22 January 2012

Letter to Heraclius

Seerah of Muhammed**: May the Peace, Blessings and Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an

The Prophet*’s Letter to Heraclius

The letter was delivered by Dihya to the Governor of Busra (Al-Harith Al-Ghassani), who then forwarded it to Heraclius. The Prophet* sent him with the letter to Heraclius towards the end of the 6th year after the Hijrah. Dihya reached Heraclius in the month of Al-Muharram in the beginning of the year 7 H. Busra was a city between Al-Medina and Damascus (not the present day Basra in Iraq). Al-Harith bin Shamir Al-Ghassani, the governor of Busra, forwarded the letter to Heraclius. It is recorded in the Musnad of Al-Bazzar that Dihya handed the letter to Heraclius himself.

The letter said: “In the name of Allah, the entirely merciful, the especially merciful From Muhammad….” The majority of scholars say that it is the sunnah to start a letter with one’s own name as the Prophet* did here. It is also narrated that when Heraclius was presented with the letter, his nephew was also present. This nephew mocked the letter when he heard it and said, “Don’t read it, because he started the letter with his own name,” but Heraclius emphatically rejected this suggestion.

The letter said: “To Heraclius, the ruler of the Romans”. The Prophet* avoided addressing him as “King,” because Islamic law essentially deposes him from his rule. However, he did not deprive him of all respect, in order to soften his heart to Islam. In some narrations, it is mentioned that Heraclius’ nephew objected to the Prophet* not addressing Heraclius as “The King of the Romans.”

The letter said: “Peace be upon him, who follows the guidance (to the right path)”. This is similar to the words of Allah regarding Musa and Haroon amid (what took place with) Fur’awn (Pharaoh) in the Qur’an: “…indeed, we have come with a sign from your Lord! And peace will be upon him who follows the guidance! (Ta-Ha 20:47)”. If it is asked, how a disbeliever can be greeted with the Islamic greeting of salaam, the answer is that the correct meaning of Peace here is salvation from the punishment of Allah upon whomsoever submits (to correct guidance).” That is why the verse above is immediately followed by: “’Truly, it has been revealed to us that the torment will be for him who denies [believes not in Islam], and turns away (from the truth and obedience of Allah)” (Ta-Ha 20:48)” The meaning is clarified in a later part of the letter, “if you reject this (invitation of Islam) you will also carry the sin (of misguiding your) subjects.” And since Heraclius did not “follow the guidance (to the right path),” he has no peace from the torment of Allah.

The letter said: “I invite you to Islam. Embrace Islam and you will be safe; Allah will double your reward, I invite you to testify that there is no deity worthy of being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet*” . In the narration recorded by Muslim, “I invite you with the call to Islam.” Meaning with the word that identifies with Islam, which is bearing witness that there is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

In the Book of Jihad in Sahih Al-Bukhari, the author has narrated that the letter said: “Embrace Islam, embrace Islam; your reward will be doubled.” The command to embrace Islam was repeated possibly for emphasis, or the first was a command to enter Islam and the second to remain steadfast, as Allah said in the Qur’an, “O you who believe! Believe in Allah, and His Messenger….” (4:136).

The letter said: “Allah will double your reward”. This is in accordance with what Allah said in the Qur’an “Those to whom We gave the Scripture before it, – they believe in it (the Qur’an). And when it is recited to them, they say: “We believe in it. Verily, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed even before it we have been from those who submit themselves to Allah in Islam as Muslims. These will be given their reward twice over, because they are patient, and repel evil with good, and spend (in charity) out of what we have provided them.” (Al-Qisas 28:52-54). He would receive a double reward either due to the fact that he already believed in his own Prophet (Jesus) and would go on to believe in the Prophet Muhammad*, or he would receive a double reward for becoming a Muslim and leading his subjects to Islam.

The letter said: “…and if you reject this (invitation of Islam) you will carry the sin of (misguiding your) subjects”. In the original Arabic the word used is ‘upon you would be the sin of the peasants, but as the scholars pointed out, ‘peasants’ here is an expression used to mean ‘subjects of the kingdom’ or ‘the weak, who follow those higher in status and power’. This means that ‘you will carry along with your sin, the sin of the subjects’. This does not contradict the words of Allah, “and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another”; Because the burden of one person will not be carried by another person, however the one who not only does evil but causes others to follow him in that evil carries two parts of the burden. One for the sinful act itself and the other for causing others to sin as well.

The letter said: “And (Allah said in the Qur’an): ‘O people of the scripture! Come to a word common to you and us that we worship none but Allah and that we associate nothing in worship with Him, and that none of us shall take others as Lords beside Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who have surrendered to Allah).’ (3:64).

Abu Sufyan meets the King

‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas informed that Abu Sufyan bin Harb informed him that Heraclius had sent for him while he was in a camel-caravan (from Quraish). They were merchants doing business in Al-Sham (area comprising preset-day Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan), at the time when Allah’s Prophet* had a truce with Abu Sufyan and the infidels of Quraish. So they went to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court and he had Roman governors around him. Then he called for them and his translator (translating Heraclius’ questions) said: “Whom amongst you is the most closely related to this man who claims to be a Prophet*?”

Abu Sufyan replied, “I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the group).”

Heraclius said, “Bring him (Abu Sufyan) close to me and let his companions come forward and make them stand behind his back.” He then told his translator, “Tell them (Abu Sufyan’s companions) that I will ask him (Abu Sufyan) about this man (the Prophet*) so if he lies to me deny what he says.” Abu Sufyan added, “By Allah! Had I not been afraid of my companions exposing my lies, I would have lied about him. The first question he asked me was:

‘What is his family status amongst you?’

