Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1682
The messengers of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his correspondence to the kings and the like
إِرْسَالِهِ ﷺ دِحْيَةَ بْنَ خَلِيفَةَ الْكَلْبِيَّ ؓ إِلَى قَيْصَرَ مَلِكِ الرُّومِ، وَاسْمُهُ هرقل وهُوَ دِحْيَةُ بْنُ خَلِيفَةَ بْنِ فَرْوَةَ الْكَلْبِيُّ أَسْلَمَ قَدِيمًا، وَلَمْ يَشْهَدْ بَدْرًا شَهِدَ الْمَشَاهِدَ كُلَّهَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعْدَ بَدْرٍ، وَكَانَ يَتَشَبَّهُ بِجِبْرِيلَ ﷺ، كَانَ جِبْرِيلُ يَنْزِلُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِصُورَتِهِ، وَكَانَ مِنْ أَجْمَلِ النَّاسِ، يُرْوَى أَنَّهُ كَانَ إِذَا قَدِمَ مِنَ الشَّامِ لَمْ يُبْقَ امْرَأَةٌ إِلَّا خَرَجَتْ تَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ، بَعَثَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى قَيْصَرَ فِي الْهُدْنَةِ سَنَةَ خَمْسٍ قَالَهُ خَلِيفَةُ: وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ: لَقِيَهُ بِحِمْصَ سَنَةَ سَبْعٍ، وَقَالَ فِي الْمَنْهَلِ: وَظَاهِرُ الْخَبَرِ يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْسَلَهُ إِلَيْهِ مَرَّتَيْنِ: الْأُولَى فِي الْهُدْنَةِ، وَالثَّانِيَةُ فِي تَبُوكَ، قُلْتُ: أَرْسَلَهُ مِنْ تَبُوكَ. ورَوَى الشَّيْخَانِ عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ وَالْبَيْهَقِيُّ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ عُقْبَةَ وَأَبُو نُعَيْمٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَدَّادٍ عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ وَالْبَيْهَقِيُّ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ وَالْبَزَّارُ وَأَبُو نُعَيْمٍ وَابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ عَنْ دِحْيَةَ، وَأَبُو نُعَيْمٍ وَابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي أُسْقُفٌّ مِنَ النَّصَارَى، وَقَدْ أَدْرَكَ ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانَ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا كَانَتِ الْهُدْنَةُ، هُدْنَةُ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ بَيْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَكُفَّارِ قُرَيْشٍ وَرَدَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ تَاجِرًا إِلَى الشَّامِ، مَعَ رَهْطٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ، وَكَانَ مَتْجَرُهُمْ مِنَ الشَّامِ عِدَّةً مِنْ أَرْضِ فِلَسْطِينَ فَخَرَجُوا حَتَّى قَدِمُوهَا، وَذَلِكَ حِينَ ظَهَرَ قَيْصَرُ صَاحِبُ الرُّومِ عَلَى مَنْ كَانَ فِي بِلَادِهِ مِنَ الْفُرْسِ، فَأَخْرَجَهُمْ مِنْهَا وَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ صَلِيبَهُ الْأَعْظَمَ، وَقَدْ كَانَ اسْتَلَبَهُ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا بَلَغَهُ ذَلِكَ وَقَدْ كَانَ مَنْزِلُهُ بِحِمْصَ مِنْ أَرْضِ الشَّامِ فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا يَمْشِي شَاكِرًا إِلَى بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ لِيُصَلِّيَ بِهِ فَبُسِطَ لَهُ الْبُسُطُ، وَطُرِحَ لَهُ عَلَيْهَا الرَّيَاحِينُ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى إِيلْيَا فَصَلَّى فِيهَا، فَأَصْبَحَ ذَاتَ غَدَاةٍ وَهُوَ مَهْمُومٌ يُقَلِّبُ طَرْفَهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ، فَقَالَتْ لَهُ بَطَارِقَتُهُ: أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ، لَقَدْ أَصْبَحَتْ مَهْمُومًا، وَكَانَ هِرَقْلُ حَزَّاءً يَنْظُرُ فِي النُّجُومِ- فَقَالَ لَهُمْ حِينَ سَأَلُوهُ: إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ اللَّيْلَةَ حِينَ نَظَرْتُ فِي النُّجُومِ مَلَكَ الْخِتَانِ، وَقَدْ ظَهَرَ فِيمَنْ يُخْتَنُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ، فَقَالُوا: وَاللَّهِ، مَا نَعْلَمُ أُمَّةً مِنَ الْأُمَمِ تَخْتَتِنُ إِلَّا الْيَهُودَ، فَلَا يُهِمَّنَّكَ شَأْنُهُمْ، وَاكْتُبْ إِلَى مَدَائِنِ مُلْكِكَ، فَيَقْتُلُوا مَنْ فِيهِمْ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ وَتَسْتَرِيحُ مِنْ هَذَا الْغَمِّ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ عَلَى أَمْرِهِمْ إِذْ أَتَاهُمْ صَاحِبُ مَلِكِ غَسَّانَ صَاحِبُ بُصْرَى بِرَجُلٍ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ وَقَدْ وَقَعَ إِلَيْهِمْ قَالَ: أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ، هَذَا رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ، لَا بُدَّ أَنَّ يُحَدِّثَكَ عَنْ حَدِيثٍ كَانَ بِبِلَادِهِ، فَلَمًّا أَنِ انْتَهَى إِلَيْهِ قَالَ لِتُرْجُمَانِهِ: اسْأَلْهُ مَا كَانَ الْخَبَرُ الَّذِي بِبِلَادِهِ، فَسَأَلَهُ، فَقَالَ: هُوَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ يَخْرُجُ، يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَقَدِ اتَّبَعَهُ أَقْوَامٌ وَخَالَفَهُ آخَرُونَ، وَقَدْ كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُمْ مَلَاحِمُ فِي مَوَاطِنَ فَخَرَجْتُ مِنْ بِلَادِي وَهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ فَلَمَّا أَخْبَرَهُ الْخَبَرَ، قَالَ: جَرِّدُوهُ هُوَ مَخْتُونٌ، فَقَالَ: هَذَا وَاللَّهِ الَّذِي رَأَيْتُ أَعْطُوهُ ثَوْبَهُ، انْطَلِقْ لِشَأْنِكَ، وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: «إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ بَعَثَ دِحْيَةَ إِلَى قَيْصَرَ صَاحِبِ الرُّومِ بِكِتَابٍ، فَاسْتَأْذَنَ، فَقَالَ: اسْتَأْذِنُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَتَى قَيْصَرَ فَقِيلَ: إِنَّ عَلَى الْبَابِ رَجُلًا يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ رَسُولُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَفَزِعُوا لِذَلِكَ، وَقَالَ: أَدْخِلُوهُ، فَأُدْخِلَ عَلَيْهِ وَعِنْدَهُ بَطَارِقَتُهُ، فَأَعْطَاهُ الْكِتَابَ وَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ، فَإِذَا فِيهِ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ عَظِيمِ الرُّومِ، وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ «صَاحِبِ الرُّومِ وَعِنْدَهُ ابْنُ أَخٍ لَهُ أَحْمَرُ أَزْرَقُ سَبْطُ الشَّعَرِ فَقَالَ: لَا تَقْرَإِ الْكِتَابَ، لِأَنَّهُ بَدَأَ بِنَفْسِهِ، وَكَتَبَ (صَاحِبِ الرُّومِ » وَلَمْ يَكْتُبْ «مَلِكَ الرُّومِ ». فَقَالَ: إِنْ يَكُنْ بَدَأَ بِنَفْسِهِ فَهُوَ الَّذِي كَتَبَ إِلَيَّ. وَإِنْ كَانَ سَمَّانِي صَاحِبَ الرُّومِ، فَأَنَا صَاحِبُ الرُّومِ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ صَاحِبٌ غَيْرِي، فَجَعَلَ يَقْرَأُ الْكِتَابَ وَهُوَ يَعْرَقُ جَبِينُهُ مِنْ كَرْبِ الْكِتَابِ «بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ عَظِيمِ الرُّومِ » سَلَامٌ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى: أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّ أَدْعُوكَ بِدَعَايَةِ الْإِسْلَامِ، أَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ، أَسْلِمْ يُؤْتِكَ اللَّهُ أَجَرَكَ مَرَّتَيْنِ، فَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ فَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ إِثْمَ الْأَرِيسِيِّينَ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ «الْأَكَّارِينَ» قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ، أَلا نَعْبُدَ إِلا اللَّهَ وَلا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَلا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهَ، فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا: اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ » فَلَمَّا قُرِئَ الْكِتَابُ قَالَ قَيْصَرُ: هَذَا كِتَابٌ لَمْ أَسْمَعْ بِمِثْلِهِ بَعْدَ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُمْ فَخَرَجُوا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ فَبَعَثَ إِلَى الْأُسْقُفِّ، فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَسَأَلَنِي فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ وَكَانَ صَاحِبَ أَمْرِهِمْ، يَصْدُرُونَ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ وَرَأْيِهِ، فَلَمَّا قَرَأَ الْكِتَابَ قَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ: هُوَ وَاللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الَّذِي بَشَّرَنَا بِهِ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ، وَمُوسَى، وَالَّذِي نَنْتَظِرُهُ، فَقَالَ قَيْصَرُ: فَمَا تَأْمُرُنِي ؟ قَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ: أَمَّا أَنَا فَمُصَدِّقُهُ وَمُتَّبِعُهُ، فَقَالَ قَيْصَرُ لِصَاحِبِ شُرْطَتِهِ: قُلْتَ لِي الشَّامُ ظَهْرُ الْبَطْنِ حَتَّى يُؤْتَى بِرَجُلٍ مِنْ قَدَمِ هَذَا فَأَسْأَلْهُ عَنْ شَأْنِهِ، قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ: فَوَ اللَّهِ، إِنِّي وَأَصْحَابِي كَبَعْرَةٍ إِذْ هَجَمَ عَلَيْنَا، فَسَأَلَ مِمَّنْ أَنْتُمْ ؟ فَأَخْبَرْنَاهُ، فَسَاقَنَا إِلَيْهِ جَمِيعًا، وَكَانَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ وَكُفَّارُ قُرَيْشٍ فَأَتَوْهُمْ وَهُمْ بِإِيلْيَا فَدَعَاهُمْ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ وَحَوْلَهُ عُظَمَاءُ الرُّومِ، ثُمَّ دَعَاهُمْ، وَدَعَا بِتُرْجُمَانِهِ، فَقَالَ: أَيُّكُمْ أَقْرَبُ نَسَبًا لِهَذَا الرَّجُلِ ؟ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ- أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ ؟ فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ: أَنَا أَقْرَبُهُمْ نَسَبًا، فَقَالَ: أَدْنُوهُ مِنِّي، وَقَرِّبُوا أَصْحَابَهُ، فَاجْعَلُوهُمْ خَلْفَ ظَهْرِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِتُرْجُمَانِهِ: قُلْ لَهُمْ: إِنِّي سَائِلٌ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ عَنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ فَإِنْ كَذَبَنِي فَكَذِّبُوهُ، قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ: فَوَ اللَّهِ، لَوْلَا أَنْ يُؤْثَرَ عَنِّي الْكَذِبُ لَكَذَبْتُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ كَانَ أَوَّلُ مَا سَأَلَنِي عَنْهُ أَنْ قَالَ: كَيْفَ نَسَبُهُ فِيكُمْ ؟ قُلْتُ: هُوَ فِينَا ذُو نَسَبٍ. قَالَ: فَهَلْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَ: فَهَلْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَ: فَأَشْرَافُ النَّاسِ يَتَّبَعُونَهُ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ ؟ فَقُلْتُ: بَلْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ، قَالَ: أَيَزِيدُونَ أَمْ يَنْقُصُونَ ؟ قُلْتُ: بَلْ يَزِيدُونَ، قَالَ: فَهَلْ يَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ سَخْطَةً لِدِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَ: فَهَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَ: فَهَلْ يَغْدِرُ قُلْتُ: لَا، وَنَحْنُ الْآنَ مَعَهُ فِي مُدَّةٍ لَا نَدْرِي مَا هُوَ فَاعِلٌ فِيهَا قَالَ: فَمَا كَلَّمَنِي كَلِمَةً أُدْخِلُ فِيهَا شَيْئًا غَيْرَ هَذِهِ الْكَلِمَةِ، قَالَ: فَهَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: فَكَيْفَ كَانَ قِتَالُكُمْ إِيَّاهُ ؟ قُلْتُ: الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالٌ يَنَالُ مِنَّا وَنَنَالُ مِنْهُ، قَالَ: مَاذَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ ؟ قُلْتُ: يَقُولُ: اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَحْدَهُ، وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَاتْرُكُوا مَا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُكُمْ، وَيَأْمُرُنَا بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَالصِّدْقِ وَالْعَفَافِ، وَالصِّلَةِ، فَقَالَ لِتُرْجُمَانِهِ: قُلْ لَهُ: سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ نَسَبِهِ، فَذَكَرْتَ أَنَّهُ فِيكُمْ ذُو نِسَبٍ، وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ تُبْعَثُ فِي نَسَبِ قَوْمِهَا، وَسَأَلْتُكَ: هَلْ قَالَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ قَبْلَهُ ؟ فَذَكَرْتُ أَنْ لَا، فَقُلْتُ: لَوْ كَانَ أَحَدٌ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ قَبْلَهُ لَقُلْتُ: رَجُلٌ تَأَسَّى بِقَوْلٍ قِيلَ قَبْلَهُ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ: هَلْ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ ؟ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لَا، قُلْتُ: فَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ، قُلْتُ: رَجُلٌ يَطْلُبُ مُلْكَ آبَائِهِ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ: هَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ ؟ فَذَكَرْتُ أَنْ لَا، فَقَدْ أَعْرِفُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَذَرَ الْكَذِبَ عَلَى النَّاسِ، وَيَكْذِبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ: أَشْرَافُ النَّاسِ يَتَّبِعُونَهُ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ ؟ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنَّ ضُعَفَاءَهُمُ اتَّبَعُوهُ، وَهُمْ أَتْبَاعُ الرُّسُلِ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ: أَيَزِيدُونَ أَمْ يَنْقُصُونَ ؟ فَذَكَرْتُ أَنَّهُمْ يَزِيدُونَ، وَكَذَلِكَ أَمْرُ الْإِيمَانِ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ: أَيَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ سَخْطَةً لِدِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ ؟ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لَا، وَكَذَلِكَ الْإِيمَانُ حِينَ تَخْلِطُ بَشَاشَتُهُ الْقُلُوبَ، وَسَأَلْتُكَ: هَلْ يَغْدِرُ ؟ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لَا، وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ لَا يَغْدِرُونَ وَسَأَلْتُكَ: بِمَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ ؟ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنَّهُ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ، وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَيَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْ عَبَادَةِ الْأَوْثَانِ، وَيَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَالصِّدْقِ وَالْعَفَافِ وَالصِّلَةِ، فَإِنْ كَانَ مَا تَقُولُ حَقًّا، فَسَيَمْلِكُ مَوْضِعَ قَدَمَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ، وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ خَارِجٌ، وَلَمْ أَكُنْ أَظُنُّهُ مِنْكُمْ، فَلَوْ أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أَخْلُصُ إِلَيْهِ لَتَجَشَّمْتُ لِقَاءَهُ، وَلَوْ كُنْتُ عِنْدَهُ لَغَسَلْتُ قَدَمَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: الْحَقْ بِشَأْنِكَ، قَالَ: فَقُمْتُ أَضْرَبُ بِإِحْدَى يَدَيَّ عَلَى الْأُخْرَى وَأَقُولُ: يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ، لَقَدْ أَمِرَ أَمْرُ ابْنِ أَبِي كَبْشَةَ أَصْبَحَ مُلُوكُ بَنِي الْأَصْفَرِ يَخَافُونَهُ فِي سُلْطَانِهِمْ، فَمَا زِلْتُ مُوقِنًا أَنَّهُ سَيَظْهَرُ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ كِتَابَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَوَضَعَهُ فَوْقَ رَأْسِهِ ثُمَّ قَبَّلَهُ وَطَوَاهُ فِي الدِّيبَاجِ، وَالْحَرِيرِ، وَجَعَلَهُ فِي سِقْطِ صَاحِبٍ لَهُ بِرُومِيَّةَ، وَكَانَ نَظِيرَهُ فِي الْعِلْمِ، وَسَارَ هِرَقْلُ إِلَى حِمْصَ وَلَمْ يَرُمْ حِمْصَ حَتَّى أَتَاهُ كِتَابٌ مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ يُوَافِقُ رَأْيَ هِرَقْلَ بِخُرُوجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَأَنَّهُ النَّبِيُّ الَّذِي يُنْتَظَرُ لَا شَكَّ فِيهِ فَاتَّبِعْهُ، فَأَمَرَ بِعُظَمَاءَ الرُّومِ، فَجُمِعُوا لَهُ فِي دَسْكَرَةِ مُلْكِهُ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِهَا فَأُغْلِقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ، ثُمَّ اطَّلَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ عُلِّيَّةٍ لَهُ، وَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ خَائِفٌ فَقَالَ: يَا مَعْشَرَ الرُّومِ، إِنَّهُ جَاءَنِي كِتَابُ أَحْمَدَ وَإِنَّهُ وَاللَّهِ النَّبِيُّ الَّذِي يُنْتَظَرُ لَا شَكَّ فِيهِ الَّذِي بَشَّرَ بِهِ عِيسَى، وَإِنَّهُ وَاللَّهِ النَّبِيُّ الَّذِي نَنْتَظِرُهُ وَنَجِدُ ذِكْرَهُ فِي كِتَابِنَا نَعْرَفُهُ بِعَلَامَاتِهِ وَزَمَانِهِ، فَأَسْلِمُوا وَاتَّبِعُوهُ، تَسْلَمْ لَكُمْ آخِرُتُكُمْ وَدُنْيَاكُمْ فَنَخَرُوا نَخْرَةَ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ، وَحَاصُوا حَيْصَةَ حَمِيرِ الْوَحْشِ، وَابْتَدَرُوا أَبْوَابَ الدَّسْكَرَةِ فَوَجَدُوهَا مُغْلَقَةً دُونَهُمْ فَلَمَّا رَأَى هِرَقْلُ نَفْرَتَهُمْ يَئِسَ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ وَخَافَهُمْ، قَالَ: رَدُّوهُمْ عَلَيَّ فَرَدُّوهُمْ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ: يَا مَعْشَرَ الرُّومِ، إِنَّمَا قُلْتُ مَقَالَتِي آنِفًا أَخْتَبِرُ بِهَا شِدَّتَكُمْ عَلَى دِينِكُمْ، وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ مَا