Muslim and Ethiopia dates back to the year 615 when the first Muslims, among them Mohammed's wife in Ethiopia were refugees and settled in Negash, a small village located 60 km east of Mekele, the capital of Tigray Region.

The Quraysh sent emissaries to bring them back to Arabia.but the King of Ethiopia refused their demands. The Prophet himself instructed his followers who came to Ethiopia, to respect and protect Ethiopia as well as live in peace with Ethiopian Christians. Negash or Nejashi (its Arabic version) Mosque is as old as the faith of Islam in Ethiopia.

It is the first mosque in Africa. The name, Negash, is derived from king Armah ‘‘Al - Nejashi''. The mosque was built in the 7th century AD and is considered by many as the second most sacred place of Islamic worship and rightly dubbed by some as “The second Mekkah”.

Negash, has been a place of great historical and religious significance in a sense that it is a symbol of peaceful coexistence between Muslim and Christian religions.  

Even though Negash is considered as the most holy place in Ethiopia, There are also most important places of pilgrimage like the Sof Omar Caves and the Tomb of Sheikh Hussein and of course the 4th most important city for Islam Harar with it's 90 Mosques.