Dalil
العربية

Sahih Muslim 1773a

The Prophet ﷺ wrote to Heraclius, the ruler of Syria, inviting him to Islam

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حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَنْظَلِيُّ وَابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ رَافِعٍ قَالَ ابْنُ رَافِعٍ وَابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ حَدَّثَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ أَبَا سُفْيَانَ أَخْبَرَهُ مِنْ فِيهِ إِلَى فِيهِ قَالَ انْطَلَقْتُ فِي الْمُدَّةِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ فَبَيْنَا أَنَا بِالشَّأْمِ إِذْ جِيءَ بِكِتَابٍ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ يَعْنِي عَظِيمَ الرُّومِ قَالَ وَكَانَ دِحْيَةُ الْكَلْبِيُّ جَاءَ بِهِ فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى عَظِيمِ بُصْرَى فَدَفَعَهُ عَظِيمُ بُصْرَى إِلَى هِرَقْلَ فَقَالَ هِرَقْلُ هَلْ هَا هُنَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ قَوْمِ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ قَالُوا نَعَمْ قَالَ فَدُعِيتُ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَى هِرَقْلَ فَأَجْلَسَنَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ أَيُّكُمْ أَقْرَبُ نَسَبًا مِنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَقُلْتُ أَنَا فَأَجْلَسُونِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَجْلَسُوا أَصْحَابِي خَلْفِي ثُمَّ دَعَا بِتَرْجُمَانِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ قُلْ لَهُمْ إِنِّي سَائِلٌ هَذَا عَنِ الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ فَإِنْ كَذَبَنِي فَكَذِّبُوهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ وَايْمُ اللَّهِ لَوْلاَ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يُؤْثَرَ عَلَىَّ الْكَذِبُ لَكَذَبْتُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِتَرْجُمَانِهِ سَلْهُ كَيْفَ حَسَبُهُ فِيكُمْ قَالَ قُلْتُ هُوَ فِينَا ذُو حَسَبٍ قَالَ فَهَلْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ قُلْتُ لاَ قَالَ فَهَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ قَالَ وَمَنْ يَتَّبِعُهُ أَشْرَافُ النَّاسِ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ قَالَ قُلْتُ بَلْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ قَالَ أَيَزِيدُونَ أَمْ يَنْقُصُونَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ بَلْ يَزِيدُونَ قَالَ هَلْ يَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ سَخْطَةً لَهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ قَالَ فَهَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ قِتَالُكُمْ إِيَّاهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ تَكُونُ الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالاً يُصِيبُ مِنَّا وَنُصِيبُ مِنْهُ قَالَ فَهَلْ يَغْدِرُ قُلْتُ لاَ وَنَحْنُ مِنْهُ فِي مُدَّةٍ لاَ نَدْرِي مَا هُوَ صَانِعٌ فِيهَا قَالَ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَمْكَنَنِي مِنْ كَلِمَةٍ أُدْخِلُ فِيهَا شَيْئًا غَيْرَ هَذِهِ قَالَ فَهَلْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ قَالَ لِتَرْجُمَانِهِ قُلْ لَهُ إِنِّي سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ حَسَبِهِ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُ فِيكُمْ ذُو حَسَبٍ وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ تُبْعَثُ فِي أَحْسَابِ قَوْمِهَا وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كَانَ فِي آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ فَقُلْتُ لَوْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ يَطْلُبُ مُلْكَ آبَائِهِ وَسَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ أَتْبَاعِهِ أَضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ أَمْ أَشْرَافُهُمْ فَقُلْتَ بَلْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ وَهُمْ أَتْبَاعُ الرُّسُلِ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ فَقَدْ عَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَدَعَ الْكَذِبَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ثُمَّ يَذْهَبَ فَيَكْذِبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَهُ سَخْطَةً لَهُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ وَكَذَلِكَ الإِيمَانُ إِذَا خَالَطَ بَشَاشَةَ الْقُلُوبِ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَزِيدُونَ أَوْ يَنْقُصُونَ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُمْ يَزِيدُونَ وَكَذَلِكَ الإِيمَانُ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّكُمْ قَدْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ فَتَكُونُ الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالاً يَنَالُ مِنْكُمْ وَتَنَالُونَ مِنْهُ وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ تُبْتَلَى ثُمَّ تَكُونُ لَهُمُ الْعَاقِبَةُ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَغْدِرُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَغْدِرُ وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ لاَ تَغْدِرُ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ فَقُلْتُ لَوْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ ائْتَمَّ بِقَوْلٍ قِيلَ قَبْلَهُ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ بِمَ يَأْمُرُ كُمْ قُلْتُ

