persuade us) to renounce the Word of God, through whom everything in heaven and on earth was made, both visible and invisible…” (Testimony of Harith; Martyrs of Najran; p. 13); “Then, when his creation had become the deformed image of its Creator…”(Harith; Martyrs of Najran; p. 13); “Lord God Almighty, Creator of heavenly virtues, of the visible and invisible…” (Abyssinian King Caleb, i.e. Elesbaan; Martyrs of Najran; p. 22); “(And when) the youth said these [words], he crossed himself in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” (Abraham, a Son of the Covenant, a martyr of Najran; The Martyrs of Najran – New Documents; p. 61; Irfan Shahid); “All these holy women were beheaded together, invoking the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” (Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 9); “O my Lord, Jesus Christ, Who didst open the iron gate for Peter and loosed his bonds, do Thou order…” (The Acts of Azqir; Anglican Theological Review, Vol. XXVII) ↩︎
  4. “May it not happen, Christ king of heaven, Son of God, who sit(s) above the Cherubim and (is) glorified by the Seraphim, that we deny your kingdom and divinity.” (Testimony of Ruhm; Martyrs of Najran; p. 12). “I thank you, Son of God, that you have been good to your servant and judged me worthy to taste the sacrifice of my humble children.” (Ruhm; Martyrs of Najran; p. 12); “For He is God, Son of God, Creator of the worlds.” (Ruhm; The Book of the Himyarites; Axel Moberg; p. cxxvii); “ye worship a mortal man, who, being of mankind, yet said about himself, that he was the son of God, the Merciful (Rahmana).” (King Dhu Nuwas; The Book of the Himyarites; Axel Moberg; p. cix); “Christ, God, come to our help. O, our Lord, Jesus Christ…” (women and children of Najran, as arrows rained down upon them, and as they lifted their hands to heaven; The Book of the Himyarites; Axel Moberg; p. cxx) ↩︎
  5. “He, the Word of God, by a decree of his Father, came down from heaven, assumed what was fallen…” (Harith; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 13); “everyone who does not confess that Christ is God and the true Son of God…” (Ibrahim, a Son of the Covenant; The Martyrs of Najran: New Documents; p. 61) ↩︎
  6. “He descended from heaven and became flesh from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and did everything necessary for our salvation, illuminating us in our darkness…” (King Caleb of Abyssinia; Martyrs of Najran; p. 22); “bringer of light” (King Caleb of Abyssinia; Martyrs of Najran; p. 22) ↩︎
  7. “But in the universal world that always and everywhere glorifies Christ the True God.” (Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 4); “‘(And) praise be to God, our Lord Jesus Christ, who has deemed me worthy of this.’ When they heard this, those foes of righteousness became angry and smote his feet also from behind and cut them both off…” (“Faithful” the man who was the first to suffer in Najran for Christ, who was dismembered and martyred; The Book of the Himyarites; pages cvi-cvii); “Lord Jesus Christ, our God” (Testimony at the burning of the Church of Najran; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cix); “I will not deny but confess Him, that He is God, Son of God indeed.” (Testimony of Moses, a priest of Najran, at the burning of the church; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cx); “each one of them despised him, bravely giving him answer for the sake of truth, and confessed, that Christ is God…” (wives of Najran; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxix); “When now the arrows were flying continuously in a dense shower from every side and were piercing them, just as a cloud that pours down hail over a vineyard, these handmaids of Christ lifted up their hands toward heaven saying: ‘Christ, God, come to our help…’ ” (women of Najran, with their children; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxx); “they confessed that they worshipped Christ…” (concerning Habsa and her friends, both named Hayya; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxxiii); “But we trust in the justice of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God…” (Habsa, The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxxiii); “We confess that Christ is God.” (Habsa’s friends, both named Hayya; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxxv) ↩︎
  8. “The citizens (of Najran) replied: ‘We have been taught to venerate and worship Almighty God and his Word, through which everything has come to be, and his Holy Spirit, who breathes life into everything. We do not import multiple gods or recognize the reduction of monarchy but recognize rather one deity in three persons. We venerate and worship the same unique power as Abraham and others venerated.’ “ (Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 5); “God forbid, and this will not be, either with me or with anyone of the Christians, that we should deny our Lord and our God and our Creator, Jesus Christ…” (Zurayba; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxi); “For He is God and the Maker of all things, and he saved us from eternal death…” (the wives of Najran; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxviii); “Among the women that we have brought together, I have not found even a single one that denies Christ, but they insist shamelessly, even more than their husbands, in their rebellious opinion, saying that Christ is God, Creator, Son of the Merciful (Rahmana)…” (King Dhu Nuwas; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxix); “But thou shalt know that not only will I not say that Christ was a man, but I worship Him and praise Him because of all the benefits He has shown me. And I believe that He is God, Maker of all creatures, and I take refuge in his cross.” (Habsa; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxxiv) ↩︎
