Chapter 16: Before commissioning of the Prophethood and some of

the early signs (Part 4) The conversations between Heraclius and Abu Sufyaan Later in the book 103 we will mentioned the incident of Abu Sufyaan’s conversation with Heraclius, the king of the Byzantines, where he mentioned the characteristics of the 103 [TN: Allaah have mercy on Shaikh al-Albaanee, he passed away before he could reach the chapter where Ibn Katheer mentioned this hadith in his “al-Seerah”. The following is the hadith as reported in the Saheehain: Narrated `Abdullaah Ibn `Abbaas رضي اهلل عنهما: Abu Sufyaan Ibn 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 Shaam (Greater Syria), at the time when Allaah’s Messenger ﷺ had truce with Abu Sufyaan and the Kuffaar of Quraish. So Abu Sufyaan 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 Sufyaan replied: “I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the group).” Heraclius said: “Bring him (Abu Sufyaan) close to me and make his companions stand behind him.” Abu Sufyaan added: Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put some questions to me regarding that man (The Prophet ﷺ) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me.” Abu Sufyaan added: “By Allaah! 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 Allaah and Allaah 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.’ [In another narration, there is the addition: ‘to keep promises and to pay back the trust.’] 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 Allaah. 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 Messengers 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 Messengers never betray. Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allaah and Allaah alone and not to worship anything 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 Allaah’s Messenger which was delivered by Dihyah al-Kalbee ( رضي اهلل عنه) to the Governor of Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the letter were as follows: ❝In the name of Allaah the Beneficent, the Merciful.

(This letter is) from Muhammad the slave of Allaah and His Messenger to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon the one who follows the right path. To proceed, I invite you to Islaam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allaah will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islaam you will be committing a sin by misguiding your Areesiyyeen (peasants). (And I recite to you Allaah’s statement): ﴿ ي ا أ ه ل الك ت اب تـ ع ال و ا إ ىل ك ل م ة س و اء بـ يـ نـ ن ا و بـ يـ ن ك م أ ن ّل نـ ع ب د إ ّلَّ اللَّه و ّل ن ش ر ك ب ه ش ي ئًا و ّل يـ تَّخ ذ بـ ع ض ن ا بـ ع ضًا أ ر ب ابًا م ن د ون اللَّه ف إ ن تـ و لَّو ا فـ ق ول وا اش ه د وا ب أ نَّا م س ل م ون﴾ {O people of the scripture! Come to a word common to you and us, that we worship none but Allaah and that we associate nothing in worship with Him, and that none of us shall take others as Lords beside Allaah.

Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who have surrendered to Allaah)} [Surah aal- `Imraah (3):64]❞ Messenger of Allaah ﷺ and what revolves around it and his reasoning and deduction, and his acknowledging that the Prophethood (of Muhammad ﷺ), and his statement: “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. If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet.” Abu Sufyaan 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 affair of Ibn-AbiKabsha (the Prophet ﷺ) has become so prominent that even the King of Banee al-Asfar (Byzantine) is afraid of him. Then I started to become sure that he (the Prophet ﷺ) would be the conqueror in the near future till I embraced Islaam (i.e.

Allaah guided me to it).” The sub narrator adds: “Ibn al-Naatoor was the Governor of llya’ (Jerusalem) and Heraclius was the head of the Christians of Sham. Ibn al-Naatoor 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 Ghassaan to convey the news of Allaah’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 Ghassaan 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 Islaam).’ (On hearing the views of Heraclius) the people ran towards the gates of the palace like wild donkeys but found the doors closed. Heraclius realized their hatred towards Islaam and when he lost the hope of their embracing Islaam, 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). [sahih al-Bukhaaree (7, 2940, 2941, 4553) and sahih Muslim (1773-74)]