Sahih Muslim Book - 32, Hadith - 4607

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَنْظَلِىُّ وَابْنُ أَبِى عُمَرَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ رَافِعٍ - قَالَ ابْنُ رَافِعٍ وَابْنُ أَبِى عُمَرَ حَدَّثَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِىِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ أَبَا سُفْيَانَ أَخْبَرَهُ مِنْ فِيهِ إِلَى فِيهِ قَالَ انْطَلَقْتُ فِى الْمُدَّةِ الَّتِى كَانَتْ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ فَبَيْنَا أَنَا بِالشَّأْمِ إِذْ جِىءَ بِكِتَابٍ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- إِلَى هِرَقْلَ يَعْنِى عَظِيمَ الرُّومِ - قَالَ - وَكَانَ دِحْيَةُ الْكَلْبِىُّ جَاءَ بِهِ فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى عَظِيمِ بُصْرَى فَدَفَعَهُ عَظِيمُ بُصْرَى إِلَى هِرَقْلَ فَقَالَ هِرَقْلُ هَلْ هَا هُنَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ قَوْمِ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِى يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِىٌّ قَالُوا نَعَمْ - قَالَ - فَدُعِيتُ فِى نَفَرٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَى هِرَقْلَ فَأَجْلَسَنَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ أَيُّكُمْ أَقْرَبُ نَسَبًا مِنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِى يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِىٌّ فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ فَقُلْتُ أَنَا. فَأَجْلَسُونِى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَجْلَسُوا أَصْحَابِى خَلْفِى ثُمَّ دَعَا بِتَرْجُمَانِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ قُلْ لَهُمْ إِنِّى سَائِلٌ هَذَا عَنِ الرَّجُلِ الَّذِى يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ نَبِىٌّ فَإِنْ كَذَبَنِى فَكَذِّبُوهُ. قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ وَايْمُ اللَّهِ لَوْلاَ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يُؤْثَرَ عَلَىَّ الْكَذِبُ لَكَذَبْتُ. ثُمَّ قَالَ لِتَرْجُمَانِهِ سَلْهُ كَيْفَ حَسَبُهُ فِيكُمْ قَالَ قُلْتُ هُوَ فِينَا ذُو حَسَبٍ قَالَ فَهَلْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ قُلْتُ لاَ. قَالَ فَهَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ. قَالَ وَمَنْ يَتَّبِعُهُ أَشْرَافُ النَّاسِ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ قَالَ قُلْتُ بَلْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ. قَالَ أَيَزِيدُونَ أَمْ يَنْقُصُونَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ بَلْ يَزِيدُونَ. قَالَ هَلْ يَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ سَخْطَةً لَهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ. قَالَ فَهَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ. قَالَ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ قِتَالُكُمْ إِيَّاهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ تَكُونُ الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالاً يُصِيبُ مِنَّا وَنُصِيبُ مِنْهُ. قَالَ فَهَلْ يَغْدِرُ قُلْتُ لاَ. وَنَحْنُ مِنْهُ فِى مُدَّةٍ لاَ نَدْرِى مَا هُوَ صَانِعٌ فِيهَا. قَالَ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا أَمْكَنَنِى مِنْ كَلِمَةٍ أُدْخِلُ فِيهَا شَيْئًا غَيْرَ هَذِهِ. قَالَ فَهَلْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ. قَالَ لِتَرْجُمَانِهِ قُلْ لَهُ إِنِّى سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ حَسَبِهِ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُ فِيكُمْ ذُو حَسَبٍ وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ تُبْعَثُ فِى أَحْسَابِ قَوْمِهَا. وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كَانَ فِى آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ. فَقُلْتُ لَوْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مَلِكٌ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ يَطْلُبُ مُلْكَ آبَائِهِ. وَسَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ أَتْبَاعِهِ أَضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ أَمْ أَشْرَافُهُمْ فَقُلْتَ بَلْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ وَهُمْ أَتْبَاعُ الرُّسُلِ. وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتَّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ. فَقَدْ عَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَدَعَ الْكَذِبَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ثُمَّ يَذْهَبَ فَيَكْذِبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ. وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَرْتَدُّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَهُ سَخْطَةً لَهُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ. وَكَذَلِكَ الإِيمَانُ إِذَا خَالَطَ بَشَاشَةَ الْقُلُوبِ. وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَزِيدُونَ أَوْ يَنْقُصُونَ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُمْ يَزِيدُونَ وَكَذَلِكَ الإِيمَانُ حَتَّى يَتِمَّ. وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّكُمْ قَدْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ فَتَكُونُ الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالاً يَنَالُ مِنْكُمْ وَتَنَالُونَ مِنْهُ. وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ تُبْتَلَى ثُمَّ تَكُونُ لَهُمُ الْعَاقِبَةُ وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَغْدِرُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَغْدِرُ. وَكَذَلِكَ الرُّسُلُ لاَ تَغْدِرُ. وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ فَزَعَمْتَ أَنْ لاَ. فَقُلْتُ لَوْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ أَحَدٌ قَبْلَهُ قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ ائْتَمَّ بِقَوْلٍ قِيلَ قَبْلَهُ. قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ بِمَ يَأْمُرُ كُمْ قُلْتُ يَأْمُرُنَا بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَالصِّلَةِ وَالْعَفَافِ قَالَ إِنْ يَكُنْ مَا تَقُولُ فِيهِ حَقًّا فَإِنَّهُ نَبِىٌّ وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ خَارِجٌ وَلَمْ أَكُنْ أَظُنُّهُ مِنْكُمْ وَلَوْ أَنِّى أَعْلَمُ أَنِّى أَخْلُصُ إِلَيْهِ لأَحْبَبْتُ لِقَاءَهُ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ عِنْدَهُ لَغَسَلْتُ عَنْ قَدَمَيْهِ وَلَيَبْلُغَنَّ مُلْكُهُ مَا تَحْتَ قَدَمَىَّ. قَالَ ثُمَّ دَعَا بِكِتَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَقَرَأَهُ فَإِذَا فِيهِ « بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ عَظِيمِ الرُّومِ سَلاَمٌ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَى أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنِّى أَدْعُوكَ بِدِعَايَةِ الإِسْلاَمِ أَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ وَأَسْلِمْ يُؤْتِكَ اللَّهُ أَجْرَكَ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ فَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ إِثْمَ الأَرِيسِيِّينَ وَ (يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَنْ لاَ نَعْبُدَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ وَلاَ نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ) فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ قِرَاءَةِ الْكِتَابِ ارْتَفَعَتِ الأَصْوَاتُ عِنْدَهُ وَكَثُرَ اللَّغْطُ وَأَمَرَ بِنَا فَأُخْرِجْنَا. قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لأَصْحَابِى حِينَ خَرَجْنَا لَقَدْ أَمِرَ أَمْرُ ابْنِ أَبِى كَبْشَةَ إِنَّهُ لَيَخَافُهُ مَلِكُ بَنِى الأَصْفَرِ - قَالَ - فَمَا زِلْتُ مُوقِنًا بِأَمْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- أَنَّهُ سَيَظْهَرُ حَتَّى أَدْخَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ الإِسْلاَمَ.

