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*AR-RAHĪQ AL-MAKHTOUM (The Pure Nectar). A Treaties On Prophet Muhammad's Biography.*
*Part 173*
*CORRESPONDENCE WITH KINGS AND PRINCES continues*
*4. THE MESSAGE SENT TO CAESAR, THE EMPEROR OF ROME*
Al-Bukhāry narrated the text of the message that was sent by the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) to Heraclius, the Emperor of Rome. The content of the message was as follows: "In the name of Allāh, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This message is from Muhammad, Allāh's Servant and Messenger, to Heraclius, the ruler of Rome. Peace be upon him who follows the right path. I invite you to Islam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allāh will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam, you will be committing a sin by misguiding your subjects. And I recite to you Almighty Allāh's words:
Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 64:
قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ
Say (O Muhammad [Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him]): "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: "Bear witness that we are Muslims."
The Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) chose Dahya Ibn Khalīfa Al-Kalby to convey this message and ordered him to hand it over to the governor of Busra.
Al-Bukhāry reported on the authority of Ibn 'Abbās who said: "Abu Sufyān Ibn Harb informed me that Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan of Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Ash-Shām), at the time when Allāh's Messenger had a truce with Abu Sufyān and Quraish. So Abu Sufyān and his fellows went to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court in the presence of senior Roman dignitaries. He called for his translator and said to them: "Which of you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?" Abu Sufyān replied: "It's me."
Heraclius said: "Bring him (Abu Sufyān) close to me and make his companions stand behind him." Abu Sufyān added: "Heraclius told his translator to tell my Companions that he wanted to ask me some questions about that man (the Prophet) and that if I told a lie they (my Companions) should contradict me." Abu Sufyān added: "By Allāh! Had I not feared that my Companions should describe me as a liar, I would not have told the truth about the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him). The first question he asked me about him was: 'What is his family status amongst you."
I replied: "He belongs to a good and noble family."
He further asked: "Has anybody amongst you ever claimed the same (to be a Prophet) before him?" I replied in the negative. He asked: "Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?" I replied in the negative. He asked: "Do the nobles or the poor follow him?" I replied: "It is the poor who follow him." He asked: "Are his followers increasing or decreasing?" 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." He asked: "Have you ever accused him of telling his before his claim (to be a Prophet)?" I replied in the negative. He asked: "Does he break his promises?" I replied: "No. We have made a truce with him but we do not know what he will do regarding it. I could not find an opportunity to say anything against him except that." Heraclius asked: "Have you ever had a war with him?" I replied in the affirmative. Then he asked. "What was the outcome of the battle?" I replied: "Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we came triumphant." He asked: "What does he order you to do?" I said: "He tells us to worship Allāh alone and not to worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to tell 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 was of a noble ancestry. In fact, all the Prophets are descended from the noblest families of their people in the lineage. I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing, and your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following someone else's statements. 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 restore his ancestral kingdom.
I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he declared his Prophethood, and your reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who did not ever lies to others could ever tell lies about Almighty Allāh. I then asked you whether the dignitaries or the weak people followed him. You replied that it was the poor people who followed him. And, indeed, all the Prophets have been at first followed by the weak people. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing, and this, as a matter of fact, is the way of true faith, it develops till it becomes perfect in all respects. I further asked you whether there was anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became resentful and abandoned it. Your reply was in the negative, and in fact this is the impact of true belief whose delight and measurability delves into the heart. I asked you whether he had ever broke a covenant or betrayed someone, you replied in the negative and likewise Prophets never break promises or violate agreements. Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered 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 soon occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew it (through the scriptures) that he was going to appear but I did not know that he would come from your country, and if I could reach him definitely, I would immediately meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his feet. Heraclius then ordered the Prophet's message be read to him. When the message was read, there was a great uproar in the royal court. So we were asked to get out of the court. I told my fellows that Ibn Abu Kabsha (Prophet Muhammad) has become so prominent that even the king of Banu Al-Asfar (Romans) fear him. Then I bore in mind that he (the Prophet) would be victorious and highly leading in the near future till I embrace Islam."
Thus the message impressed Caesar as Abu Sufyān related. So Caesar gave Dahyah money and attires as gifts. Then he headed for Madīnah and on his way some people from Juzām robbed him of all what he had. He came to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) and informed him of this robbery. Therefore, the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) sent Zaid Ibn Hārithah with a company of five hundred fighters and ordered them to march towards Hisma, near Wadil-Qurā. Zaid launched an offensive against them and killed many of their fighters. They captured one thousand camels, five thousand sheep and held about one hundred women and children as captives.
Because the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) made a peace pact with the tribe of Juzām. Zaid Ibn Rifā'ah, one of leaders of this tribe, lodged a protest to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) about attacking Juzām. It's worth mentioning that Zaid Ibn Rifā'ah embraced Islam with some of his fellow tribesmen and helped Dahyah when he was exposed to a highway robbery. The Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) accepted his protest and ordered that spoils and captives should be returned.