  9. “He who became man for us [by his manifestation in the flesh] and in His grace… and rose as God, and, by His passion and death, saved us from the second death…” (Testimony during the “burning of the church and of the brethren of the holy order of the town of Najran, and of the others who were burnt there;” The Book of the Himyarites; Axel Moberg; pages cii and cix); “He descended from heaven and became flesh from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and did everything necessary for our salvation…” (King Caleb of Abyssinia; Martyrs of Najran; p. 22); “God forbid! The faith of the Romans is founded on the tradition of the apostles and councils, which teaches us the mystery of the divine incarnation, namely that the Divine Logos…and was made man like the rest of us, except for sin. In his flesh we conclude that he suffered, but in his divinity we confess his power…” (Abraham, son of Euphrasius, at the Summit of Ramla; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 19); [unfortunately, this same passage in the Acts of Harith polemicizes a disagreement between the Oriental Orthodox Church and the Church of the East on the issues of the title “mother of God” and the divine and human natures of Christ; it should be noted here that the Church of the East accepted both the Nicaean and Cappadocian councils as summarized here]. “And I believe that He is God, Maker of all creatures, and I take refuge in His Cross.” (Habsa the martyr, on taking refuge in the salvation represented as by the cross; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxxiv); see also title for Christ “our Saviour” (The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxxxviii; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 6) “our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ” (The Acts of Azqir; Anglican Theological Review, Vol. XXVII) ↩︎
  10. “The citizens (of Najran) replied: ‘We have been taught to venerate and worship… his Holy Spirit, who breathes life into everything. We do not import multiple gods or recognize the reduction of monarchy but recognize rather one deity in three persons. We venerate and worship the same unique power as Abraham and others venerated.’ “ (Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 5); (And when) the youth said these [words], he crossed himself in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” (Abraham, a Son of the Covenant, a martyr of Najran; The Martyrs of Najran – New Documents; p. 61; Irfan Shahid); “And from the mouths of all of us, may thanksgiving be offered to Him, to His Father, and to His Holy Spirit, now, in every time, forever and forever. Amen.” (Simeon of Beth Arsham; The Martyrs of Najran – New Documents; p. 64; Irfan Shahid) ↩︎
  11. “He descended from heaven and became flesh from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and did everything necessary for our salvation…” (King Caleb of Abyssinia; Martyrs of Najran; p. 22) ↩︎
  12. “May God forgive us, but we renounce our families, homeland and property and take up the Cross of Christ and follow him who made the good confession under Pontius Pilate…” (the wives of Najran in chains, when their husbands and children pleaded with them on their way to martyrdom; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 8); Refer to the many references of the “victorious cross” and “sign of the cross” in the martyrdom accounts (The Book of the Himyarites); “thinking that he would be able to persuade her to deny Christ and the Cross…” (concerning Ruhm; The Martyrs of Najran – New Documents; p. 54); “Far be it from us that we should deny Christ and the Cross…” (The handmaids of Najran; The Martyrs of Najran – New Documents; p. 54); “Go out and die for the sake of Christ, just as He died for your sake…” (Mahya; The Martyrs of Najran – New Documents; p. 55); “I was baptized and had my daughters also baptized, whose cross I adore, and for whose sake I shall die, I and my daughters, as He died for us. Behold! The gold of the earth is abandoned to the earth…” (Ruhm; The Martyrs of Najran –New Documents; p. 58); “(We) prefer death and life in Christ, who died for us and came back to life and let Christ live in us…” (the people of the city of Najran, as the city was besieged by the Himyarite forces; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 6); “(He) assumed what was fallen and with his own body crucified sin. And so, in a body taken from us he became a sacrifice to God the Father for all mankind. How can I deny this?” (Harith; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 13); “Arethas replied: ‘May you his holy disciples receive peace from the crucified Christ…” (Harith at his martyrdom; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 16) ↩︎
