Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas: Abu Sufyan bin Harb informed me that Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan from Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Sham (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan), at the time when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had truce with Abu Sufyan and Quraish infidels. So Abu Sufyan and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him. He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius's question said to them, "Who amongst you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?" Abu Sufyan replied, "I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the group)." Heraclius said, "Bring him (Abu Sufyan) close to me and make his companions stand behind him." Abu Sufyan added, Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put some questions to me regarding that man (The Prophet) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me." Abu Sufyan added, "By Allah! Had I not been afraid of my companions labeling me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about the Prophet. The first question he asked me about him was: 'What is his family status amongst you?' I replied, 'He belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us.' Heraclius further asked, 'Has anybody amongst you ever claimed the same (i.e. to be a Prophet) before him?' I replied, 'No.' He said, 'Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?' I replied, 'No.' Heraclius asked, 'Do the nobles or the poor follow him?' I replied, 'It is the poor who follow him.' He said, 'Are his followers increasing decreasing (day by day)?' I replied, 'They are increasing.' He then asked, 'Does anybody amongst those who embrace his religion become displeased and renounce the religion afterwards?' I replied, 'No.' Heraclius said, 'Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim (to be a Prophet)?' I replied, 'No. ' Heraclius said, 'Does he break his promises?' I replied, 'No. We are at truce with him but we do not know what he will do in it.' I could not find opportunity to say anything against him except that. Heraclius asked, 'Have you ever had a war with him?' I replied, 'Yes.' Then he said, 'What was the outcome of the battles?' I replied, 'Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we.' Heraclius said, 'What does he order you to do?' I said, 'He tells us to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to speak the truth, to be chaste and to keep good relations with our Kith and kin.' Heraclius asked the translator to convey to me the following, I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to a very noble family. In fact all the Apostles come from noble families amongst their respective peoples. I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing, your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following the previous man's statement. Then I asked you whether anyone of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom. I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he said, and your reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others could ever tell a lie about Allah. I, then asked you whether the rich people followed him or the poor. You replied that it was the poor who followed him. And in fact all the Apostle have been followed by this very class of people. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing, and in fact this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in all respects. I further asked you whether there was anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded his religion. Your reply was in the negative, and in fact this is (the sign of) true faith, when its delight enters the hearts and mixes with them completely. I asked you whether he had ever betrayed. You replied in the negative and likewise the Apostles never betray. Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship any thing along with Him and forbade you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth and to be chaste. If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew it (from the scriptures) that he was going to appear but I did not know that he would be from you, and if I could reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his feet.' Heraclius then asked for the letter addressed by Allah's Apostle which was delivered by Dihya to the Governor of Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the letter were as follows: "In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad the slave of Allah and His Apostle to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon him, who follows the right path. Furthermore I invite you to Islam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allah will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam you will be committing a sin of Arisiyin (tillers, farmers i.e. your people). And (Allah's Statement:) 'O people of the scripture! Come to a word common to you and us that we worship none but Allah and that we associate nothing in worship with Him, and that none of us shall take others as Lords beside Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who have surrendered to Allah).' (3:64). Abu Sufyan then added, "When Heraclius had finished his speech and had read the letter, there was a great hue and cry in the Royal Court. So we were turned out of the court. I told my companions that