يَسُرُّنِي، فَوَقَعُوا لَهُ سُجَّدًا وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ، فَقَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ قَاضِيهِ: أَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَخَذُوهُ فَمَا زَالُوا يَضْرِبُونَهُ وَيَعَضُّونَهُ حَتَّى قَتَلُوهُ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ: إِنَّهُ يُبْعَثُ أُمَّةً وَحْدَهُ، ثُمَّ فُتِحَتْ لَهُمْ أَبْوَابُ الدَّسْكَرَةِ فَخَرَجُوا، فَقَالَ دَحْيَةُ: ثُمَّ بَعَثَ إِلَيَّ مِنَ الْغَدِ سِرًّا فَأَدْخَلَنِي بَيْتًا عَظِيمًا فِيهِ ثَلَاثُمِائَةٍ وَثَلَاثَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ صُورَةً، فَإِذَا هِيَ صُوَرُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَالْمُرْسَلِينَ قَالَ: انْظُرْ أَيْنَ صَاحِبُكَ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ، فَرَأَيْتُ صُورَةَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ كَأَنَّهُ يَنْطِقُ، قُلْتُ: هَذَا، قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ، فَقَالَ: صُورَةُ مَنْ هَذَا عَنْ يَمِينِهِ ؟، قُلْتُ: رَجُلٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ، يُقَالُ لَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ، قَالَ: فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِي عَنْ يَسَارِهِ ؟ قُلْتُ: رَجُلٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ، يُقَالُ لَهُ عُمَرُ، قَالَ: إِنَّا نَجِدُ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنَّ بِصَاحِبَيْهِ هَذَيْنِ، يُتِمُّ اللَّهُ هَذَا الدِّينَ، فَلَمَّا قَدِمْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَخْبَرْتُهُ، فَقَالَ: صَدَقَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ، يُتِمُّ اللَّهُ هَذَا الدِّينَ بَعْدِي. الثَّانِيَةُ- رَوَى أَبُو يَعْلَى وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ ابْنُ الْإِمَامِ أَحْمَدَ فِي زَوَائِدِ الْمُسْنَدِ وَابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ ابْنِ أَبِي رَاشِدٍ قَالَ: لَقِيتُ التَّنُوخِيَّ رَسُولَ هِرَقْلَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ: أَلَا تُخْبِرُنِي عَنْ رِسَالَةِ هِرَقْلَ ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى، قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ تَبُوكَ، فَبَعَثَ دَحْيَةَ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ كِتَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ دَعَا قِسِّيسَ الرُّومِ وَبَطَارِقَتَهُمْ، ثُمَّ أَغْلَقَ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَيْهِمُ الدَّارَ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ أَرْسَلَ يَدْعُونِي، وَوَ اللَّهِ لَقَدْ قَرَأْتُمْ فِيمَا تَقْرَؤُونَ مِنَ الْكُتُبِ لَيَأْخُذَنَّ مَا تَحْتَ قَدَمِي، فَهَلُمَّ إِلَيَّ أَنْ نَتَّبِعَهُ فَنَخَرُوا نَخْرَةَ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ، فَلَمَّا ظَنَّ أَنَّهُمْ إِنْ خَرَجُوا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ أَفْسَدُوا الرُّومَ، قَالَ: إِنَّمَا قُلْتُ لِأَعْلَمَ صَلَابَتَكُمْ عَلَى أَمْرِكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ، ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ دَعَانِي فَقَالَ: اذْهَبْ بِكِتَابِي إِلَى هَذَا الرَّجُلِ، فَمَا ضَيَّعْتَ مِنْ حَدِيثِهِ فَاحْفَظْ لِي ثَلَاثَ خِصَالٍ انْظُرْ هَلْ تَذْكُرُ الصَّحِيفَةَ الَّتِي كُتِبَتْ إِلَيَّ بِشَيْءٍ انْظُرْ إِذَا قَرَأَ كِتَابِي هَلْ يَذْكُرُ اللَّيْلَ وَانْظُرْ فِي ظَهْرِهِ ؟ هَلْ بِهِ شَيْءٌ يَرِيبُكَ، فَانْطَلَقَتُ بِكِتَابِهِ حَتَّى جِئْتُ تَبُوكَ، فَنَاوَلْتُ كِتَابِي فَقَالَ: يَا أَخَا تَنُوخَ، إِنِّي كَتَبْتُ بِكِتَابٍ إِلَى كِسْرَى فَمَزَّقَهُ، وَاللَّهُ مُمَزِّقُهُ وَمُلْكَهُ وَكَتَبْتُ إِلَى النَّجَاشِيِّ بِصَحِيفَةٍ فَحَرَّقَهَا، وَاللَّهُ مُحَرِّقُهُ، وَمُحَرِّقُ مُلْكَهُ، وَكَتَبْتُ إِلَى صَاحِبِكَ بِصَحِيفَةٍ فَأَمْسَكَهَا وَلَنْ يَزَالَ النَّاسُ يَجِدُونَ مِنْهُ بَأْسًا مَا دَامَ فِي الْعَيْشِ، قُلْتُ: هَذِهِ إِحْدَى الثَّلَاثِ الَّذِي أَوْصَانِي ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ نَاوَلَ الصَّحِيفَةَ رَجُلًا عَنْ يَسَارِهِ فَقَرَأَهَا فَإِذَا فِيهَا يَدْعُونِي إِلَى جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ، فَأَيْنَ النَّارُ ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: أَيْنَ اللَّيْلُ إِذَا جَاءَ النَّهَارُ ؟ ثُمَّ قَالَ: فَقَالَ: يَا أَخَا تَنُوخَ، فَهَلَّ حَبْوَتَهُ عَنْ ظَهْرِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: هَا هُنَا امْضِ لِمَا أُمِرْتَ فَجُلْتُ فِي ظَهْرِهِ، فَإِذَا النُّبُوَّةُ فِي مَوْضِعِ غُضْرُوفِ الْكَتِفِ مِثْلُ الْمِحْجَمَةِ الضَّخْمَةِ، وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ فَكَتَبَهُ فِي جَفْنِ (سَيْفِي ) فَلَمَّا أَنَّ فَرَغَ مِنْ قِرَاءَةِ كِتَابِي قَالَ: إِنَّ لَكَ حَقًّا، وَإِنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَلَوْ وُجِدَتْ عِنْدَنَا جَائِزَةٌ جَوَّزْنَاكَ بِهَا، إِنَّا سُفَرَاءُ مُرْسَلُونَ قَالَ: فَنَادَاهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ طَائِفَةِ النَّاسِ، أَنَا أُجَوِّزُهُ فَفَتَحَ رَحْلَهُ فَإِذَا هُوَ يُجَمِّلُهُ بِجَائِزَةٍ صَفُورِيَّةٍ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي حَجْرِي، فَقُلْتُ: مَنْ صَاحِبُ الْجَائِزَةِ ؟ قِيلَ لِي: عُثْمَانُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: أَيُّكُمْ يُنْزِلُ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ ؟