English translation
2941. Ibn Abbas added: At that time Abū Sufyān bin Ḥarb was in Sham with some men from Quraish who had come (to Sham) as merchants during the truce that had been concluded between Allāh's Messenger ﷺ and
the infidels of Quraish. Abū Sufyān said, "Caesar's messenger found us somewhere in Sham, so he took me and my companions to Ilyā and we were admitted into Caesar's court to find him sitting in his royal court wearing a crown and surrounded by the senior dignitaries of the Byzantines. He said to his translator, 'Ask them who amongst them is closely related to the man who claims to be a Prophet.'" Abū Sufyān added, "I replied, 'I am the nearest relative to him.' He asked, 'What degree of relationship do you have with him?' I replied, 'He is my cousin,' and there was none of Banī 'Abd Manāf in the caravan except myself. Caesar said, 'Let him come nearer.' He then ordered that my companions stand behind me, near my shoulder and said to his translator, 'Tell his companions that I am going to ask this man about the man who claims to be a Prophet. If he tells a lie, they should contradict him immediately.'" Abū Sufyān added, "By Allāh! Had it not been shameful that my companions label me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about him (i.e., the Prophet ﷺ) when he asked me. But I considered it shameful to be called a liar by my companions. So, I told the truth. He then said to his translator, 'Ask him what is that man's family status among you?' I replied, 'He belongs to a noble family amongst us.' He said, 'Have anybody else amongst you ever claimed the same before him?' I replied, 'No'. He said, 'Had you ever blamed him for telling lies before he claimed what he claimed?' I replied, 'No.' He said, 'Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?' I replied, 'No.' He said, 'Do the noble or the poor follow him?' I replied, 'It is the poor who follow him.' He said, 'Are they increasing or decreasing (day by day)?' I replied, 'They are increasing.' He said,
'Does anybody amongst those who embrace his (the Prophet's) religion become displeased and then discard his religion?' I replied, 'No.' He said, 'Does he ever betray or prove treacherous to his covenants?' I replied, 'No, but we are now at truce with him, and we are afraid that he may betray us.'" Abū Sufyān added, "Other than the last sentence, I could not say anything against him. Caesar then asked, 'Have you ever had a battle with him?' I replied, 'Yes.' He said, 'What was the outcome of your battles with him?' I replied, 'The result was undecided; the victory is shared by us in turns.' He said, 'What does he order you to do?' I said, 'He tells us to worship Allāh Alone, and not to worship others along with Him, and to leave all that our forefathers used to worship. He orders us to offer Salāt (prayer), give in charity, be chaste, keep promises and return what is entrusted to us.' When I had said that, Caesar said to his translator, 'Say to him: I ask you about his lineage and your reply was that he belonged to a noble family. In fact, all the Messengers came from the noblest lineage of their nations. Then I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you had 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 a claim that had been said before him. When I asked you whether he was ever blamed for telling lies, your reply was in the negative, so I took it for granted that a person who did not tell a lie about (others) the people, could never tell a lie about Allāh. Then I asked you whether any 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 take back his ancestral kingdom. When I asked you whether the
rich or the poor people followed him, you replied that it was the poor who followed him. In fact, such are the followers of the Messengers. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing. In fact, this is the result of True Faith till it is complete (in all respects). I asked you whether there was anybody who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded his religion; your reply was in the negative. In fact, this is the sign of True Faith, for when its cheerfulness enters and mixes in the hearts completely, nobody will be displeased with it. I asked you whether he had ever betrayed or proved treacherous to his covenants; you replied in the negative. And such are the Messengers; they never betray or prove treacherous to their covenants. When I asked you whether you fought with him and he fought with you, you replied that he did, and that sometimes he was victorious and sometimes you. Indeed, such are the Messengers; they are put to trials and the final victory is always theirs. Then I asked you what he ordered you. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allāh Alone, and not to worship others along with Him, to leave all that your forefathers used to worship, to offer Ṣalāt (prayer), to speak the truth, to be chaste, to be faithful to one's covenants and to return what is entrusted to you. These are really the qualities of a Prophet who, I knew (from the previous Scriptures) would appear, but I did not know that he would be from amongst you. If what you say is true, he will very soon occupy the earth under my feet, and if I knew that I would reach him, definitely, I would go immediately to meet him; and were I with him, then I would certainly wash his feet.' Abū Sufyān added, "Caesar then asked for the letter of Allāh's
Messenger ﷺ and it was read. Its contents were :
In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. (This letter is) from Muḥammad, the slave of Allāh, and His Messenger, to Heraclius, the ruler of the Byzantines. Peace be upon him, who follows the (true) guidance. Now then, I invite you to Islām (i.e., surrender to Allāh), embrace Islām and you will be safe; embrace Islām and Allāh will bestow on you a double reward. But if you reject this invitation of Islām, you shall be responsible for misguiding the peasants (i.e., your nation). 'O people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians)! Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allāh, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allāh. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims.'" (V.3:64)
Abū Sufyān added, "When Heraclius had finished his speech, there was a great hue and cry caused by the Byzantine royalities surrounding him, and there was so much noise that I did not understand what they said. So, we were turned out of the court. When I went out with my companions and we were alone, I said to them, 'Verily, Ibn Abī Kabsha's (i.e., the Prophet's)(1) affair has become so prominent that even the king of Banī Al-Aṣfar (Byzantines) is afraid of him.'" Abū Sufyān added, "By Allāh, I remained in a state of humility and was sure that his religion would be victorious till Allāh opened my heart for Islām, though I disliked it (i.e., embraced Islām)."