*{To be continued In-sha-Allāh (If Allāh Wills)...}*
*"And keep reminding, because reminding benefits the believers."* (Qur-ān 51:55)
*AR-RAHĪQ AL-MAKHTOUM (The Pure Nectar). A Treaties On Prophet Muhammad's Biography.*
*Part 173*
*CORRESPONDENCE WITH KINGS AND PRINCES continues*
*4. THE MESSAGE SENT TO CAESAR, THE EMPEROR OF ROME*
Al-Bukhāry narrated the text of the message that was sent by the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) to Heraclius, the Emperor of Rome. The content of the message was as follows: "In the name of Allāh, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This message is from Muhammad, Allāh's Servant and Messenger, to Heraclius, the ruler of Rome. Peace be upon him who follows the right path. I invite you to Islam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allāh will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam, you will be committing a sin by misguiding your subjects. And I recite to you Almighty Allāh's words:
Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 64:
قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ
Say (O Muhammad [Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him]): "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: "Bear witness that we are Muslims."
The Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) chose Dahya Ibn Khalīfa Al-Kalby to convey this message and ordered him to hand it over to the governor of Busra.
Al-Bukhāry reported on the authority of Ibn 'Abbās who said: "Abu Sufyān Ibn Harb informed me that Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan of Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Ash-Shām), at the time when Allāh's Messenger had a truce with Abu Sufyān and Quraish. So Abu Sufyān and his fellows went to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court in the presence of senior Roman dignitaries. He called for his translator and said to them: "Which of you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?" Abu Sufyān replied: "It's me."
Heraclius said: "Bring him (Abu Sufyān) close to me and make his companions stand behind him." Abu Sufyān added: "Heraclius told his translator to tell my Companions that he wanted to ask me some questions about that man (the Prophet) and that if I told a lie they (my Companions) should contradict me." Abu Sufyān added: "By Allāh! Had I not feared that my Companions should describe me as a liar, I would not have told the truth about the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him). The first question he asked me about him was: 'What is his family status amongst you."
I replied: "He belongs to a good and noble family."
He further asked: "Has anybody amongst you ever claimed the same (to be a Prophet) before him?" I replied in the negative. He asked: "Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?" I replied in the negative. He asked: "Do the nobles or the poor follow him?" I replied: "It is the poor who follow him." He asked: "Are his followers increasing or decreasing?" 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." He asked: "Have you ever accused him of telling his before his claim (to be a Prophet)?" I replied in the negative. He asked: "Does he break his promises?" I replied: "No. We have made a truce with him but we do not know what he will do regarding it. I could not find an opportunity to say anything against him except that." Heraclius asked: "Have you ever had a war with him?" I replied in the affirmative. Then he asked. "What was the outcome of the battle?" I replied: "Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we came triumphant." He asked: "What does he order you to do?" I said: "He tells us to worship Allāh alone and not to worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to tell 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 was of a noble ancestry. In fact, all the Prophets are descended from the noblest families of their people in the lineage. I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing, and your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following someone else's statements. 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 restore his ancestral kingdom.
I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he declared his Prophethood, and your reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who did not ever lies to others could ever tell lies about Almighty Allāh. I then asked you whether the dignitaries or the weak people followed him. You replied that it was the poor people who followed him. And, indeed, all the Prophets have been at first followed by the weak people. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing, and this, as a matter of fact, is the way of true faith, it develops till it becomes perfect in all respects. I further asked you whether there was anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became resentful and abandoned it. Your reply was in the negative, and in fact this is the impact of true belief whose delight and measurability delves into the heart. I asked you whether he had ever broke a covenant or betrayed someone, you replied in the negative and likewise Prophets never break promises or violate agreements. Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered 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 soon occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew it (through the scriptures) that he was going to appear but I did not know that he would come from your country, and if I could reach him definitely, I would immediately meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his feet. Heraclius then ordered the Prophet's message be read to him. When the message was read, there was a great uproar in the royal court. So we were asked to get out of the court. I told my fellows that Ibn Abu Kabsha (Prophet Muhammad) has become so prominent that even the king of Banu Al-Asfar (Romans) fear him. Then I bore in mind that he (the Prophet) would be victorious and highly leading in the near future till I embrace Islam."
Thus the message impressed Caesar as Abu Sufyān related. So Caesar gave Dahyah money and attires as gifts. Then he headed for Madīnah and on his way some people from Juzām robbed him of all what he had. He came to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) and informed him of this robbery. Therefore, the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) sent Zaid Ibn Hārithah with a company of five hundred fighters and ordered them to march towards Hisma, near Wadil-Qurā. Zaid launched an offensive against them and killed many of their fighters. They captured one thousand camels, five thousand sheep and held about one hundred women and children as captives.
Because the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) made a peace pact with the tribe of Juzām. Zaid Ibn Rifā'ah, one of leaders of this tribe, lodged a protest to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) about attacking Juzām. It's worth mentioning that Zaid Ibn Rifā'ah embraced Islam with some of his fellow tribesmen and helped Dahyah when he was exposed to a highway robbery. The Prophet (Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him) accepted his protest and ordered that spoils and captives should be returned.
*{To be continued In-sha-Allāh (If Allāh Wills)...}*
*"And keep reminding, because reminding benefits the believers."* (Qur-ān 51:55)
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