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Abu Sufyan and Heraclius
Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Abbaas narrates that Hadhrat Abu Sufyaan told him that he went to Shaam with a trade caravan of the Quraysh during the period when Rasulullaah (Muhammad) had extended a peace treaty to Abu Sufyaan and the Kuffaar (non-believers) of the Quraysh. When they were at a place called Ilyia (Baytul Maqdas / Jerusalem) when Heraclius summoned them. When they appeared in his court in the presence of the Roman ministers, Heraclius called for an interpreter.

Heraclius then asked, "Which of you is closest in lineage to the person who claims to be a prophet?"

Abu Sufyaan replied, "I am closest to him in lineage."

Heraclius then ordered that Abu Sufyaan be brought close to him while the others should be made to sit behind him. He then addressed the others through the interpreter saying, "I shall ask this man about that person (Muhammad, Rasulullaah).Point out his lies if he lies to me."

Abu Sufyaan thought to himself, "By Allaah! I would have certainly lied had I not feared being called a liar."

The first question Heraclius posed was: "How is his lineage amongst you?"

"He is of extremely high lineage amongst us," was the reply.

Heraclius asked further, "Has anyone from amongst you made such a claim before?"

When Abu Sufyaan replied in the negative, the next question was, "Were there any kings amongst his forefathers?"

"No," replied Abu Sufyaan.

"Is it the nobles among people who follow him or the weak ones?"

Abu Sufyaan replied, "The weak ones."

"Are his followers increasing or decreasing?" Heraclius asked.

"They are increasing," replied Abu Sufyaan.

Heraclius then asked, "Have any of them turned back to their religion out of displeasure for his religion after entering it?"

When Abu Sufyaan replied in the negative, the next question was,

"Have any of you accused him of lying before he made his claim?"

"No," came the reply.

"And has he ever broken a treaty?" came the question.

"No," replied Abu Sufyaan, "But we are presently bound by a treaty with him and do not know what he will do."

Abu Sufyaan says, "Besides this, there was nothing else I could add."

Heraclius continued, "Have you ever fought against him?"

"Yes," replied Abu Sufyaan.

"Then how did you fare?" the emperor asked.

Abu Sufyaan said, "Wars are like the bucket of a well between us. Sometimes he defeats us and sometimes we defeat him."

Heraclius asked, "What does he command you to do?"

"He commands us to worship the One Allaah without ascribing partners to Him and to forsake what our forefathers said. He also commands us to perform salaah, to be truthful, to remain chaste and to join family ties."

Heraclius then instructed the interpreter saying, "Tell him that when I asked about his (Muhammad's) lineage, he maintained that he is of extremely high lineage. Such are the prophets who are of high birth. Then I asked you if anyone had made such a claim (of prophethood) before him and you replied in the negative. Had anyone made such a claim before him, I would have said that he is a man aping what was said before him. You again replied in the negative when I asked whether. any of his forefathers were kings. Had there been kings amongst his forefathers, I would have said that he is a man seeking the kingdom of his father. Then I asked you whether any of you had ever accused him of lying before and you said that none had done so. I do realise that it is impossible for a person to abstain from lying about people and then lie about Allaah. I then asked you whether it is the nobles among people who follow him or the weak and you replied that they were the weak ones. These havp. always been the followers of the prophets. I also asked you whether his followers are increasing or decreasing and you said that they were increaing. Such is the case with Imaan (faith) until it is completed. Thereafter I asked you whether anyone had returned to his former religion out of displeasure after entering into his religion and you informed me that none had done so. Such is the condition of Imaan (faith) when it penetrates the depths of the heart. When I asked you whether he ever broke a treaty, you said that he had not. Such are the prophets. They never break their pledges. I then asked you what he cornminded and you said that he commanded you to worship the One Allaah without ascribing partners to Him, that he forbade you from worshipping idols and that he commanded you to perform salaah, to speak the truth and to remain chaste. If whatever you say is true then he shall seize control of the ground I stand on. Although I was expecting his appearance, I had no idea that he would appear among you people. If I knew that I could reach him, I would have burdened myself to do so and had I been in his presence, I would have washed his feet."

He then called for the letter that Muhammad sent with Dihya to the chief of Busra, which the chief of Busra has subsequently forwarded to Heraclius.

Abu Sufyaan narrates further, "After Heraclius had spoken and read the letter, there was a lot of noise about and people started speaking at the top of their voices. It was then that they.kent us out. When we were sent out, I said to one of my companions, 'The affair of Ibn Abi Kabsha (Muhammad) has grown so powerful that even the king of the yellow skins (the Romans) have begun to fear him.' Thereafter, I remained convinced that Rasulullaah (Prophet of Allah) would dominate until Allaah blessed me with Islaam."

A person by the name of Ibn Naatoor was the governor of Ilyia, a good friend of Heraclius and the high priest of the Christians in Shaam (Syria, Lebanon, Palestine). He narrates that once when Heraclius was visiting Ilyia (Baytul Maqdas) when he appeared extremely unwell and restless one morning. In fact, some of his pastors even told him that he did not seem himself. Heraclius was an astrologer and could read the stars so when they asked him (about the reason for his ill disposition) he said to them, 'When I gazed into the stars, I saw that the king of the circumcised people had made his appearance. Which nation practices circumcision?" They told him, "It is only the Jews who practise circumcision, but you have nothing to fear from them. Simply circulate a command throughout your kingdom calling for all Jews to be killed."

They were still busy discussing this when an envoy arrived from the governor of Ghassaan, informing them about Rasulullaah (Prophet of Allah). When Heraclius had questioned the envoy, he instructed the pastors to investigate whether the envoy was circumcised. When they determined that he had been circumcised, he was asked whether the Arabs practiced circumcision. When he informed them that circumcision was customary amongst the Arabs, Heraclius said, "It is the king of this nation who has made his appearance." Heraclius then wrote a letter to a friend in Rome who was also an expert in astrology as he was. He then left for Hims. He had not yet reached Hims when a reply came from his friend which corresponded with the opinion of Heraclius that Rasulullaah (Prophet of Allah) had made his appearance and that he was a Nabi (Prophet).

Heraclius then invited the leading people of Rome to his castle in Hims and had all the doors locked. He then made an appearance and addressed them saying, "O leaders of the Roman people! Do you want to achieve success, good fortune and keep your kingdom? Simply follow this Nabi (Prophet)." When they heaid this, everyone present started to flee like wild camels and headed for the doors, which they found locked. When Heraclius noticed their derision and lost hope in their accepting Imaan, he instructed his men to bring everyone back. He then said to them, "I told you this only to test your steadfastness in adhering to your religion. I have now witnessed it." They all prostrated before him and were satisfied with him. This was the final stand of Heraclius (he never accepted Islam) .

Imaam Bukhari has narrates this incident in several places in his Saheeh Al Bukhari in different words. The other authors of the six most authentic Hadith compilations with the exception of Ibn Majah have also reported this narration from Zuhri 'ZiW&lW who in turn narrates from Abaydullaah bin Abdullaah bin Utba bin Mas'ood from Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Abbaas - Al Bidaaya wan Nihaaya (Vo1.4 p.266). Ibn Is'haaq has also narrated from Zuhri as mentioned in Al Bidaaya wan Nihaaya (Vo1.4 p.262). Also narrating from Zuhri are Abu Nu'aym in Dalaa'l (p.119) and Bayhaqi (Vo1.9 p.178).