Sahih al-Bukhari 7

Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.

Abu al-Yaman al-Hakam ibn Nafi narrated to us. He said: Shu'ayb informed us, from al-Zuhri, who said: Ubaydullah ibn Abdullah ibn Utba ibn Mas'ud informed me that Abdullah ibn Abbas told him that Abu Sufyan ibn Harb told him: Heraclius sent for him while he was with a caravan of Quraysh—who were merchants in al-Sham—during the period in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had made a truce with Abu Sufyan and the unbelievers of Quraysh. They came to Heraclius while he was in Ilya. He summoned them to his court, with the leading Romans around him. Then he summoned them and called for his interpreter. He said: ‘Which of you is closest in kinship to this man who claims that he is a prophet?’ Abu Sufyan said: ‘I am the closest of them to him in kinship.’ He said: ‘Bring him near me, and bring his companions close, placing them behind him.’ Then he said to his interpreter: ‘Tell them: I am going to question this man about that man. If he lies to me, contradict him.’ By Allah, had I not been ashamed that they would report a lie from me, I would have lied about him. The first thing he asked me about him was: ‘What is his lineage among you?’ I said: ‘He is of noble lineage among us.’ He asked: ‘Has anyone among you ever made this claim before him?’ I said: ‘No.’ He asked: ‘Was any of his forefathers a king?’ I said: ‘No.’ He asked: ‘Do the noble people follow him, or the weak among them?’ I said: ‘Rather, the weak among them.’ He asked: ‘Are they increasing or decreasing?’ I said: ‘Rather, they are increasing.’ He asked: ‘Does anyone among them turn away from his religion in resentment after entering it?’ I said: ‘No.’ He asked: ‘Did you accuse him of lying before he made this claim?’ I said: ‘No.’ He asked: ‘Does he betray?’ I said: ‘No. We have a truce with him, and we do not know what he will do during it.’ I could find no opening to insert anything against him except that remark. He asked: ‘Have you fought him?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ He asked: ‘How has your fighting against him gone?’ I said: ‘The war between us and him alternates: he has the better of us at times, and we have the better of him at times.’ He asked: ‘What does he command you?’ I said: ‘He says: Worship Allah alone and do not associate anything with Him; abandon what your fathers say; and he commands us to pray, to speak truthfully, to be chaste, and to maintain ties.’

He then said to his interpreter: ‘Tell him: I asked you about his lineage, and you said that he is of noble lineage among you. Such is the case with messengers: they are sent from among the noble lineage of their people. I asked you whether anyone among you had made this claim before him, and you said no. I said: Had someone made this claim before him, I would have said that this is a man following a statement made before him. I asked you whether any of his forefathers had been a king, and you said no. Had one of his forefathers been a king, I would have said that this is a man seeking his father's kingdom. I asked you whether you had accused him of lying before he made this claim, and you said no. I know that he would not refrain from lying about people only to lie about Allah. I asked you whether the nobles followed him or the weak among them, and you said that the weak followed him. They are the followers of the messengers. I asked you whether they were increasing or decreasing, and you said that they were increasing. Such is the matter of faith: it continues until it is complete. I asked you whether anyone turns away from his religion in resentment after entering it, and you said no. Such is faith when its delight mingles with hearts. I asked you whether he betrays, and you said no. Such is the case with messengers: they do not betray. I asked you what he commands you, and you said that he commands you to worship Allah and not associate anything with Him, forbids you to worship idols, and commands you to pray, speak truthfully, and be chaste. If what you say is true, he will soon possess the ground beneath these two feet of mine. I already knew that he would emerge, but I did not think that he would be from among you. If I knew that I could reach him, I would take on the hardship of meeting him. If I were with him, I would wash his feet.’

He then called for the letter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), which Dihya had carried to the ruler of Busra, who passed it on to Heraclius. He read it, and it said: ‘In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the servant of Allah and His Messenger, to Heraclius, the ruler of the Romans. Peace be upon whoever follows guidance. To proceed: I call you with the call of Islam. Become Muslim and you will be safe; Allah will grant you your reward twice over. If you turn away, then upon you is the sin of the Arisiyyin. “O People of the Book, come to a word common between us and you: that we worship none but Allah and associate nothing with Him, and that none of us take others as lords besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims.”’ Abu Sufyan said: When Heraclius had said what he said and finished reading the letter, there was much commotion around him and voices rose. We were taken out. When we were taken out, I said to my companions: ‘The matter of Ibn Abi Kabsha has become great; the king of the Banu al-Asfar fears him.’ I remained certain that he would prevail until Allah brought me into Islam.

Ibn al-Natur was the governor of Ilya, and Heraclius was a bishop over the Christians of al-Sham. He related that when Heraclius arrived in Ilya, one morning he was in a foul mood. Some of his bishops said: ‘We find your appearance changed.’ Ibn al-Natur said: Heraclius was a soothsayer who observed the stars. When they asked him, he said: ‘Last night, when I looked at the stars, I saw that the king of the circumcised had appeared. Which people in this community practice circumcision?’ They said: ‘Only the Jews practice circumcision, so do not let their affair trouble you. Write to the cities of your kingdom so that they may kill every Jew in them.’ While they were occupied with this, a man whom the king of Ghassan had sent was brought to Heraclius to inform him about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). When Heraclius questioned him, he said: ‘Go and see whether he is circumcised.’ They examined him and told Heraclius that he was circumcised. He asked him about the Arabs, and he said: ‘They practice circumcision.’ Heraclius said: ‘The rule of this community has appeared.’ Then Heraclius wrote to a friend of his in Rome, who was his equal in knowledge, and set out for Homs. He did not leave Homs until a letter from his friend came to him, agreeing with Heraclius's view that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had emerged and was indeed a prophet. Heraclius then gave permission for the leading Romans to gather in a hall of his at Homs. He ordered its doors closed, then came out and said: ‘O Romans, do you want success and right guidance, and for your rule to endure? Then pledge allegiance to this Prophet.’ They rushed like wild asses toward the doors, but found them locked. When Heraclius saw their aversion and despaired of their faith, he said: ‘Bring them back to me.’ He said: ‘What I just said was only to test how firmly you held to your religion, and I have seen it.’ They prostrated to him and were pleased with him. That was the end of Heraclius's affair. Salih ibn Kaysan, Yunus, and Ma'mar also narrated it from al-Zuhri.