  13. “He who became man for us [by his manifestation in the flesh] and in His grace… and rose as God, and, by His passion and death, saved us from the second death…” (Testimony during the “burning of the church and of the brethren of the holy order of the town of Najran, and of the others who were burnt there;” The Book of the Himyarites; Axel Moberg; pages cii and cix); “Christ (the) Son of God showed us the principle of resurrection and immortality when He rose from the dead…” (upon Elesbaan, Caleb the king of Abyssinia, retiring from office; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 27) ↩︎
  14. “he will be denied by the future judge of the living and the dead…” (Harith; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p.14) ↩︎
  15. “The citizens (of Najran) replied: ‘We have been taught to venerate and worship Almighty God and his Word, through which everything has come to be, and his Holy Spirit, who breathes life into everything…’” (Martyrs of Najran (p. 5); A.A.; translation of Martyrium s. Arethae et Sociorum; i.e., Acts of Harith); “together with Him and the Holy Ghost, the giver of life…” (The Acts of Azqir; Anglican Theological Review, Vol. XXVII) ↩︎
  16. The prophets and Scriptures were frequently evoked by the believers of Najran, and by the advocates and friends of Najran. For example, “We have been taught by the Law and the prophets and apostles…” (Martyrs of Najran; A.A. p. 6); The believers of Najran referenced Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before the Himyarite forced entered the city, as an assurance from the Lord (i.e., Ananias, Azarias, and Misael; Martyrs of Najran; A.A. p. 6); “Do you mean, my lord, the Scripture in Elijah the prophet, when Ahab the king of Israel said to him…” (Harith before King Dhu Nuwas; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 13); Azqir proclaimed, ” ‘But this is not a new religion, for indeed, the Prophets and the Pentateuch foretold it.’ Then he began to discuss with the Jews, basing himself on the Holy Scriptures.” (The Acts of Azqir; Anglican Theological Review, Vol. XXVII); Pharaoh and the splitting of the Red Sea (Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 18); “The teachings of the apostles urge us to marry lawfully rather than to burn (with lust)…” (Ruhm in reference to 1 Cor. 7:9; Martyrs of Najran; A.A. p. 11); “The faith of the Romans is founded on the tradition of the apostles and councils, which teaches us the mystery of the divine incarnation…” (Abraham, the son of Euphrasius; Summit of Ramla; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 19) King Caleb of Abyssinia mentions Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the wandering in the wilderness, Joshua, Gideon, Elijah, and Hezekiah, all with references to Scripture. (The Book of the Himyarites; p cxxxvi); Bishop Euprepios references multiple Scriptures when discussing the forgiveness of those who denied Christ, namely: Ps. 145:18, Ez. 33:11, Matt. 9:13, Luke 15:7, and the story of Peter (The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxli); The author of the Second Letter, Simeon of Beth Arsham, the Persian Bishop and advocate of the Church of Najran refers to a large number of Biblical figures and passages, including: Cain, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Abimelech, Hagar, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, Esau, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, Korah, Dathan, Abiram, Joshua son of Nun, Gideon and the Midianites, Samson the Nazirite, the Philistines, Nabin and Sisera, Barak, Samuel, Hophni and Phineas, David, Saul, Elijah and the Edomites, Elisha, Micah, Ahab, Hezekiah and the Assyrians, Mordecai, Haman, Esther, Daniel and the Chaldeans, King Asa, and others (Book of the Himyarites; pages cxlii – cxlv); “This region of the Himyarites is called Saba [Sheba] in the Holy Scriptures…” (Martyrs of Najran; A.A. p. 1); indeed, the accounts of the martyrs are replete with references to Scripture, either explicitly or otherwise. A few examples of Scriptural references include Ps. 68:1 (King Caleb; Martyrs of Najran; A.A; p. 26), 1 Sam. 15 (Martyrs of Najran; A.A. p. 21); the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart (Martyrs of Najran; A.A. p. 20), Matt. 19:14 (Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 17); Gal. 3 (“redeemed from the curse of the law”; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 17); Gal. 5:1 (Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 17); 1 Cor. 16:20 (“holy kiss;” Martyrs of Najran; A.A. pages 15-16); Num. 16:31 (Martyrs of Najran; A.A. p. 15); Ex. 19:12 (Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 15); Luke 1:68ff. (Martyrs of Najran; A.A. p. 15); Matt. 25 (The parable of the 10 virgins; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 11); Matt. 10:18 “The holy martyrs of Christ replied… ‘you will be brought before leaders for my sake…’ ” (Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 8); Azqir references Scriptures concerning Peter the apostle (The Acts of Azqir; Anglican Theological Review, Vol. XXVII); Azqir references Ps. 63 when he says, “My soul had thirst in the desert land, where there was neither tree nor water…” (The Acts of Azqir; Anglican Theological Review, Vol. XXVII); Azqir refers to Jesus turning water into wine from John 2, and the miracle of five loaves from Matthew 14 (The Acts of Azqir; Anglican Theological Review, Vol. XXVII). ↩︎