the question of Ibn-Abi-Kabsha) (the Prophet (ﷺ) Muhammad) has become so prominent that even the King of Bani Al-Asfar (Byzantine) is afraid of him. Then I started to become sure that he (the Prophet) would be the conqueror in the near future till I embraced Islam (i.e. Allah guided me to it)." The sub narrator adds, "Ibn An-Natur was the Governor of llya' (Jerusalem) and Heraclius was the head of the Christians of Sham. Ibn An-Natur narrates that once while Heraclius was visiting ilya' (Jerusalem), he got up in the morning with a sad mood. Some of his priests asked him why he was in that mood? Heraclius was a foreteller and an astrologer. He replied, 'At night when I looked at the stars, I saw that the leader of those who practice circumcision had appeared (become the conqueror). Who are they who practice circumcision?' The people replied, 'Except the Jews nobody practices circumcision, so you should not be afraid of them (Jews). 'Just Issue orders to kill every Jew present in the country.' While they were discussing it, a messenger sent by the king of Ghassan to convey the news of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to Heraclius was brought in. Having heard the news, he (Heraclius) ordered the people to go and see whether the messenger of Ghassan was circumcised. The people, after seeing him, told Heraclius that he was circumcised. Heraclius then asked him about the Arabs. The messenger replied, 'Arabs also practice circumcision.' (After hearing that) Heraclius remarked that sovereignty of the 'Arabs had appeared. Heraclius then wrote a letter to his friend in Rome who was as good as Heraclius in knowledge. Heraclius then left for Homs. (a town in Syrian and stayed there till he received the reply of his letter from his friend who agreed with him in his opinion about the emergence of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the fact that he was a Prophet. On that Heraclius invited all the heads of the Byzantines to assemble in his palace at Homs. When they assembled, he ordered that all the doors of his palace be closed. Then he came out and said, 'O Byzantines! If success is your desire and if you seek right guidance and want your empire to remain then give a pledge of allegiance to this Prophet (i.e. embrace Islam).' (On hearing the views of Heraclius) the people ran towards the gates of the palace like onagers but found the doors closed. Heraclius realized their hatred towards Islam and when he lost the hope of their embracing Islam, he ordered that they should be brought back in audience. (When they returned) he said, 'What already said was just to test the strength of your conviction and I have seen it.' The people prostrated before him and became pleased with him, and this was the end of Heraclius's story (in connection with his faith).
Reference
Sahih al-Bukhari 7
In-book reference
Book 1, Hadith 7
USC-MSA web (English)
Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 6
Translation by Dr. M. Muhsin Khan · Language: ENSahih
'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas said that Abu Sufyan ibn Harb informed him that Heraclius had sent a message to him while he was with a Qurayshi caravan composed of merchants who were trading in Syria during the period when the the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had a truce with Abu Sufyan and the unbelievers of Quraysh. So they went to Heraclius who was in Ilya' [Jerusalem] and he invited them into his assembly where he was surrounded by the great men of Byzantium. He called for his translator and said, "Who among you is closest in lineage to this man who claims that he is a Prophet?" Abu Sufyan said, "I am the nearest to him in lineage." Heraclius said, "Give him leave to come near to me and bring his companions near and put them behind him." Then he said to his translator, "Tell them that I am going to ask him about this man. If he tells me a lie, then call him a liar." Abu Sufyan said, "By Allah, if I had not been afraid that they would transmit a lie from me [later on], I would have lied about him. The first question he asked me about him was, 'What is his lineage among you?' I replied. 'He belongs amongst us to a noble lineage.' Then he asked, 'Has anyone of your people ever said what he says before him?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'Was any of his ancestors a king?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'Do the nobles or the humble people follow him?' I replied, 'The humble people.' He asked, 'Are they on the increase or decrease?' I said, 'They are on the increase.' He asked, ' Does any of them become displeased with his religion and apostatize after entering it?' I said, 'No.' He asked, 'Did you suspect him of being a liar before he said what he said?" I said, 'No.' He asked, 'Does he act treacherously?' I said, 'No. We are in a time of truce with him but we do not know what he will do during it.' I could not find anything to add to what I said except this sentence.' He asked, 'Have you fought him?' I said, 'Yes.' He went on, 'How did your fight against him go?' I said, 'Success in the war alternated between us - sometimes he would get the better of us and sometimes we of him.' He said, 'What does he order you to do?' I replied, 'He tells us to worship Allah alone and not associate anything with Him and to abandon what our ancestors said. He commands us to pray, to speak the truth, to be