Heraclius (Byzantine Emperor)

Heraclius (575-641 CE) was the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire who received a letter from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in 7 AH / 628 CE inviting him to Islam. This letter — carried by the companion Dihyah al-Kalbi — is preserved in hadith collections and begins: 'In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the servant and messenger of Allah, to Heraclius, the leader of the Byzantines. Peace be upon those who follow guidance. I invite you to accept Islam. If you accept Islam, you will find safety, and Allah will give you a double reward. But if you reject this invitation, you will bear the sin of your subjects.' The hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari narrates that Heraclius responded to the letter by summoning Abu Sufyan (who was then in Syria on a trade mission before his conversion) to question him about the Prophet. The entire exchange is one of the most detailed portraits in the hadith of a non-Muslim ruler's private acknowledgment of the truth of the Prophet's message. Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan whether the Prophet was from noble lineage (yes), whether any of his family had claimed prophethood before (no), whether his followers increased or decreased (increased), whether anyone left his religion after entering it (no), whether he betrayed treaties (no), and what he commanded (prayer, charity, chastity, honoring bonds). Heraclius then said: 'If what you have told me is true, he will certainly come to control what is beneath my feet. I knew a prophet was coming, but I did not know he would be from among the Arabs.' Despite this private acknowledgment, Heraclius did not embrace Islam publicly, fearing his empire would reject it. This is one of the Quran's great lessons: knowing the truth is not enough — one must submit to it.