Al-Adab Al-Mufrad
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1109
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ أَخْبَرَهُ، أَنَّ أَبَا سُفْيَانَ بْنَ حَرْبٍ أَخْبَرَهُ: أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ هِرَقْلُ مَلِكُ الرُّومِ، ثُمَّ دَعَا بِكِتَابِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الَّذِي أُرْسِلَ بِهِ مَعَ دِحْيَةَ الْكَلْبِيِّ إِلَى عَظِيمِ بُصْرَى، فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَيَّ هِرَقْلُ فَقَرَأَهُ، فَإِذَا فِيهِ: بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِ اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ عَظِيمِ الرُّومِ، سَلاَّمٌ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى، أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ بِدِعَايَةِ الإِسْلاَمِ، أَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ، يُؤْتِكَ اللَّهُ أَجْرَكَ مَرَّتَيْنِ، فَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ فَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ إِثْمَ الأَرِيسِيِّينَ وَ {يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ} إِلَى قَوْلِهِ: {اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ}.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abdullah ibn Abbas reported that Abu Sufyan ibn Harb told him: Heraclius, the king of the Romans, sent for him. Then Heraclius called for the letter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that had been sent with Dihya al-Kalbi to the ruler of Busra. Heraclius handed it to me, and I read it. It said: “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the servant of Allah and His Messenger, to Heraclius, ruler of the Romans. Peace be upon whoever follows guidance. To proceed: I call you with the call of Islam. Submit and you will be safe; Allah will give you your reward twice over. If you turn away, then the sin of the Arisiyyin will be upon you. ‘O People of the Book, come to a common word between us and you’”—up to His words—“‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’”
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic says Heraclius sent for Abu Sufyan; it does not say Abu Sufyan was sent to Heraclius. The title Arisiyyin is retained because its precise referent is debated; it may refer to subjects or peasants.
أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ هِرَقْلُ
The Arabic says Heraclius sent for Abu Sufyan, not that Abu Sufyan was sent to Heraclius.
Should the direction of the summons be corrected?
تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ
The quoted passage is Qur’an 3:64, not 3:54.
Should the verse reference be corrected to 3:64?