يَأْمُرُنَا بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَالصِّلَةِ وَالْعَفَافِ قَالَ إِنْ يَكُنْ مَا تَقُولُ فِيهِ حَقًّا فَإِنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ خَارِجٌ وَلَمْ أَكُنْ أَظُنُّهُ مِنْكُمْ وَلَوْ أَنِّي أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أَخْلُصُ إِلَيْهِ لأَحْبَبْتُ لِقَاءَهُ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ عِنْدَهُ لَغَسَلْتُ عَنْ قَدَمَيْهِ وَلَيَبْلُغَنَّ مُلْكُهُ مَا تَحْتَ قَدَمَىَّ قَالَ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِكِتَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَرَأَهُ فَإِذَا فِيهِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ عَظِيمِ الرُّومِ سَلاَمٌ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ بِدِعَايَةِ الإِسْلاَمِ أَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ وَأَسْلِمْ يُؤْتِكَ اللَّهُ أَجْرَكَ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ فَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ إِثْمَ الأَرِيسِيِّينَ وَ { يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَنْ لاَ نَعْبُدَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ وَلاَ نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ} فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ قِرَاءَةِ الْكِتَابِ ارْتَفَعَتِ الأَصْوَاتُ عِنْدَهُ وَكَثُرَ اللَّغْطُ وَأَمَرَ بِنَا فَأُخْرِجْنَا قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لأَصْحَابِي حِينَ خَرَجْنَا لَقَدْ أَمِرَ أَمْرُ ابْنِ أَبِي كَبْشَةَ إِنَّهُ لَيَخَافُهُ مَلِكُ بَنِي الأَصْفَرِ قَالَ فَمَا زِلْتُ مُوقِنًا بِأَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُ سَيَظْهَرُ حَتَّى أَدْخَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ الإِسْلاَمَ

