Book: Dalail an-Nubuwwah by Bayhaqi

Chapter: The Mission of the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) with Dahyah ibn Khalifah al-Kalbi to Caesar

In this chapter, it discusses the mission of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) with Dahyah ibn Khalifah al-Kalbi to Caesar, who was Heraclius, the king of the Romans. It also mentions the conversation between Abu Sufyan ibn Harb about the Prophet's (peace be upon him) qualities, what transpired during that interaction, and the visions that Heraclius saw in his dream regarding the signs of prophethood and the truthfulness which pointed to our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Transmission of the Hadith

• Narrator: Abu Ali al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Rudhbary
• Source: Husayn ibn al-Hasan ibn Ayyub al-Tusi
• Chain of Narration: Abu Yahya ibn Abi Masarrah narrated from Ya'qub ibn Muhammad ibn Isa al-Zuhri who narrated from Ibrahim ibn Sa'd

Another chain in the transmission of this hadith is from Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Hafiz, who narrated from Ismail ibn Muhammad ibn al-Fadl ibn Muhammad al-Sha'rani, and further back to Ibrahim ibn Hamzah, Saleh ibn Kaysan, Ibn Shihab, Ubeidullah ibn Abdullah ibn Utbah, and finally to Abdullah ibn Abbas. The hadith recounts how the Prophet (peace be upon him) wrote a letter to Caesar inviting him to Islam and sent it with Dahyah al-Kalbi to Caesar as an emissary.

When Caesar saw the letter and the envoy, he initially sought to confirm the authenticity of the message by consulting the Persian soothsayers. However, upon seeking Allah's guidance and the disappearance of the Persian troops, he received the message graciously and accepted the letter from the envoy. Dahyah al-Kalbi was a notable Companion of the Prophet, known for his striking appearance and was sent as an envoy to Caesar during the Caliphate of Muawiyah.

Translation of Classical Arabic Text

From Hims to Iliya, Thanks to What Allah Has Blessed Him With. When Caesar received a letter from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, he said upon reading it: “Seek someone from his people [(3)] so we may inquire about the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.” Ibn Abbas informed me that Abu Sufyan said: "There were men from the Quraysh in Syria who came as traders during the period between the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and the disbelievers of the Quraysh. Abu Sufyan said: We found the Messenger of Caesar in part of Syria. He then went with me and my companions until we arrived in Iliya. We were admitted to him, and there he was, seated in his royal court wearing a crown, with Roman dignitaries around him. He said to his interpreter: Ask them who among them is of closer relation to this man who claims to be a Prophet.”

Abu Sufyan said: "I am the closest among them in relation to him." He replied: "How close is your relation to him?" I said: "He is my cousin." There was no one that day in the caravan from the Banu Abd Manaf tribe other than me. Caesar said: "Bring him closer to me." Then he ordered my companions to stand behind me near my shoulders. He said to his interpreter: Tell his companions that I am going to ask him about the man who claims to be a Prophet. If he lies, then lie about him."

Abu Sufyan said: "By Allah, had it not been for the fear of my companions thinking I had lied about him, I would have lied about him when he asked me. However, I was ashamed that they would consider me a liar, so I told the truth about him. Caesar then said to his interpreter: Ask him, 'How is this man related to you?' I said: 'He is among us with a high lineage.' He asked: 'Did anyone among you ever say this before him?' I replied: 'No.' He asked: 'Did you ever accuse him of lying before he said what he said?' I said: 'No.'

He then asked: 'Does he descend from kings?' I replied: 'No.' He asked: 'Do the noble follow him or the weak among you?' I said: 'The weak among us.' Caesar asked: 'Do his followers increase or decrease?' I said: 'They increase.' He asked: 'Does anyone of his followers renounce their faith after entering it?' I said: 'No.' He asked: 'Does he deceive?' I replied: 'No, and currently we are in a pact with him, and we fear that he might deceive us.' Abu Sufyan said: 'I could not say a word that could be used against him, fearing my companions might think I diminished him." [(3) In H: “Seek someone from his people here.” (4) “Out of fear that my companions might think I lied.”]

Letter to Heracle, Emperor of the Romans

"When I asked him if he fought with your people and they with him, he answered: 'Yes.' I asked him what your war was like and his. He said: 'It was alternation of victory and defeat; one would defeat the other at times and vice versa.' I asked him: 'What did he command you?' He said: 'He commanded us to worship Allah alone, without associating anything with Him, forbid what our fathers worshipped, order us to pray, be truthful, chaste, keep our promises, fulfill trusts.'

He then said: 'If his statements are true, he is about to take over this place under my feet. And if I were with him, I would wash his feet.' Abu Sufyan then sent for the letter of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and recited it. In it, there was: 'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the servant of Allah, and His Messenger, to Heracle, the Great Emperor of the Romans. Peace be upon him who follows true guidance."

Call to Islam

I invite you with the call of Islam. Embrace Islam, you will be secure, and embrace Islam, Allah will reward you twice. But if you turn away, then upon you is the sin of the Areesiyin. O people of the Book, come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us takes others as lords besides Allah. And if they turn away, then say, "Bear witness that we are Muslims."

