How can Ja‘far ibn Abī Ṭālib’s statement to the Negus, “He commanded us to pray and to give zakat and to fast,” be reconciled with the time of the revelation of the command concerning prayer, zakat, and fasting, taking into consideration that the first emigration occurred in the fifth year of the Prophethood?

Prayer was known before the Isra’ (Night Journey), but the five daily prayers were enjoined on the night of the Isra’. Some scholars are of the opinion that the obligatory prayer before the Isra’ consisted of two rak’ahs at the beginning of the day and two at its end. As for zakat and fasting, their origins existed before the Hijrah (migration), as it is believed that the principle of zakat was required at the beginning of the prophethood, then its details and fixed amounts were clarified in Medina. Fasting initially consisted of three days each month at the beginning of Islam, then this was abrogated by the fasting of Ramadan. The incident of the Negus and Ja’far ibn Abi Talib occurred during the second migration to Abyssinia, in the fifth year of the Prophet’s prophethood, peace and blessings be upon him.