: فَقَالَ فَتًى مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ: أَنَا، فَقَامَ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ، وَقُمْتُ مَعَهُ، حَتَّى إِذَا خَرَجْتُ مِنْ طَائِفَةِ الْمَجْلِسِ نَادَانِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَخَا تَنُوخَ، تَعَالَ تَعَالَ، يَا أَخَا تَنُوخَ، فَأَقْبَلْتُ أَهْوِي حَتَّى كُنْتُ قَائِمًا فِي الْمَجْلِسِ الَّذِي كُنْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَحَلَّ حَبْوَتَهُ عَنْ ظَهْرِهِ، وَقَالَ: هَهُنَا امْضِ لِمَا أُمِرْتَ لَهُ فَجُلْتُ فِي ظَهْرِهِ فَإِذَا خَاتَمُ النُّبُوَّةِ فِي مَوْضِعِ غُضْرُوفِ الْكَتِفِ مِثْلُ الْمِحْجَمَةِ الضَّخْمَةِ. قَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ: فَانْصَرَفَ الرَّجُلُ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ، فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَدَعَا قَوْمَهُ إِلَى التَّصْدِيقِ بِالنَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَأَبَوْا حَتَّى خَالَفَهُمْ عَنْ مُلْكِهِ، وَهُوَ فِي مَوْضِعِهِ بِحِمْصَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتَحَرَّكْ، وَلَمْ يَزْحَفْ وَكَانَ الَّذِي خَبَّرَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ وَدُنُوُّهُ إِلَى أَرْضِ الشَّامِ بِالْجَلَاءِ، وَلَمْ يُرِدْ ذَلِكَ وَلَا هَمَّ بِهِ. وَذَكَرَ السُّهَيْلِيُّ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى- أَنَّ هِرَقْلَ أَهْدَى لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ هَدِيَّةً وَفَرَّقَهَا عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَأَنَّ هِرَقْلَ أَمَرَ مُنَادِيًا: أَلَا إِنَّ هِرَقْلَ قَدْ آمَنَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ وَاتَّبَعَهُ فَدَخَلَتِ الْأَجْنَادُ فِي سِلَاحِهَا، وَطَافَتْ بِقَصْرِهِ تُرِيدُ قَتْلَهُ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ: إِنِّي أَرَدْتُّ أَنْ أَخْتَبِرَ صَلَابَتَكُمْ فِي دِينِكُمْ، فَقَدْ رَضِيتُ عَنْكُمْ فَرَضُوا عَنْهُ، ثُمَّ كَتَبَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ كِتَابًا مَعَ دِحْيَةَ يَقُولُ فِيهِ-: إِنِّي مُسْلِمٌ وَلَكِنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِي، فَلَمَّا قَرَأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ كِتَابَهُ، قَالَ: كَذَبَ عَدُوُّ اللَّهِ، لَيْسَ بِمُسْلِمٍ بَلْ هُوَ عَلَى النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ.
Translation
✧ His ﷺ sending Diḥyah b. Khalīfah al-Kalbī ؓ to Caesar, king of the Romans, whose name was Heraclius He is Diḥyah b. Khalīfah b. Farwah al-Kalbī. He embraced Islam early; he did not witness Badr, but he witnessed all the expeditions with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ after Badr. He used to resemble Jibrīl ﷺ ; Jibrīl used to descend upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in his form. He was one of the most handsome of people. It is narrated that when he returned from Syria, no woman was left but she went out to look at him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent him to Caesar during the truce in the year five; Khalīfah said this. Muḥammad b. ʿUmar said: he met him in Ḥimṣ in the year seven. In al-Manhal it says: the apparent meaning of the report indicates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent him to him twice: the first time during the truce, and the second at Tabūk. I say: he sent him from Tabūk. Al-Bukhārī and Muslim narrated from Abū Sufyān, al-Bayhaqī from Mūsā b. ʿUqbah, Abū Nuʿaym from ʿAbd Allāh b. Shaddād from Abū Sufyān, al-Bayhaqī from al-Zuhrī, al-Bazzār, Abū Nuʿaym, and Ibn ʿAsākir from Diḥyah, and Abū Nuʿaym and Ibn Isḥāq from Ibn ʿAbbās from Abū Sufyān, who said: A bishop of the Christians, who had witnessed that time, related to me that when the truce—the truce of al-Ḥudaybiyah—was between the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the disbelievers of Quraysh, Abū Sufyān arrived as a merchant in Syria with a band of Quraysh. Their trade was from Syria, a number of them from the land of Palestine, so they departed until they reached it. That was when Caesar, the lord of the Romans, had prevailed over the Persians who were in his lands, expelled them from there, and restored to him his great cross, which they had seized from him. When that news reached him—and his residence was in Ḥimṣ in the land of Syria—he went out from there walking in gratitude to Jerusalem to pray in it. Carpets were spread for him, and aromatic herbs were cast upon them until he reached Aelia and prayed there. One morning he awoke distressed, turning his gaze toward the sky. His patricians said to him: "O king, you have arisen distressed." Heraclius was an astrologer who observed the stars. He said to them when they asked him: "Last night, when I looked at the stars, I saw the king of circumcision, and he has appeared among those of this community who are circumcised." They said: "By Allah, we know of no community among the nations that practices circumcision except the Jews, so do not let their affair trouble you. Write to the cities of your kingdom to kill the Jews among them, and you will be relieved of this distress." While they were in that state, the governor of the king of Ghassān, the lord of Buṣrā, came to them with a man from the Arabs who had fallen into their hands. He said: "O king, this is a man from the Arabs of the people of Syria; surely he will tell you about an event that took place in his land." When he came before him, he said to his interpreter: "Ask him what was the news in his land." He asked him, and he said: "He is a man from Quraysh who has come forth, claiming that he is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Some people have followed him, and others have opposed him. There have been battles between them in various places. I left my land while they were in that state." When he told him the news, he said: "Strip him; is he circumcised?" He said: "This, by Allah, is what I saw. Give him his garment; go about your business." In another version: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent Diḥyah to Caesar, the lord of the Romans, with a letter. He sought permission, saying: 'Ask permission for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.' He came to Caesar, and it was said: 'There is a man at the door who claims to be the messenger of the Messenger of Allah.' They were alarmed at that. He said: 'Admit him.' He was brought before him while his patricians were present. He gave him the letter and read it to him. In it was: 'In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. From Muḥammad, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, to Heraclius, the great one of the Romans'—and in another version, 'the lord of the Romans.' With him was a son of his brother, ruddy, blue-eyed, with lank hair, who said: 'Do not read the letter, for he began with himself and wrote "lord of the Romans" and did not write "king of the Romans."' He said: 'If he began with himself, then he is the one who wrote to me.' 'And if he called me the lord of the Romans, then I am the lord of the Romans; they have no lord other than me.' He began to read the letter while his forehead was sweating from the burden of the letter: 'In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. From Muḥammad, the servant of Allah and His Messenger, to Heraclius, the great one of the Romans. Peace be upon him who follows guidance. To proceed: I invite you with the call of Islam. Submit and you will be safe; submit and Allah will give you your reward twice. If you turn away, then upon you is the sin of the Arīsiyyīn'—and in another version, 'the akkārīn (peasants).' 'Say: O People of the Book, come to a common word between us and you: that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate nothing with Him, and that some of us do not take others as lords besides Allah. If they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are Muslims.' When the letter was read, Caesar said: 'This is a letter the like of which I have not heard since Solomon son of David.' Then he ordered them, and they left his presence. He sent for the bishop, so I entered upon him, and he asked me, and I informed him. The bishop was the one in charge of their affairs; they relied on his word and opinion. When he read the letter, the bishop said: 'He is, by Allah—there is no god but He—the one whom Jesus son of Mary and Moses announced to us, the one we are waiting for.' Caesar said: 'What do you command me?' The bishop said: 'As for me, I believe in him and follow him.' Caesar said to the commander of his guard: 'You told me that Syria is the belly's surface, so bring me a man from among this people that I may ask him about his affair.' Abū Sufyān said: 'By Allah, I and my companions were like a camel's dropping when he descended upon us. He asked: "From whom are you?"' We told him, and he drove us all to him. Abū Sufyān and the disbelievers of Quraysh came to them while they were in Aelia. He summoned them in his assembly, with the great men of the Romans around him. Then he called them and called for his interpreter, and said: 'Which of you is closest in kinship to this man who claims to be a prophet?' Abū Sufyān said: 'I am the closest of them in kinship.' He said: 'Bring him near me, and bring his companions near, and place them behind him.' Then he said to his interpreter: 'Say to them: I am going to ask this man about that man, and if he lies to me, then contradict him.' Abū Sufyān said: 'By Allah, had I not feared that a lie would be reported about me, I would have lied about him.' Then the first thing he asked me about him was: 'How is his lineage among you?' I said: 'He is among us of noble lineage.' He said: 'Has anyone among you said such a saying before him?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Was there a king among his forefathers?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Do the nobles of the people follow him, or their weak ones?' I said: 'Rather their weak ones.' He said: 'Are they increasing or decreasing?' I said: 'Rather they are increasing.' He said: 'Does anyone among you apostatize out of displeasure with his religion after entering it?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Did you used to accuse him of lying before he said what he said?