Translation

Chain of narrators
  1. Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm al-Ḥanẓalī Wāb. Abū ʿUmar And Muḥammad b. Rāfiʿ Waʿabd b. Ḥumayd Wa-al-Lafẓ Lāib. Rāfiʿ
  2. Ibn Rāfiʿ Wāb. Abū ʿUmar
  3. al-Ākharān
  4. ʿAbd al-Razzāq
  5. Maʿmar
  6. al-Zuhrī
  7. ʿUbaydullāh b. ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUtbah
  8. Ibn ʿAbbās
  9. Abū Sufyān
  10. Min Fīh
  11. Fīh
  12. Ānṭalaqt Fī al-Muddah al--Atī Kānat Baynī Wabayn Rasūl Allāh ﷺ
  13. Fabaynā
  14. Bi-al-Shhaʾm Idh Jīʾ Bikitāb Min Rasūl Allāh ﷺ
  15. Hiraql / ʿAẓīm al-Rūm
  16. Wakān Diḥyah al-Kalbī Jāʾ Bih Fadafaʿah
  17. ʿAẓīm Buṣrá Fadafaʿah ʿAẓīm Buṣrá
  18. Hiraql
  19. Hiraql Hal Hā Hunā Aḥad Min Qawm Hadhā al-a man al--Adhī Yazʿum
  20. Nabī
  21. Ūā Naʿam
  22. Faduʿīt Fī Nafar Min Quraysh Fadakhalnā
  23. Hiraql Faʾajlasanā Bayn Yadayh
  24. Ayyukum Aqrab Nasab Min Hadhā al-a man al--Adhī Yazʿum
  25. Nabī
  26. Abū Sufyān
  27. Faʾajlasūnī Bayn Yadayh Waʾajlasūā Aṣḥābī Khalfī Thum Daʿā Bitarjumānih
  28. Lah Qul Lahum Innī Sāʾil Hadhā
  29. al-a man al--Adhī Yazʿum
  30. Nabī Faʾin Kadhabanī Fakadhhibūh
  31. Abū Sufyān Wāym Allāh Lawlā Makhāfah
  32. Yuʾthar ʿAla al-Kadhib Lakadhabt Thum
  33. Litarjumānih Salh Kayf Ḥasabuh Fīkum
  34. Fīnā Dhū Ḥasab
  35. Fahal Kān Min Ābāʾih Malik
  36. Lā
  37. Fahal Kuntum Tattahimūnah Bi-al-Kadhib Qabl
  38. Mā
  39. Lā
  40. Waman Yattabiʿuh Ashrāf al-Nās Am Ḍuʿafāʾuhum
  41. Bal Ḍuʿafāʾuhum
  42. Ayazīdūn Am Yanquṣūn
  43. Lā Bal Yazīdūn
  44. Hal Yartad Aḥad Minhum
  45. Dīnih Baʿd
  46. Yadkhul Fīh Sakhṭah Lah
  47. Lā
  48. Fahal Qātaltumūh
  49. Naʿam
  50. Fakayf Kān Qitālukum Iyyāh
  51. Takūn al-Ḥarb Baynanā Wabaynah Sijāl Yuṣīb Minnā Wanuṣīb Minh
  52. Fahal Yaghdir
  53. Lā Wanaḥn Minh Fī Muddah Lā Nadrī Mā
  54. Ṣāniʿ Fīhā
  55. Fawālllah Mā Amkananī Min Kalimah Udkhil Fīhā Shayʾ Ghayr Hadhih
  56. Fahal
  57. Hadhā al-Qawl Aḥad Qablah
  58. Lā
  59. Litarjumānih Qul Lah Innī Saʾaltuk
  60. Ḥasabih Fazaʿamt
  61. Fīkum Dhū Ḥasab Wakadhalik al-Rusul Tubʿath Fī Aḥsāb Qawmihā Wasaʾaltuk Hal Kān Fī Ābāʾih Malik Fazaʿamt
  62. Lā
  63. Law Kān Min Ābāʾih Malik
  64. a man Yaṭlub Mulk Ābāʾih Wasaʾaltuk
  65. Atbāʿih Aḍuʿafāʾuhum Am Ashrāfuhum
  66. Bal Ḍuʿafāʾuhum Wahum Atbāʿ al-Rusul Wasaʾaltuk Hal Kuntum Tattahimūnah Bi-al-Kadhib Qabl
  67. Mā
  68. Fazaʿamt
  69. Lā Faqad ʿAraft
  70. Lam Yakun Liyadaʿ al-Kadhib
  71. al-Nās Thum Yadhhab Fayakdhib
  72. Allāh Wasaʾaltuk Hal Yartad Aḥad Minhum
  73. Dīnih Baʿd
  74. Yadkhulah Sakhṭah Lah Fazaʿamt
  75. Lā Wakadhalik al-Īmān Idhā Khālaṭ Bashāshah al-Qulūb Wasaʾaltuk Hal Yazīdūn Aw Yanquṣūn Fazaʿamt Annahum Yazīdūn Wakadhalik al-Īmān Ḥattá Yatim Wasaʾaltuk Hal Qātaltumūh Fazaʿamt Annakum Qad Qātaltumūh Fatakūn al-Ḥarb Baynakum Wabaynah Sijāl Yanāl Minkum Watanālūn Minh Wakadhalik al-Rusul Tubtalá Thum Takūn Lahum al-ʿĀqibah Wasaʾaltuk Hal Yaghdir Fazaʿamt
  76. Lā Yaghdir Wakadhalik al-Rusul Lā Taghdir Wasaʾaltuk Hal
  77. Hadhā al-Qawl Aḥad Qablah Fazaʿamt
  78. Lā
  79. Law
  80. Hadhā al-Qawl Aḥad Qablah
  81. a man Āʾtam Biqawl Qīl Qablah
  82. Thum
  83. Bim Yaʾmur Kum

I went out (on a mercantile venture) during the period (of truce) between me and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. While I was in Syria, the letter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was handed over to Hiraql (Ceasar), the Emperor of Rome (who was on a visit to Jerusalem at that time). The letter was brought by Dihya Kalbi who delivered it to the governor of Busra The governor passed it on to Hiraql, (On receiving the letter), he said: Is there anyone from the people of this man who thinks that he is a prophet? People said: Yes. So, I was called along with a few others from the Quraish. We were admitted to Hiraql and he seated us before him. He asked: Which of you has closer kinship with the man who thinks that he is a prophet? Abu Sufyan said: I. So they seated me in front of him and stated my companions behind me. Then, he called his interpreter and said to him: Tell them that I am going to ask this fellow (i. e. Abu Sufyan) about the man who thinks that he is a prophet. If he tells me a lie, then refute him. Abu Sufyan told (the narrator): By God, if there was not the fear that falsehood would be imputed to me I would have lied. <ol><li>(Then) Hiraql said to his interpreter: Inquire from him about his ancestry, I said: He is of good ancestry among us. He asked: Has there been a king among his ancestors? I said: No.</li><li>He asked: Did you accuse him of falsehood before he proclaimed his prophethood? I said: No.</li><li>He asked: Who are his followers people of high status or low status? I said: (They are) of low status.</li><li>He asked: Are they increasing in number or decreasing? I said. No. they are rather increasing.</li><li>He asked: Does anyone give up his religion, being dissatisfied with it, after having embraced it? I said: No.</li><li>He asked: Have you been at war with him? I said: Yes.</li><li>He asked: How did you fare in that war? I said: The war between us and him has been wavering like a bucket, up at one turn and down at the other (i. e. the victory has been shared between us and him by turns). Sometimes he suffered loss at our hands and sometimes we suffered loss at his (hand).</li><li>He asked: Has he (ever) violated his covenant? I said: No. but we have recently concluded a peace treaty with him for a period and we do not know what he is going to do about it. (Abu Sufyan said on oath that he could not interpolate in this dialogue anything from himself more than these words )</li><li>He asked: Did anyone make the proclamation (of prophethood) before him? I said: No.</li></ol> He (now) said to his interpreter: <ol><li>Tell him, I asked him about his ancestry and he had replied that he had the best ancestry. This is the case with Prophets; they are the descendants of the noblest among their people (Addressing Abu Sufyan),</li><li>he continued: I asked you if there had been a king among his ancestors. You said that there had been none. If there had been a king among his ancestors, I would have said that he was a man demanding his ancestral kingdom.</li><li>I asked you about his followers and whether they were people of high or low status, and you said that they were of rather low status. Such are the followers of the Prophets.</li><li>I asked you whether you used to accuse him of falsehood before he proclaimed his prophethood, and you said that you did not. So I have understood that when he did not allow himself to tell a lie about the poeple, he would never go to the length of forging a falsehood about Allah.</li><li>I asked you whether anyone renounced his religion after being dissatisfied with it after he had embraced it, and you replied in the negative. Faith is like this when it enters the depth of the heart (it perpetuates them).</li><li>I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You said they were increasing. Faith is like this until it reaches its consummation.</li><li>I asked you whether you had been at war with him, and you replied that you had been and that the victory between you and him had been shared by turns, sometimes he suffering loss at your hand and sometimes you suffering lost at his. This is how the Prophets are tried before the final victory its theirs.</li><li>I asked you whether he (ever) violated his covenant, and you said that he did not. This is how the Prophets behave. They never violate (their covenants).</li><li>I asked you whether anyone before him had proclaimed the same thing, and you replied in the negative. I said: If anyone had made the same proclamation before, I would have thought that he was a man following what had been proclaimed before.</li></ol> (Then) he asked: What does he enjoin upon you? I said: He exhorts us to offer Salat, to pay Zakat, to show due regard to kinship and to practice chastity. He said: It what you have told about him is true, he is certainly a Prophet. I knew that he was to appear but I did not think that he would be from among you. If I knew that I would be able to reach him. I would love to meet him; and if I had been with him I would have washed his feet (out of reverence). His dominion would certainly extend to this place which is under my feet. Then he called for the letter of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and read it. The letter ran as follows:" In the name of Allah, Most Gracious and Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Hiraql, the Emperor of the Romans. Peace be upon him who follows the guidance. After this, I extend to you the invitation to accept Islam. Embrace Islam and you will be safe. Accept Islam, God will give you double the reward. And if you turn away, upon you will be the sin of your subjects." O People of the Book, come to the word that is common between us that we should worship none other than Allah, should not ascribe any partner to Him and some of us should not take their fellows as Lords other than Allah. If they turn away, you should say that we testify to our being Muslims [iii. 64]." When he hid finished the reading of the letter, noise and confused clamour was raise around him, and he ordered us to leave. Accordingly, we left. (Addressing my companions) while we were coming out (of the place). I said: Ibn Abu Kabsha (referring sarcastically to the Holy Prophet) has come to wield great power. Lo! (even) the king of the Romans is afraid of him. I continued to believe that the authority of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would triumph until God imbued me with (the spirit of) Islam.

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Narrators

  1. إسحاق بن راهويه المروزي
  2. محمد بن أبي عمر العدني
  3. محمد بن رافع القشيري
  4. عبد بن حميد الكشي
  5. عبد الرزاق بن همام الحميري
  6. معمر بن أبي عمرو الأزدي
  7. محمد بن شهاب الزهري
  8. عبيد الله بن عبد الله الهذلي
  9. عبد الله بن العباس القرشي
  10. أبو سفيان بن حرب القرشي

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Mishkat al-Masabih 5861b