chaste, and to maintain ties of kinship.' "Heraclius told the translator to say: 'I asked you about his lineage and you mentioned that he has noble lineage; in the same way all the Messengers who were sent came from noble lineage among their peoples. I asked you whether anyone else among your people had said such a thing and you said they had not. If anyone had said this before him, I would have said that he was a man following the precedent of something said before. I asked you whether any of his ancestors was a king and you said no. If one of his ancestors had been a king, I would have said that he was a man seeking the kingdom of his ancestors. I asked you whether you accused him of being a liar before he said what he said and you said that you did not. I do not understand how someone would refuse to lie about people and then tell lies against Allah. I asked you whether the nobles or humble people followed him and you said that the humble people followed him. They are always the ones who follow the Messengers. I asked you whether they were on the increase or decrease and you said that they were on the increase. That is what happens with belief until it is complete. I asked you whether anyone had apostatized out of dislike for his religion after he had entered and you said that they had not. That is how it is with belief when its joy mixes with the hearts. I asked you whether he had been treacherous and you said no. That is how it is with the Messengers. I asked you what he commanded and you mentioned that he commanded you to worship Allah and not associate anything with him and forbade you to worship idols, and he commanded you to pray, speak truthfully, and be chaste. If what you said is true, then he will soon control this place where my feet are now standing. I knew that he was going to appear, but I did not know that it would be from you. If I knew that I could reach him, I would set out to meet him. If I were with him, I would wash his feet.' "Then he called for the letter of the Messenger of Allah which Dihya had brought to the governor of Busra, who in turn passed it on to Heraclius. He read it out, saying, 'In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Compassionate, from Muhammad, the slave of Allah and His Messenger, to Heraclius, ruler of the Byzantines. Peace be upon the one who follows guidance. I call you to Islam. If you become Muslim, you will be safe and Allah will double your reward. If you turn away, then you incur the wrong action of your subjects. "O People of the Book! Come to a proposition which is the same for us and you – that we should worship none but Allah and not attribute any partners to Him and not take one another as lords besides Allah. If they turn away, say, "Bear witness that we are Muslims." (3:64)'" Abu Sufyan said, "When Heraclius finished saying what he had said and had read the letter, there was a great uproar there and voices were raised. We were turned out. When we were turned out, I said to my companions, 'This business of Ibn Abi Kabsha has become so prominent that he alarms even the King of the Greeks.' Then I became certain that he would be victorious until Allah brought me to Islam." Ibn an-Nazur was the governor of Ilya' (Jerusalem) under Heraclius and was the head of the Christians of Syria. Ibn an-Nazur relates that when Heraclius came to Jerusalem, he got up one day in the morning in an ill-temper. Some of his priests said, "Your appearance causes us concern." Ibn an-Nazur said that Heraclius was an astrologer who looked at the stars. When they questioned him, he said, "Last night when I looked at the stars, I saw that the king of the circumcised had appeared. Who among this nation practise circumcision?" They said, "Nobody except the Jews and you should not be worried about them. Write to the cities under your command ordering the execution of all the Jews in them." While they were discussing it, a man sent by the King of Ghassan came to Heraclius to tell him the news about the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. When Heraclius learned about it, he said, "Go and see whether the messenger is circumcised or not." They looked at him and told him that he was circumcised. Heraclius asked him about the Arabs and he said that they practised circumcision. Heraclius said, "It is the sovereignty of this nation which has appeared." Then Heraclius wrote to a friend of his in Rome who was his equal in knowledge. Heraclius went to Homs and stayed in Homs until he received a letter from his friend agreeing with Heraclius' opinion about the emergence of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and that he was indeed a Prophet. Heraclius invited the great men of Byzantium to a villa of his in Homs. Then he commanded that the doors be shut and came out and said, "People of Byzantium! If you desire success, right guidance and for your kingdom to remain firm, then offer allegiance to this Prophet [by following him]." The people ran to the gates like wild asses and found them closed. Heraclius saw their aversion and despaired of their believing. He said, "Bring them back to me." He then said, "What I just said was to test your strength in your deen (religion), and I have seen it." So they prostrated to him and were pleased with him. That was the end of the business which is related about Heraclius. [Salih ibn Kaysan, Yunus and Ma'mar related this hadith from az-Zuhri.]