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Does he act treacherously?' I said: 'No, and we are now with him during a truce period, and we do not know what he will do during it.' He said: 'I did not say a word in which I could insert anything besides this word.' He said: 'Have you fought him?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'How was your fighting against him?' I said: 'War between us and him is alternating; he gains from us and we gain from him.' He said: 'What does he command you?' I said: 'He says: worship Allah alone, and associate nothing with Him, and abandon what your fathers used to worship. He commands us to pray, give alms, be truthful, chaste, and maintain ties.' Then he said to his interpreter: 'Say to him: I asked you about his lineage, and you mentioned that he is among you of noble lineage; likewise, messengers are sent among the lineage of their people. I asked you whether anyone among you said such a saying before him, and you mentioned no; I said: if someone had said such a saying before him, I would have said he is a man imitating a saying said before him. I asked you whether there was a king among his forefathers, and you mentioned no; I said: if there had been a king among his forefathers, I would have said he is a man seeking the kingdom of his forefathers. I asked you whether you used to accuse him of lying before he said what he said, and you mentioned no; I know that he would not refrain from lying about people and then lie about Allah. I asked you whether the nobles of the people follow him or their weak ones, and you mentioned that their weak ones followed him; they are the followers of messengers. I asked you whether they are increasing or decreasing, and you mentioned that they are increasing; likewise is the affair of faith until it is completed. I asked you whether anyone among you apostatizes out of displeasure with his religion after entering it, and you mentioned no; likewise is faith when its sweetness mixes into the hearts. I asked you whether he acts treacherously, and you mentioned no; likewise messengers do not act treacherously. I asked you what he commands you, and you mentioned that he commands you to worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, forbids you from worshipping idols, and commands you to pray, give alms, be truthful, chaste, and maintain ties. If what you say is true, then he will possess the place of these two feet of mine. I already knew that he was to come forth, but I did not think he would be from you. If I knew that I could reach him, I would undertake to meet him; if I were with him, I would wash his feet.' Then he said: 'Go about your business.' He said: 'I rose, striking one hand against the other, saying: O servants of Allah, the affair of Ibn Abī Kabshah has become great; the kings of the Banū al-Aṣfar have begun to fear him in their sovereignty. I remained certain that he would appear.' Then he took the letter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, placed it above his head, then kissed it, folded it in brocade and silk, and placed it in the possession of a companion of his in Rome, who was his peer in knowledge. Heraclius traveled to Ḥimṣ and did not remain in Ḥimṣ until a letter came to him from his companion agreeing with Heraclius's opinion about the coming forth of the Prophet ﷺ and that he is the awaited prophet, no doubt about it, so follow him. He ordered the great men of the Romans to be gathered for him in the audience hall of his kingdom, then ordered it to be locked upon them. Then he looked down upon them from an upper room of his, while he was afraid of them, and said: 'O assembly of the Romans, a letter of Aḥmad has come to me, and he is, by Allah, the awaited prophet, no doubt about it, the one whom Jesus announced. He is, by Allah, the prophet whom we await and whose mention we find in our book, recognizing him by his signs and his time. So submit and follow him; your hereafter and your world will be safe for you.' They snorted with the snort of a single man, and shied away like wild asses, and rushed to the doors of the audience hall, but found them locked against them. When Heraclius saw their aversion, he despaired of their faith and feared them. He said: 'Return them to me.' They returned them to him. He said: 'O assembly of the Romans, I said my words just now only to test your firmness in your religion, and I have seen what pleases me.' They fell down prostrating to him and were pleased with him. The bishop, his judge, said: 'I bear witness that he is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.' They seized him and continued beating and biting him until they killed him. The Prophet ﷺ said at that: 'He will be resurrected as a community alone.' Then the doors of the audience hall were opened for them, and they went out. Diḥyah said: Then he sent for me secretly the next day and brought me into a great house in which there were three hundred and twenty-three images, and they were the images of the prophets and messengers. He said: 'Look where your companion is among these.' I saw the image