Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1545
The Expedition of Tabūk
ذِكْرُ إِرْسَالِهِ ﷺ دِحْيَةَ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ يَدْعُوهُ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَقُدُومِ [رَسُولِ] هِرَقْلَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَمَا وَقَعَ فِي ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْآيَاتِ لَمَّا وَصَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ تَبُوكَ كَانَ هِرَقْلُ بِحِمْصَ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يُهِمُّ بِالَّذِي بَلَغَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْهُ مِنْ جَمْعِهِ، وَلَا حَدَّثَتْهُ نَفْسُهُ بِذَلِكَ. وَرَوَى الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمُزَنِيِّ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى - قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ "مَنْ يَذْهَبُ بِهَذَا الْكِتَابِ إِلَى قَيْصَرٍ وَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ" ؟ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ: وَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْبَلْ ؟ قَالَ: "وَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْبَل" فَانْطَلَقَ الرَّجُلُ فَأَتَاهُ بِالْكِتَابِ، فَقَرَأَهُ فَقَالَ: اذْهَبْ إِلَى نَبِيِّكُمْ فَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنِّي مُتَّبِعُهُ، وَلَكِنْ لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَدَعَ مُلْكِي، وَبَعَثَ مَعَهُ بِدَنَانِيرَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَرَجَعَ فَأَخْبَرَهُ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ "كَذَبَ" وَقَسَّمَ الدَّنَانِيرَ. قُدُومُ رَسُولِ قَيْصَرَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِتَبُوكَ . قَالَ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ: حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عِيسَى حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ خُثَيْمٍ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي رَاشِدٍ قَالَ: لَقِيتُ التَّنُوخِيَّ رَسُولَ هِرَقْلَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِحِمْصَ، وَكَانَ جَارًا لِي شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا قَدْ بَلَغَ الْفَنَدَ أَوْ قَرُبَ. فَقُلْتُ: أَلَا تُخْبِرُنِي عَنْ رِسَالَةِ هِرَقْلَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَرِسَالَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ ؟ فَقَالَ: بَلَى، قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ تَبُوكَ، فَبَعَثَ دِحْيَةَ الْكَلْبِيَّ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ فَلَمَّا أَنْ جَاءَهُ كِتَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ دَعَا قِسِّيسِي الرُّومِ وَبَطَارِقَتَهَا، ثُمَّ أَغْلَقَ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَيْهِمُ الدَّارَ، فَقَالَ: قَدْ نَزَلَ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ حَيْثُ رَأَيْتُمْ، وَقَدْ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ يَدْعُونِي إِلَى ثَلَاثِ خِصَالٍ، يَدْعُونِي إِلَى أَنْ أَتْبَعَهُ عَلَى دِينِهِ، أَوْ عَلَى أَنْ نُعْطِيَهُ مَالَنَا عَلَى أَرْضِنَا وَالْأَرْضُ أَرْضُنَا، أَوْ نُلْقِيَ إِلَيْهِ الْحَرْبَ، وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَرَفْتُمْ فِيمَا تَقْرَءُونَ مِنَ الْكُتُبِ لَيَأْخُذَنَّ مَا تَحْتَ قَدَمِي فَهَلُمَّ فَلْنَتَّبِعْهُ عَلَى دِينِهِ أَوْ نُعْطِهِ مَالَنَا عَلَى أَرْضِنَا. فَنَخَرُوا نَخْرَةَ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ حَتَّى خَرَجُوا مِنْ بَرَانِسِهِمْ، وَقَالُوا: تَدْعُونَا إِلَى أَنْ نَذَرَ النَّصْرَانِيَّةَ أَوْ نَكُونَ عَبِيدًا لِأَعْرَابِيٍّ جَاءَ مِنَ الْحِجَازِ ؟ فَلَمَّا ظَنَّ أَنَّهُمْ إِنْ خَرَجُوا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ أَفْسَدُوا عَلَيْهِ الرُّومَ رَفَأَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَكَدْ، وَقَالَ: إِنَّمَا قُلْتُ ذَلِكَ لَكُمْ لِأَعْلَمَ صَلَابَتَكُمْ عَلَى أَمْرِكُمْ. ثُمَّ دَعَا رَجُلًا مِنْ عَرَبِ تُجِيبَ كَانَ عَلَى نَصَارَى الْعَرَبِ، قَالَ: ادْعُ لِي رَجُلًا حَافِظًا لِلْحَدِيثِ عَرَبِيَّ اللِّسَانِ أَبْعَثُهُ إِلَى هَذَا الرَّجُلِ بِجَوَابِ كِتَابِهِ. فَجَاءَ بِي فَدَفَعَ إِلَيَّ هِرَقْلُ كِتَابًا، فَقَالَ: اذْهَبْ بِكِتَابِي إِلَى هَذَا الرَّجُلِ، فَمَا سَمِعْتَ مِنْ حَدِيثِهِ فَاحْفَظْ لِي مِنْهُ ثَلَاثَ خِصَالٍ ; انْظُرْ هَلْ يَذْكُرُ صَحِيفَتَهُ الَّتِي كَتَبَ إِلَيَّ بِشَيْءٍ، وَانْظُرْ إِذَا قَرَأَ كِتَابِي فَهَلْ يَذْكُرُ اللَّيْلَ، وَانْظُرْ فِي ظَهْرِهِ هَلْ بِهِ شَيْءٌ يُرِيبُكَ. قَالَ: فَانْطَلَقْتُ بِكِتَابِهِ حَتَّى جِئْتُ تَبُوكَ، فَإِذَا هُوَ جَالِسٌ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانِي أَصْحَابِهِ مُحْتَبِيًا عَلَى الْمَاءِ، فَقُلْتُ: أَيْنَ صَاحِبُكُمْ ؟ قِيلَ: هَا هُوَ ذَا. فَأَقْبَلْتُ أَمْشِي حَتَّى جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَنَاوَلْتُهُ كِتَابِي، فَوَضَعَهُ فِي حِجْرِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: " مِمَّنْ أَنْتَ ؟ " فَقُلْتُ: أَنَا أَخُو تَنُوخَ. قَالَ: " هَلْ لَكَ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ الْحَنِيفِيَّةِ مِلَّةِ أَبِيكَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ؟ " قُلْتُ: إِنِّي رَسُولُ قَوْمٍ وَعَلَى دِينِ قَوْمٍ، لَا أَرْجِعُ عَنْهُ حَتَّى أَرْجِعَ إِلَيْهِمْ. فَضَحِكَ وَقَالَ: إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ ( الْقَصَصِ: 56 ) يَا أَخَا تَنُوخَ، إِنِّي كَتَبْتُ بِكِتَابٍ إِلَى كِسْرَى فَمَزَّقَهُ، وَاللَّهُ مُمَزِّقُهُ وَمُمَزِّقُ مُلْكِهِ، وَكَتَبْتُ إِلَى النَّجَاشِيِّ بِصَحِيفَةٍ فَخَرَّقَهَا وَاللَّهُ مُخَرِّقُهُ وَمُخَرِّقُ مُلْكِهِ، وَكَتَبْتُ إِلَى صَاحِبِكَ بِصَحِيفَةٍ فَأَمْسَكَهَا، فَلَنْ يَزَالَ النَّاسُ يَجِدُونَ مِنْهُ بَأْسًا مَا دَامَ فِي الْعَيْشِ خَيْرٌ ". قُلْتُ: هَذِهِ إِحْدَى الثَّلَاثِ الَّتِي أَوْصَانِي بِهَا صَاحِبِي. فَأَخَذْتُ سَهْمًا مِنْ جَعْبَتِي فَكَتَبْتُهُ فِي جِلْدِ سَيْفِي، ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ نَاوَلَ الصَّحِيفَةَ رَجُلًا عَنْ يَسَارِهِ، قُلْتُ: مَنْ صَاحِبُ كِتَابِكُمُ الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ لَكُمْ ؟ قَالُوا: مُعَاوِيَةُ. فَإِذَا فِي كِتَابِ صَاحِبِي: تَدْعُونِي إِلَى جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ، فَأَيْنَ النَّارُ ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: " سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ ! أَيْنَ اللَّيْلُ إِذَا جَاءَ النَّهَارُ ؟ ! " قَالَ: فَأَخَذْتُ سَهْمًا مِنْ جَعْبَتِي فَكَتَبْتُهُ فِي جِلْدِ سَيْفِي. فَلَمَّا أَنْ فَرَغَ مِنْ قِرَاءَةِ كِتَابِي، قَالَ: " إِنَّ لَكَ حَقًّا وَإِنَّكَ رَسُولٌ، فَلَوْ وَجَدْتُ عِنْدَنَا جَائِزَةً جَوَّزْنَاكَ بِهَا، إِنَّا سُفْرٌ مُرْمِلُونَ ". قَالَ: فَنَادَاهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ طَائِفَةِ النَّاسِ، قَالَ: أَنَا أُجَوِّزُهُ فَفَتَحَ رَحْلَهُ، فَإِذَا هُوَ يَأْتِي بِحُلَّةٍ صَفُّورِيَّةٍ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي حِجْرِي، قُلْتُ: مَنْ صَاحِبُ الْجَائِزَةِ ؟ قِيلَ لِي: عُثْمَانُ. ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ: " أَيُّكُمْ يُنْزِلُ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ ؟ " فَقَالَ فَتًى مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ: أَنَا. فَقَامَ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ وَقُمْتُ مَعَهُ حَتَّى إِذَا خَرَجْتُ مِنْ طَائِفَةِ الْمَجْلِسِ نَادَانِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ: " تَعَالَ يَا أَخَا تَنُوخَ ". فَأَقْبَلْتُ أَهْوِي إِلَيْهِ حَتَّى كُنْتُ قَائِمًا فِي مَجْلِسِي الَّذِي كُنْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَحَلَّ حُبْوَتَهُ عَنْ ظَهْرِهِ، وَقَالَ: " هَاهُنَا امْضِ لِمَا أُمِرْتَ بِهِ ". فَجُلْتُ فِي ظَهْرِهِ، فَإِذَا أَنَا بِخَاتَمٍ فِي مَوْضِعِ غُضُونِ الْكَتِفِ مِثْلِ الْحَجْمَةِ الضَّخْمَةِ. هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ وَإِسْنَادُهُ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ تَفَرَّدَ بِهِ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ. ثُمَّ كَتَبَ هرقل إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كِتَابًا مَعَ دِحْيَةَ يَقُولُ فِيهِ: إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ وَلَكِنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِي، فَلَمَّا قَرَأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ كِتَابَهُ قَالَ: "كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ، وَلَيْسَ بِمُسْلِمٍ بَلْ هُوَ عَلَى نَصْرَانِيَّتِهِ".