Conversion of Abu Sufyan

Abu Sufyan narrated: When his army was defeated, the voices of the Roman nobles rose high, and their agitation increased. I do not know what they said, but then I was ordered and we were brought out. When I went out with my companions and was alone with them, I said to them: The command of the son of Abu Kabsha (referring to the Prophet Muhammad) is such that it causes fear in me. By Allah, I have never been so sure of being humiliated, and I am confident that his command will prevail until Allah enters Islam into my heart while I hate it.

Hadith Narration

This narration was attributed to Ibrahim bin Hamzah in Sahih Bukhari. Muslim narrated it from the hadith of Ya'qub bin Ibrahim bin Saad from his father. Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz informed us that Muhammad bin Ya'qub told us, who narrated from Muhammad bin Salamah, who narrated from Muhammad bin Rafi', who narrated from Abdul Razzaq, who narrated from Ma'mar, who narrated from Az-Zuhri, who narrated from Ubaydullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah, who narrated from Ibn Abbas, that Abu Sufyan informed him about the incidents from one point to another.

Abu Sufyan's Encounter with Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

"The closest of kin to this man who claims to be a prophet," Abu Sufyan said, "So I sat in front of him, while my companions sat behind me. Then Prophet Muhammad called for his interpreter and mentioned the story, conveying the message of righteousness. He said, 'What does he command you with?' I replied, 'He commands us to pray, pay alms, uphold family ties, and maintain chastity.' Abu Sufyan remarked, 'If what you say is true, then he is indeed a prophet. I knew he was being truthful even though I never thought he would rise among you. Had I known I could reach him, I would have loved to meet him. If I were with him, I would wash his feet, and his dominion would extend beneath my feet.'"

This hadith is narrated by various scholars, including Imam al-Bukhari in his Sahih, on the authority of Abdullah bin Muhammad from Abd al-Razzaq, and by Imam Muslim from Muhammad bin Rafi' and others.

Abu Sufyan's Testimony

Abu Sufyan ibn Harb recounted an incident during the time of the treaty of Hudaybiyyah, when he, along with a group of Quraysh traders, did not feel secure until they reached safety. He mentioned travelling to the Levant, where he witnessed the presence of Caesar, the Roman Emperor. Furthermore, he described the customs and challenges faced during his journey to Gaza in Palestine. This event took place in Hims, Syria, showcasing a significant historical account of that era.

This narration is found in Sahih al-Bukhari in the Book of Exegesis, in Surah Al-Imran, where it details the dialogue between the people of the Book and Prophet Muhammad. Likewise, Imam Muslim mentioned this incident in the Book of Jihad and Expeditions, in the chapter discussing the Prophet's letter to Heraclius.

The Journey to Jerusalem

He walked in gratitude towards the house of Al-Maqdis to pray there. The ground was spread out for him, and the winds wafted the scent of flowers onto him until he reached Jerusalem. There, he prayed until the dawn broke, feeling troubled. He turned his gaze towards the sky, and his companion said to him, "O king, you seem troubled." He replied, "Yes," and they asked him the reason. He said, "Last night, I had a vision that the ruler of circumcision appeared, and they informed me that no nation undergoes circumcision except the Jews who are under your authority. If this has happened within you, send throughout your entire kingdom so that there is no Jew left, except that you strike them down, thus relieving yourself of this burden. For they are scheming against you in this matter." A messenger from the people of Basra arrived with a man from the Arabs who had come to them. He said, "O king, this man is from the Arabs, a shepherd of sheep and camels, and he informs you about a recent incident in his land." When he reached him, he asked his translator to inquire about the matter in his land. He replied, "A man from the Arabs, from the Quraysh tribe, claimed to be a prophet. Some followed him, while others opposed him. There were conflicts among them in different locations. I left my land while they were still on this issue. When he was informed of this news, he said, "Strip him off, and he was indeed circumcised. He said, "By Allah, what I saw was not what you claim. Clothe him and let him go about his business." Then he summoned his barber and said, "Turn my back and belly towards Syria until you bring a man from this people, whom I will ask about his affair. By Allah, myself and my companions were at Ghazwa when he attacked us and asked who we were. Upon hearing our response, he brought us all to him. When we reached him, Abu Sufyan said, "By Allah, I have never seen anyone more disgraceful than him who seeks Heraclius. When we arrived at him, he asked, "Which of you was in contact with him yesterday?" I said, "I was." He said, "Bring him close to me," so he seated me in front of him. He then called for my companions and placed them behind me, saying, "If he lies, contradict him." Abu Sufyan said, "I knew that if I lied, they would support me, but I was a man of dignity who preferred honor and was ashamed of lying. I knew that the least they would do is to disown me, then speak of me. When they reached Mecca, they did not disown me, so I did not lie." He said, "Tell me about this."