  17. “Grant peace, o Lord, to Thy church in every land…” (in the account of Harith and ‘Arabi’s martyrdom; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxiv); “He who in the ocean of His grace may grant peace to His church in every land…” and “by the prayers of all the holy church in heaven and on earth…” (Stephanos the Scribe; but not contemporary to the martyrdom events; The Book of the Himyarites; p. ci and cxlvi); “may our Lord make his peace and his tranquility dwell among his people, in his Church, and in the four corers of the earth…” (Simeon of Beth Arsham; The Martyrs of Najran: New Documents; Irfan Shahid; p. 64); Regrettably, the rift between the Oriental Orthodox Churches (proponents of miaphysite doctrine) and the Church of the East (proponents of diaphysite doctrine) often did not reflect the reality of the universal Body of Christ. At times, swarms of gnats were sifted out, while swallowing caravans of camels (Matt. 23:23-24). Christ clearly taught that He has one Body, and that is to be ultimately reflected in our love for one another, despite differences. ↩︎
  18. “The holy martyrs of Christ replied: ‘On behalf of ourselves and all our people and the entire city and all who are important to us, we defend ourselves and bear witness and confess the beautiful confession, in which we believe and were baptized in the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, and we do not deny the incarnation…” (Citizens of Najran; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 8); “God forbid that we should deny the faith into which we were baptized.” (Believers of Najran; Martyrs of Najran; A.A. p. 7); “On his (Timothy the archbishop of Alexandria) baptized everyone in the name of the Holy Trinity…” (Upon re-establishing the church in Najran; Martyrs of Najran; A.A. p. 26); “Far be it from me that I should deny Christ, my God, Him in whom I believed, in whose name I was baptized and had my daughters also baptized…” (Ruhm; The Martyrs of Najran: New Documents; p. 58); “…Azqir, who made a pool in the prison and baptized them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” (The Acts of Azqir; Anglican Theological Review, Vol. XXVII) ↩︎
  19. “May God forgive us, but we renounce our families, homeland and property and take up the Cross of Christ and follow him who made the good confession under Pontius Pilate…” (the wives of Najran in chains, when their husbands and children pleaded with them on their way to martyrdom; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 8); “And forgive us our sins and accept the sacrifice of our lives as acceptable before Thee…” (handmaids of Najran and their children, as arrows fell upon them; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxx); “And receive us in peace and forgive us all our sins against Thee.” (Habsa’s companions, both named Hayya; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxxv); “Have mercy upon me, O my Lord, and forgive me all that I have sinned against Thee in all the days of my life, and impute it not to me as sin that I have lived these few days after my husband…” (Ruhm; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxxxii); “Pray for me, my companions, so that Christ, my Lord, may receive and may forgive me…” (Ruhm; The Martyrs of Najran: New Documents; Irfan Shahid; p. 58); But some of those Christians who had denied [Christ] made in writing a petition of repentance therefore, wishing to present it to the Christ-loving King Kaleb, that he might receive them as Christians and excuse and forgive them.” (The bishop and priests argued that their sins should be forgiven; a ceremony was held for that purpose; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxxxix) ↩︎
  20. “For to us no property shall belong after this but only Christ, our Hope, and He who raises us from the dead…” (Ruhm; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxxix); “on the day of resurrection…” (Harith; Martyrs of Najran; A.A.; p. 14) ↩︎
  21. “But because that Christ, my Lord, has mercy upon me and has invited me to a new life, behold, I will go with you…” (Ruhm; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxxviii); “and pray for us that we may go and reach our brethren, who, behold, are gone before us to the new life… as in a temporary habitation deserted by its dwellers…” (Ruhm; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxxix); “But if I deny not, then shall I live that life over which death has no power.” (Ruhm; The Book of the Himyarites; p. cxxxi); “Life in this world is death, and your condemnation to death, which is in your hand, to us is life… God and silver are but ephemeral, whereas Christ will abide for ever.” (The Acts of Azqir; Anglican Theological Review, Vol. XXVII) ↩︎

Responses

  1. J Avatar
    J

    Hi there, thank you for this wonderful and informative site, may I request a copy of English copy of “The Church of Najran present-day Saudia Arabia” as only Arabic version appears on website. May the saving prayers of the saints of Najran bless all living souls born to these last days, and God be glorified, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen

    Reply
    1. عبد المسيح Avatar
      عبد المسيح

      Thank you for the encouraging comment! May the testimony of God’s people in Najran bring glory to Christ Jesus throughout Arabia and the world.

      I have fixed the broken link. Please try to download the book again by clicking on “Book Download” from the page menu, and then click “Download Book (English) here.”

      Reply

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