I replied, ‘He belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us.’

Heraclius further asked: ‘Has anybody amongst you ever claimed the same (i.e. to be a Prophet*) before him?’

I replied, ‘No.’

He said, ‘Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?’

I replied, ‘No.’

Heraclius asked, ‘Do the nobles or the weak (and poor) follow him?’

I replied, ‘It is the weak who follow him.’

He said, ‘Are his followers increasing or decreasing?’

I replied, ‘They are increasing.’

He then asked, ‘Does anybody amongst those who embrace his religion become displeased with the religion and renounce it?’

I replied, ‘No.’

Heraclius said, ‘Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim (to be a Prophet*)?’

I replied, ‘No. ‘

Heraclius said, ‘Does he betray (break his promises)?’

I replied, ‘No. We are in a truce with him but we do not know what he will do in it.’ I could not find opportunity to insert anything (against the Prophet*) except that.

Heraclius asked, ‘Have you ever had a war with him?’

I replied, ‘Yes.’

Then he said, ‘What was the outcome of the battles?’

I replied, ‘Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we.’

Heraclius said, ‘What does he order you to do?’

I said, ‘He tells us to worship Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to speak the truth, to be chaste and to keep up the ties with our relatives.’

Heraclius said to his translator: “Tell him, I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to a very noble family. In fact all the Prophet*s come from noble families amongst their respective peoples.

I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing, your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following the previous man’s statement.

Then I asked you whether anyone 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.

I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he said, and your reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others could ever tell a lie about Allah.

I then asked you whether the noble people followed him or the weak. You replied that it was the weak who followed him. And in fact all the Prophet*s have been followed by this very class of people.

Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing, and in fact such is the way of true faith, until it is complete in all respects.

I further asked you whether there was anybody who, after embracing his religion, became displeased with his religion and discarded his religion. Your reply was in the negative, and in fact this is (the sign of) true faith, when its delight enters the heart and mixes with it completely.

I asked you whether he had ever betrayed. You replied in the negative and likewise the Apostles never betray.

Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him and forbade you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth and to be chaste.

If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew (from the scriptures) that he was going to appear but I did not expect that he would be from you (your people), and if I knew I could reach him, I would go out of my way to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his feet.’

Heraclius responds

Heraclius then asked for the letter sent by Allah’s Prophet* which was delivered by Dihya to the Governor of Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius. He read the letter, which said: (In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful).

Abu Sufyan then added, “When Heraclius had finished his speech and had read the letter, there was a great hue and cry (in the Royal Court) and people raised their voices and we were turned out of the court.

Then I told my companions: “The matter of Ibn Abi Kabsha (the Prophet*) has become so great that even the King of Sons of Yellow (i.e. Romans) is afraid of him”. Then I remained sure that he (the Prophet*) would be the conqueror in the near future until I embraced Islam (i.e. Allah guided me to it).”

(The sub narrator Al-Zuhri adds) “And Ibn An-Natuur – the Governor of llya’ (Jerusalem) and a friend of Heraclius- was the head of the Christians of Al-Sham. Ibn An-Natuur said that once while Heraclius was visiting ilya’ (Jerusalem), he got up in the morning with a sad mood. Some of the dignitaries of the Roman state asked him why he was in that mood? Heraclius was a foreteller and an astrologer. He replied, ‘At night when I looked at the stars, I saw that the King of those who practice circumcision has become the conqueror. Who are they who practice circumcision?’ The people replied, ‘Except the Jews nobody practices circumcision and you should not worry about them (the Jews). Just issue orders to kill every Jew present in the country.’ While they were discussing it, a messenger sent by the king of Ghassan to convey the news of Allah’s Prophet* to Heraclius was brought in. After having questioned this messenger, he (Heraclius) ordered his men to go and see whether the messenger of Ghassan was circumcised. The people, after seeing him, told Heraclius that he was circumcised. Heraclius then asked him about the Arabs. The messenger replied, ‘Arabs also practice circumcision.’ (After hearing that) Heraclius remarked that, “The kingdom of these people has appeared”. Heraclius then wrote a letter to his friend in Rome who was as strong as Heraclius in knowledge. Heraclius then left for Hims (a city in Syria) and stayed there until he received the reply to his letter from his friend who agreed with his opinion about the emergence of the Prophet* and the fact that it was Muhammad*. On that Heraclius invited all the heads of the Romans to assemble in his palace at Hims. When they assembled, he ordered that all the doors of his palace be closed. Then he came out and said, ‘O Romans! If success is your desire and if you seek right guidance and want your empire to remain then give a pledge of allegiance to this Prophet* (i.e. embrace Islam).’ (Upon hearing the views of Heraclius) the people ran towards the gates of the palace like wild donkeys but found the doors closed. Heraclius realized their hatred towards Islam and when he lost the hope of their embracing Islam, he ordered that they should be brought back in his audience. (When they returned) he said, ‘What I said just now was only to test your steadfastness upon your religion, and I have seen it.’ The people prostrated before him and became pleased with him, and this was the end of Heraclius’s story (in connection with his being called to Islam).

ompanions prayed over him and buried him, and made a mosque at the place of his burial; then they went to join the Prophet* in Medina.'

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Celebration of 5 years of the Study Circle

By the Grace and Permission of Allah, this Study Circle has been going strong for the past 5 years. Thanks to all the people involved and make du'a that it continues and the learning grows.
All the Good is from Allah and any mistakes are mine alone.

The participants were requested to think about things that they wanted to cover in future Study Circles...