Reference
Sahih al-Bukhari 7
In-book reference
Book 1, Hadith 7
USC-MSA web (English)
Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 6
Translation by Aisha Bewley · Language: ENSahih
Abu'l-Yaman al-Hakam ibn Nafi related to us, saying: Shuaib told us, on the authority of az-Zuhri, who said: Ubaid Allah ibn Abd Allah ibn Utbah ibn Masud told me that Abd Allah ibn Abbas informed him that Abu Sufyan ibn Harb told him that Heraclius sent for him whilst he was in a small caravan of Quraish. They were trading in Syria during the truce which the Apostle of God had granted to Abu Sufyan and the heathen Quraish. Then they came unto him, and they were in Jerusalem. Thereupon he called them to his council chamber, and around him were the great ones of Byzantium.
Thereafter he called them and called his interpreter and said: "Which of you is by birth the nearest unto that man who claimeth to be a prophet?"
Abu Sufyan said: I said: "I am the nearest of them by birth."
Then Heraclius said: "Draw him nearer unto me and bring his companions nearer and let them stand behind him."
Thereafter he said to his interpreter: "Tell them: Behold, I am going to ask this one about that man, and if he lieth unto me, ye belie him."
Abu Sufyan said: And, by God, had it not been for shame that they would disclose my lie, indeed I would have lied about him.
Thereafter, the first he asked me was: "How is his descent amongst you?"
I said: "He is a man of birth amongst us."
He said: "And did any of you ever say this saying before him?"
I said: "No."
He said: "And was there a king amongst his forefathers?"
I said: "No."
He said: "And do the noble ones of the people follow him or the poor amongst them?"
I said: "Rather the poor amongst them."
He said: "Do they increase or decrease in numbers?"
I said: "Rather they increase."
He said: "And doth any of them turn apostate out of disgust with his religion, after having embraced it?"
I said: "No."
He said: "And did ye suspect him of lying before he said what he said?"
I said: "No."
He said: "And doth he break his pledges?"
I said: "No. But we are at truce with him, and we do not know what he will do with it."
Abu Sufyan said: And I could not say a word containing something against him save this one word.
He said: "Did ye fight him?"
I said: "Yea."
He said: "How, then, was your fight with him?"
I said: "The war between us and him is like well-buckets: he wins from us and we win from him."
He said: "What is it that he enjoineth upon you?"
I said: "He saith: Worship God alone and associate naught with Him; and give up the sayings of your forefathers. And he enjoineth upon us prayer and truthfulness and purity and the duties of kinship."
Thereupon he said to the interpreter:
"Tell him: I asked thee about his descent, and thou saidst he is a man of birth amongst you; and so are the Apostles, they are sent from amongst the nobility of their people.
And I asked thee whether any of you had said that saying before, and thou saidst, no; and I said unto myself: If anyone had said that saying before him, indeed I would say, the man followeth a saying that hath been said before him.
And I asked thee whether there was a king amongst his forefathers, and thou saidst, no; and I said unto myself: Had there been a king amongst his forefathers, I would say, he claimeth the kingdom of his forefather.
And I asked thee whether ye suspected him of lying before he said what he said, and thou saidst, no; and indeed I know that he would not have refrained from lying unto men and then lie unto God.
And I asked thee whether the noble ones of the people followed him or the poor amongst them, and thou saidst that the poor amongst them followed him; and these are the followers of the Apostles.
And I asked thee whether they increase or decrease in numbers, and thou saidst that they increase; and such is the case with faith to the very end.
And I asked thee whether any of them had turned apostate out of disgust with his religion, after having embraced it, and thou saidst, no; and such is the case with faith whenever its joy mingles with the hearts.
