Heraclius

"Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas: Abu Sufyan bin Harb informed me that Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan from Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Sham (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan), at the time when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had truce with Abu Sufyan and Quraish infidels. So Abu Sufyan and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him. He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius's question said to them, \"Who amongst you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?\" Abu Sufyan replied, \"I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the group).\"\n\nHeraclius asked Abu Sufyan about the Prophet's family status, whether anyone had claimed prophethood before him, whether any ancestor had been a king, whether nobles or poor people followed him, whether his followers were increasing, whether anyone left his religion after embracing it, whether he had been accused of lying before his claim, whether he broke his promises, the outcome of battles, and what he ordered his people to do. Abu Sufyan replied that he belonged to a noble family, that no one before him had made the same claim, that none of his ancestors had been a king, that the poor followed him, that his followers were increasing, that no one had renounced the religion, that he had not been accused of lying, and that he did not break promises. He said that the Prophet ordered them to worship Allah alone, not associate anything with Him, renounce what their ancestors had said, pray, speak the truth, be chaste, and keep good relations with their relatives.\n\nHeraclius said that all the Apostles came from noble families, that increasing followers was the way of true faith, and that the Apostles never betrayed. He said that if what Abu Sufyan had said was true, the Prophet would soon occupy the place beneath his feet, and that he knew from the scriptures that he was going to appear but did not know that he would be from them. He said that if he could reach him, he would go immediately to meet him, and if he were with him, he would certainly wash his feet.\n\nHeraclius then asked for the letter addressed by Allah's Apostle, which was delivered by Dihya to the Governor of Busra and forwarded to Heraclius. The letter stated: \"In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful. This letter is from Muhammad the slave of Allah and His Apostle to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon him, who follows the right path. Furthermore I invite you to Islam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allah will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam you will be committing a sin of Arisiyin (tillers, farmers i.e. your people).\" It also invited the People of the Scripture to a word common to them and the Muslims: that they worship none but Allah, associate nothing with Him in worship, and do not take others as Lords beside Allah.\n\nWhen Heraclius finished his speech and read the letter, there was a great hue and cry in the Royal Court, and Abu Sufyan and his companions were turned out. Later, Heraclius investigated reports about the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), including the sign of circumcision, and recognized that sovereignty of the Arabs had appeared. He wrote to a knowledgeable friend in Rome, who agreed with him about the emergence of the Prophet and the fact that he was a Prophet. Heraclius then invited the heads of the Byzantines to assemble in his palace at Homs and urged them to give a pledge of allegiance to the Prophet and embrace Islam. When they ran toward the closed gates, Heraclius realized their hatred toward Islam and told them that what he had said was only a test."