Al-Lu'lu Wal-Marjan 1162 — The Book of Al-Jihad (Fighting for Allâh's Cause)

Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:

Abû Sufyân narrated to me personally, saying, "I set out during the truce that had been concluded between me and Allâh's Messenger ﷺ. While I was in Shâm, a letter sent by the Prophet ﷺ was brought to Heraclius. Dihya Al-Kalbî had brought and given it to the governor of Busra, and the latter forwarded it to Heraclius.Heraclius said, 'Is there anyone from the nation of this man who claims to be a prophet?' The people replied, 'Yes.' So I along with some of Quraishi men were called and we entered upon Heraclius, and we were seated in front of him. Then he said, 'Who amongst you is the nearest relative to the man who claims to be a prophet?' I (Abû Sufyân) replied I (am the nearest relative to to him). So they made me sit in front of him and made my companions sit behind me.Then he called upon his translator and said (to him) 'Tell them (i.e. Abû Sufyân's companions) that I am going to ask him (i.e. Abû Sufyân) regarding the man who claims to be a prophet. So, if he tell me a lie, they should contradict him (instantly).' By Allâh, had I not been afraid that my companions would consider me a liar, I would have told lies.Heraclius then said to his translator, 'Ask him: What is his (i.e. the prophet's) family's status amongst you?' I said, 'He belongs to a noble family amongst us.' Heraclius said, 'Was any of his ancestors a king?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'Did you ever accuse him of telling lies before his saying what he has said?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'Do the nobles follow him or the poor people?' I said, 'It is the poor who follow him.'He said, 'Is the number of his followers increasing or decreasing?' I said, 'They are increasing.' He said, 'Does anyone renounce his religion (i.e. Islâm) after embracing it, being displeased with it?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'Did you fight with him?' I replied, 'Yes.' He said, 'How was your fighting with him?' I said, 'The fighting between us was undecided and victory was shared by him and us in turns. He inflicts casualties upon us and we inflict casualties upon him.' He said, 'Did he ever betray?' I said, 'No, but now we are away from him in this truce and we do not know what he will do in it.'"Abû Sufyân added, "By Allâh, I was not able to insert in my speech a word (against him) except that. Heraclius said, 'Did anybody else (amongst you) ever claimed the same (i.e. to be a Prophet of Allâh, etc.) before him?' I said, 'No.'Then Heraclius told his translator to tell me (i.e. Abû Sufyân), 'I asked you about his family status amongst you, and you told me that he comes from a noble family amongst you. Verily, all Messengers come from the noblest family among their people. Then I asked you whether any of his ancestors was a king, and you denied that. Thereupon I thought that had one of his fore-fathers been a king, I would have said that he (i.e. Muhammad ﷺ) was seeking to rule the kingdom of his fore-fathers.Then I asked you regarding his followers, whether they were the noble or the poor among the people, and you said that they were only the poor (who follow him). In fact, such are the followers of the Messengers. Then I asked you whether you have ever accused him of telling lies before he said what he said and your reply was in the negative. Therefore, I took for granted that a man who did not tell lie about others, could never tell a lie about Allāh. Then I asked you whether anyone of his followers had renounced his religion (i.e. Islām) after embracing it, being displeased with it, and you denied that. And such is faith, when its delight enters the hearts and mixes with them completely.Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You claimed that they were increasing. That is the way of true faith till it is complete. Then I asked you whether you had ever fought with him, and you claimed that you had fought with him and the battle between you and him was undecided and the victory was shared by you and him in turns; he inflicted casualties upon you and you inflicted casualties upon them. Such is the case with the Messengers; they are put to trials and the final victory is for them. Then I asked you whether he had ever betrayed; you claimed that he had never betrayed. Indeed, Messengers never betray. Then I asked you whether anyone had said this statement before him; and you denied that. Thereupon I thought if somebody had said that statement before him, then I would have said that he was but a man copying some sayings which were told before him.' "Abû Sufyân said, "Heraclius then asked, me, 'What does he order you to do?' I said, 'He orders us (to offer) Salât (prayer) and (to pay) Zakat and to keep good relationships with the kith and kin and to be chaste.' Then Heraclius said, 'If whatever you have said, is true, then he is really a Prophet, and I knew that he (i.e. the Prophet ﷺ) was going to appear but I never thought that he would be from amongst you. If I were certain that I can reach him, I would like to meet him and if I were with him, I would wash his feet; and his kingdom will expand (surely) to what is under my feet.'Then Heraclius asked for the letter of Allâh's Messenger ﷺ and read it, wherein was written: In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. (This letter is) from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allâh, to Heraclius, the sovereign of Byzantine, peace be upon him who follows the Right Path. Now then, I call you to embrace Islâm. Embrace Islâm and you will be saved (from Allâh's Punishment); embrace Islâm, and Allâh will give you a double reward, but if you reject this, you will be responsible for the sins of all the people of your kingdom (Allâh's Statement):'O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allâh ... bear witness that we are Muslims.' (V.3:64)When he finished reading the letter, voices grew louder near him and there was a great hue and cry, and we were ordered to go out." Abû Sufyân added, "While coming out, I said to my companions, 'The matter of Ibn Abû Kabsha [1] (i.e. Muhammad ﷺ) has become so prominent that even the king Banû Al-Asfar is afraid of him.' So I continued to believe that Allâh's Messenger ﷺ would be victorious, till Allâh made me embrace Islâm." ( Sahîh Al-Bukhârî, Hadîth No. 75, Vol. 6 )