And I asked thee whether he breaketh his pledges, and thou saidst, no; and such is the case with the Apostles: they do not break their pledges.
And I asked thee about the things he enjoineth upon you, and thou saidst that he enjoineth upon you to worship God and to associate naught with Him, and that he forbiddeth you the worship of idols and enjoineth upon you prayer and truthfulness and purity.
Thence, if what thou sayest is true, he will take possession of the place where these two feet of mine stand! And, indeed, I knew he was to appear, though I did not think he would be from amongst you. And if I but knew that I could reach him, indeed I would endeavour to meet him; and if I were with him, indeed I would wash his feet."
Thereafter he called for the letter which the Apostle of God had sent with Dihyah unto the Chief of Busra, who had transmitted it to Heraclius. Then he read it, and, behold, this was in it:
"In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace.
From Muhammad, God's slave and Apostle, unto Heraclius, the Chief of Byzantium. Peace be upon whoso followeth the right guidance.
And thereupon: Behold, I call upon thee with the call of Islam. Accept Islam, and thou shalt be saved; God will give thee thy reward twofold. And if thou wilt turn away, then, indeed, upon thee be the sin of the humble folk.
O People of the Scripture! Come unto the word that we and ye have in common: that we shall worship none but God and associate naught with Him; and that we shall not take one another for lords instead of God. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who submit unto God."
Abu Sufyan further said: Thereupon, when Heraclius said what he said and finished the reading of the letter, the uproar became great in his presence and the voices grew loud, and we left. And when we left, I said unto my friends: "Verily, the cause of Abu Kabshah's son hath prevailed; behold, the king of Banu al-Asfar is afraid of him."
And I remained convinced that he would emerge victorious, till, at the end, God infused Islam into me.
And Ibn an-Natur, the governor of Jerusalem and friend of Heraclius, was a bishop of the Christians of Syria. He related:
When Heraclius came to Jerusalem, one morning he rose worried in his soul; then some of his priests said unto him: "Indeed, we are astonished at thy countenance."
Ibn an-Natur further said:
And Heraclius was a seer who observed the stars. And when they asked him, he said unto them: "Behold, last night, when I observed the stars, I saw that the King of Circumcision hath now appeared. Who, then, circumciseth from amongst this nation?"
They said: "Nobody circumciseth but the Jews; and their existence may not bother thee. Write unto the cities of thy kingdom, and they will kill whoso there is of the Jews."
Thereupon, whilst they were thus occupied, there came unto Heraclius a man whom the king of Ghassan had sent to inform the Emperor about the Apostle of God. Then, when he had heard his tale, Heraclius said: "Go and see whether he is circumcised or not."
Then they looked at him and reported him to be circumcised. And Heraclius asked him about the Arabs; thereupon he said: "They circumcise."
Then Heraclius said: "It is this people's king that hath now appeared!"
Thereafter Heraclius wrote unto a friend of his at Constantinople who was his equal in knowledge. And Heraclius proceeded toward Hims; and ere he reached Hims, there came unto him a letter from his friend in which he agreed with the view of Heraclius regarding the appearance of the Prophet and that he was indeed a Prophet.
Thereupon Heraclius invited the great men of Byzantium into his castle at Hims. Then he gave an order concerning its doors, and they were locked; then he rose and said:
"O ye people of Byzantium! Do ye care for salvation and wisdom, and that your kingdom be confirmed? Then ye will vow allegiance unto that Prophet."
Then they hurried to the doors with the hurry of wild asses, and found them locked. And when Heraclius saw their repugnance and despaired of the possibility of their accepting the faith, he said: "Bring them back unto me!"
And he said: "Behold, I said these words of mine now so that I might try therewith your ardour with regard to your religion; and now I have seen."
Then they prostrated themselves before him and were pleased with him. And this was the last of Heraclius regarding this matter.
Salih ibn Kaisan, Yunus and Mamar narrated this tradition, on the authority of az-Zuhri.