Translation
✧ Mention of his ﷺ sending Diḥyah to Heraclius, calling him to Islam, and the arrival of Heraclius's messenger to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and the signs that occurred in that When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached Tabūk, Heraclius was in Ḥimṣ, and he was not concerned with what had reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about his gathering, nor did he intend that himself. Al-Ḥārith b. Abī Usāmah narrated from Bakr b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Muzanī—may Allah have mercy on him—who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Who will take this letter to Caesar and he will have Paradise?" A man said: Even if he does not accept? He said: "Even if he does not accept." So the man departed and brought him the letter. He read it and said: Go to your Prophet and tell him that I am following him, but I do not want to give up my kingdom. And he sent with him dinars to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He returned and informed him, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "He lied," and he distributed the dinars. The arrival of Caesar's messenger to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at Tabūk. Imam Aḥmad said: Isḥāq b. ʿĪsā narrated to us; Yaḥyā b. Sulaym narrated to us from ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿUthmān b. Khuthaym from Saʿīd b. Abī Rāshid, who said: I met al-Tanūkhī, Heraclius's messenger to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, in Ḥimṣ. He was my neighbor, an old man who had reached or nearly reached senility. I said: Won't you inform me about Heraclius's message to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Messenger of Allah's ﷺ message to Heraclius? He said: Yes. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived at Tabūk and sent Diḥyah al-Kalbī to Heraclius. When the letter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to him, he summoned the priests and patricians of the Romans, then he locked the door upon himself and them, and said: This man has encamped where you have seen, and he has sent to me inviting me to three things: he invites me to follow him in his religion, or to give him our wealth for our land—though the land is ours—or to engage him in war. By Allah, you have known from what you read in the scriptures that he will surely take what is under my feet. So come, let us follow him in his religion or give him our wealth for our land. They snorted with one snort until they came out of their hoods, and said: You call us to abandon Christianity or to become slaves to a bedouin who came from the Ḥijāz? When he feared that if they left him they would corrupt the Romans against him, he appeased them, though he could hardly do so, and said: I only said that to you to test your steadfastness in your affair. Then he summoned a man from the Arabs of Tujīb who was over the Arab Christians, and said: Call for me a man who has a good memory, whose tongue is Arabic, to send to this man with an answer to his letter. So he brought me, and Heraclius handed me a letter and said: Go with my letter to this man, and whatever you hear from his speech, preserve for me three things from it: see whether he mentions the sheet he wrote to me by anything; look, when he reads my letter, whether he mentions the night; and look at his back, whether there is anything on it that disturbs you. He said: So I departed with his letter until I came to Tabūk. There he was, sitting among his companions, squatting upon the water. I said: Where is your companion? It was said: Here he is. I walked forward until I sat before him and handed him my letter. He placed it in his lap, then said: "From whom are you?" I said: I am a brother of Tanūkh. He said: "Would you accept Islam, the ḥanīfiyyah, the religion of your father Abraham?" I said: I am a messenger of a people and upon the religion of a people; I will not depart from it until I return to them. He laughed and said: "Indeed, you do not guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills, and He is most knowing of the guided (al-Qaṣaṣ: 56). O brother of Tanūkh, I wrote a letter to Chosroes and he tore it up, and Allah will tear him up and tear up his kingdom. I wrote to the Negus a sheet and he shredded it, and Allah will shred him and shred his kingdom. I wrote to your companion a sheet and he held onto it, so people will continue to find harshness from him as long as there is any good in life." I said: This is one of the three things my companion enjoined upon me. I took an arrow from my quiver and wrote it on the leather of my sword. Then he handed the sheet to a man on his left. I said: Who is the reader of your letters who reads to you? They said: Muʿāwiyah. And in my companion's letter was: You call me to a garden whose width is the heavens and the earth, prepared for the righteous. So where is the Fire? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Glory be to Allah! Where is the night when the day comes?" He said: I took an arrow from my quiver and wrote it on the leather of my sword. When he finished reading my letter, he said: "You have a right, and you are a messenger. If we had a gift with us, we would give it to you. We are travelers who have run out of provisions." He said: A man from a group of the people called out to him, saying: I will give him a gift. He opened his saddlebag and brought out a Ṣaffūriyyah robe and placed it in my lap. I said: Who is the giver of the gift? It was said to me: ʿUthmān. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Which of you will host this man?" A young man from the Anṣār said: I will. The Anṣārī stood up and I stood with him. When I left the company of the gathering, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called me and said: "Come here, O brother of Tanūkh." I came hurrying to him until I was standing in my place where I had been before him. He loosened his wrap from his back and said: "Here, carry out what you were commanded." I looked at his back, and there was a seal in the place of the folds of the shoulder, like a large cupping mark. This is a rare ḥadīth, its chain is acceptable, and Imam Aḥmad is alone in narrating it. Then Heraclius wrote a letter to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with Diḥyah, saying in it: I am with you, but I am overcome in my affair. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ read his letter, he said: "The enemy of Allah has lied; he is not a Muslim, rather he remains upon his Christianity."
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