Conversation on Leadership

The man who came among you, I downplayed his status and belittled his matters. By Allah, I did not even look at that considering an important issue. He asked me to tell him about his affairs. I told him to ask about what seemed pertinent to him. He then asked, "How was his lineage among you?" I replied, "An ordinary lineage from our midst." He asked, "Did anyone in his household speak like him, resembling him?" I said, "No." He inquired, "Did he have kingship that you revolted against to claim and used this narrative to challenge his rule?" I said, "No." He further asked, "Who were his followers? Were they nobles, strong individuals, or the poor and weak?" I answered, "The common people, the weak, and the poor. As for the elite of his people and those with power, none followed him." He then asked, "Who would accompany him, love and stay with him, and who would alienate and part ways with him?" I replied, "Rarely did anyone who accompanied him depart from him." He asked, "How was the conflict between you and him?" I said, "It involved mutual taunts and challenges."

He continued, "Did he betray you?" I found nothing secretive to hint at except her. I responded, "No, we spent time with him and did not fear betrayal from him." He revisited the conversation and said, "You claimed he had one of the finest lineages and that Allah takes a prophet only from the best lineage. Similarly, he did not have kingship that you contested with this narrative. I asked about his followers, and you alleged they were commoners, the poor, and the weak, as well as the followers of the prophets in every era. I inquired about who followed him, loved and stayed with him, or abandoned him, and you claimed few who would leave him. Also, the sweetness of faith does not settle in a heart only to leave it. How was the conflict between you, which you described as mutual taunts?" In the end, he asked, "Did he betray you?" You replied that he did not betray. If what you say is true, then I will advise you on what exists beneath my feet. I wished I were close to him to wash his feet out of respect for him; thus, I stood up while clapping one hand against the other, saying, "O servants of Allah! The offspring of Abu Kabsha has become the rulers of Banu al-Asfar, whom the people of authority fear in their leadership."

Story of Dihyah ibn Khalifah and Heraclius

Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz informed us saying: Abu Al-Abbas Muhammad ibn Ya'qub narrated to us, saying: Ahmad ibn Abd Al-Jabbar told us, saying: Yunus ibn Bukayr informed us from Ibn Ishaq, saying: Az-Zuhri narrated to us, saying: A Christian bishop who lived during that time said: When Dihyah ibn Khalifah arrived with a letter from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, to Heraclius, which began with "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, to Heraclius the Great of the Romans, peace be upon those who follow guidance..."

Heraclius replied: "Accept Islam and you will be granted twice your reward. But if you refuse, the sin of the followers will be upon you." When Heraclius received the letter, he read it with reverence, placed it between his thighs and abdomen, then wrote to a man from the Romans who was literate in Hebrew to inform him about the Prophet who was awaited, with clear signs and time revealed in their scriptures, encouraging him to follow the Prophet.

Afterwards, Heraclius commanded the Roman dignitaries to assemble the military for his inspection. They gathered in his regal pavilion, which he had prepared, and as he watched from a high vantage point, they stood in awe. Heraclius spoke to them, letting them know that the letter had arrived from the long-expected Prophet and urged them to follow him.

He then declared: "O Romans, I have informed you of this matter to test your steadfastness in your faith. I have witnessed pleasing behavior from you. Prostrate before him." The pavilion doors, which had been closed, suddenly opened before them, causing fear to grip their hearts. Heraclius commanded them to return the letter to Dihyah and he rejected them.

He said: "O Romans, I only made this statement to test your resolve in your religion. I have seen something from you that has made me happy." The Romans prostrated before Dihyah, and the doors of the pavilion opened, allowing them to exit.

The Encounter with Abu Sufyan in Jerusalem

In the land of Syria, the ruler ordered his men to bring him information about a man in Mecca. Thirty men were sent, including Abu Sufyan ibn Harb. They entered the church of St. Elias and were questioned by Heraclius, who asked about the man in Mecca. They described him as a liar and sorcerer, not a prophet. Heraclius wanted to know more about the man, and when told Abu Sufyan was his cousin and had fought him, he expelled the men and questioned Abu Sufyan further.

Heraclius' Inquiry of Abu Sufyan

Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan about the man from Mecca, to which he responded that the man was indeed a liar and sorcerer. Heraclius inquired about the man's lineage and mental faculties, to which he was informed that he was from the Quraysh tribe and had neither extraordinary intelligence nor wisdom.

Heraclius' Suspicion

Seeing no signs of seeking power or fame, Heraclius questioned whether the man had deceitful tendencies. Abu Sufyan denied this, explaining that the man had never been deceitful with his own people before. Heraclius then asked if anyone from Quraysh followed him, to which Abu Sufyan replied in the negative.

The Encounter with Caesar

It was revealed unto us that not a single day passed without me being absent, then I fought them twice inside their fortresses. We broke their bellies, severed their noses, and castrated the males. Caesar asked: "Do you deem him truthful or lying?" He replied: "Indeed, he is lying." Caesar said: "Do not say that, for no one is detected lying. If among you is a prophet, do not kill him, for that is the practice of the Jews."

(Source: Maqatil al-Talibiyyin)