of the Prophet ﷺ as if it were speaking. I said: 'This one.' He said: 'You have spoken truly.' He said: 'Whose image is this at his right?' I said: 'A man from his people called Abū Bakr.' He said: 'Who is that at his left?' I said: 'A man from his people called ʿUmar.' He said: 'We find in the book that with these two companions of his Allah will complete this religion.' When I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and informed him, he said: 'He spoke truly; by Abū Bakr and ʿUmar, Allah will complete this religion after me.' The second— Abū Yaʿlā and ʿAbd Allāh son of Imam Aḥmad in Zawāʾid al-Musnad and Ibn ʿAsākir narrated from Saʿīd b. Abī Rāshid, who said: I met al-Tanūkhī, the messenger of Heraclius to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and said: 'Will you not tell me about the message of Heraclius?' He said: 'Yes. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to Tabūk and sent Diḥyah to Heraclius. When the letter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came, he summoned the priests of the Romans and their patricians, then locked the house upon himself and them. He said: "This man has sent inviting me. By Allah, you have read in what you read of the books that he will surely take what is under my feet. Come, let us follow him." They snorted with the snort of a single man. When he thought that if they left him they would corrupt the Romans, he said: "I said that only to know your firmness in your affair among yourselves." Then he summoned me and said: "Go with my letter to this man. Whatever of his speech you miss, preserve for me three traits: see whether he mentions the sheet that was written to me at all; when he reads my letter, see whether he mentions the night; and look at his back, whether there is something that disturbs you." I departed with his letter until I came to Tabūk. I handed my letter, and he said: "O brother of Tanūkh, I wrote a letter to Kisrā, and he tore it up; Allah will tear him and his kingdom. I wrote to the Negus a sheet, and he burned it; Allah will burn him and his kingdom. I wrote to your master a sheet, and he kept it; people will never cease to find might from him as long as he lives." I said: This is one of the three he enjoined me. Then he handed the sheet to a man on his left, and he read it. In it was: He invites me to a paradise whose width is the heavens and the earth; where is the fire? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Where is the night when the day comes?" Then he said: "O brother of Tanūkh, uncover his upper garment from his back." Then he said: "Here, proceed as you have been commanded." I went around his back, and there was prophethood at the place of the cartilage of the shoulder, like a large cupping-glass. In another version: He wrote it on the sheath of my sword. When he finished reading my letter, he said: "You have a right, and you are the messenger of Allah. If we had a gift with us, we would reward you with it. We are envoys sent out." He said: A man from a group of people called out to him: "I will reward him." He opened his saddlebag and began presenting him with a Ṣaffūrī gift, and placed it in my lap. I said: "Who is the owner 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 of the Anṣār said: So the Anṣārī stood up, and I stood up with him, until when I had departed from the section of the gathering, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called me and said: “O brother of Tanūkh, come, come, O brother of Tanūkh.” I hastened back until I was standing in the gathering where I had been before him. He loosened his upper garment from his back and said: “Here, go about what you were commanded for.” I looked at his back, and there was the seal of prophethood in the place of the cartilage of the shoulder, like a large cupping vessel. Muḥammad b. ʿUmar said: The man returned to Heraclius and mentioned that to him. He invited his people to believe in the Prophet ﷺ, but they refused, to the point that they opposed him over his kingdom while he was in his place in Ḥimṣ. Then he did not move, nor did he march. What the Prophet ﷺ had informed his Companions about his approach to the land of Syria was by way of displacement, while he did not intend that, nor did he set out toward it. Al-Suhaylī—may Allah have mercy on him—mentioned that Heraclius sent a gift to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he distributed it among the Muslims, and that Heraclius commanded a crier: “Indeed, Heraclius has believed in Muḥammad ﷺ and followed him.” The troops entered in their weapons and circled his palace intending to kill him, so he sent to them: “I only wanted to test your firmness in your religion, and I am pleased with you.” So they were pleased with him. Then he wrote a letter to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with Diḥyah, saying in it: “I am a Muslim, but I am overpowered 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, but rather he remains upon Christianity.”
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