The Prophet's Letter to Hawdhah ibn Ali of Yamama

The Prophet sent Salit ibn Amr al-Amiri to deliver a letter to Hawdhah ibn Ali al-Hanafi, the chief of Yamama in central Arabia, who had adopted Christianity. Hawdhah showed some interest in the message but requested that the Prophet share authority with him or appoint him as successor. The Prophet refused, as prophethood and leadership were by Allah's decree alone. Hawdhah died shortly after without accepting Islam, and the Yamama region later became the center of the false prophet Musaylimah's movement. The Prophet had prophesied that the land would not remain in Hawdhah's control, saying: 'If he asked me for a palm leaf, I would not give it to him. His authority over his land will perish.' This prediction was fulfilled when Khalid ibn al-Walid conquered Yamama during the Ridda wars.