It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas that Abu Sufyan told him: During the truce between me and the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w), I set out, and whilst I was in Syria, a letter came from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) to Heraclius, the ruler of the Byzantines. Dihyah Al-Kalbi brought the letter, and gave it to the ruler of Busra, and the ruler of Busra gave it to Heraclius. Heraclius said: Is there anyone here from the people of this man who claims that he is a Prophet? They said: Yes. I was called, along with a number of men from Quraish, and we entered upon Heraclius, who seated us before him and said: Which of you is closest in kinship to this man who claims that he is a Prophet? Abu Sufyan said: I said: I am. So he seated me in front of him, and my companions sat behind me, then he called his interpreter and said to him: Tell them that I am going to ask this man about the man who claims that he is a Prophet, and if he tells me a lie, let them refute him. Abu Sufyan said: By Allah, were it not for the fear that people would say that I lied, I would have lied. Then he said to his interpreter: Ask him, what is his (the Prophet's) lineage among you? I said: He is of good lineage among us. He said: Was there any king among his forefathers? I said: No. He said: Did you ever accuse him of lying before he said what he said? I said: No. He said: Who are his followers? Are they the nobles among the people or the lowly? I said: The lowly. He said: Are they increasing in number or decreasing? He said: They are increasing. He said: Have any of them turned away from his religion after entering it, out of dissatisfaction? I said: No. He said: Have you fought him? I said: Yes. He said: How was (the outcome of) your fighting with him? I said: The war between us goes by turns; sometimes he prevails over us and sometimes we prevail over him. He said: Does he act treacherously? I said: No, but we have recently concluded a truce with him, and we do not know what he will do. He (Abu Sufyan) said: By Allah, I could not say anything more than that. He said: Has anyone said such a thing before him? I said: No. He said to his interpreter: Tell him: I asked you about his lineage and you said that he is of good lineage among you; such are the Messengers, who are sent from the best lineages of their people. I asked: Was there any king among his forefathers, and you said: No. If there had been any king among his forefathers, I would have said that he was a man seeking the kingdom of his forefathers. I asked about his followers, whether they were lowly or noble, and you said they were lowly. Such are the followers of the Messengers. I asked you whether you accused him of lying before he said what he said, and you said no. I knew that if he did not tell lies about people, he would not tell lies about Allah. I asked you whether anyone had turned away from his religion after entering it, out of dissatisfaction with it, and you said: No. Such is faith: when it penetrates deeply into the heart. I asked you whether they are increasing in number or decreasing, and you said that they are increasing. Such is faith, until it prevails. I asked you whether you have fought them, and you said that you have fought them, and the war between you and him goes by turns: sometimes he defeats you and sometimes you defeat him. Thus the Messengers are tested, but ultimately the victory is theirs. I asked you whether he acts treacherously, and you said that he does not act treacherously. Such are the Messengers, they do not act treacherously. I asked you whether anyone had said such a thing before, and you said: No. I thought that if anyone had said such a thing before, he would be a man who was following what was said before. Then he said: What does he enjoin upon you? I said: He enjoins us to pray, give Zakat, uphold ties of kinship and remain chaste. He said: If what you say about him is true, then he is a Prophet. I knew that he would appear, but I did not think that he would be from among you. If I knew that I would be able to reach him safely, I would like to meet him, and if I were with him, I would wash his feet. His dominion will most certainly reach that which is beneath my feet. Then he called for the letter of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) and read it. It said: "In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad the Messenger of Allah to Heraclius the ruler of the Byzantines. Peace be upon those who follow true guidance. I invite you with the call of Islam. Become Muslim and you will be safe. Become Muslim and Allah will give you a twofold reward, but if you turn away, then upon you will be the sins of the peasants (your subjects). Say (O Muhammad (s.a.w)): 'O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah (Alone), and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims.' [AI 'Imran 3:64]." When he had finished reading the letter, there were raised voices and a great deal of clamour, and he ordered that we be expelled. I said to my companions when we left: Ibn Abi Kabshah (i.e., the Prophet (s.a.w)) has come to wield a great deal of power; the king of Banu Al-Asfar is afraid of him. I continued to be certain that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) would prevail, until Allah caused me to become Muslim.