The Life of

Prophet
Muhammad
Lesson 69
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers

• One of the immediate benefits of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah is that it gave the
Prophet the opportunity spread Islam beyond Hijaz.
• The Prophet exhorted his companions to convey the message of Islam far and wide
without objection.
&‫ ب&لغ&ني& أن& ر&س&ول هللا& صل&ى& هللا& ع&لي&ه& و&س&لم& خ&ر&ج& ع&ل&ى‬: ‫ق&ا&ل‬ &‫أب&ي& ب&ك&ر& ا&له&ذلي‬ &‫ ح&د&ثن&ي& م&ن& أث&ق ب&ه& ع&ن‬: &‫اب&ن ه&ش&ا&م‬ ‫ق&ا&ل‬
‫الح&د&يب&ي&ة‬ &‫أص&ح&ا&ب&ه& ذ&ات& ي&و&م& ب&ع&د ع&م&ر&ت&ه& الت&ي& ص&د ع&ن&ها& ي&وم‬ 
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers

‫ع&ي&س&ى& ب&ن& م&ر&ي&م‬ &‫ع&لى‬ &‫ا&لح&وا&ر&ي&ون‬ &‫أي&ه&ا& الن&ا&س& إن& هللا& ق&د& ب&عث&ن&ي& ر&ح&مة& و&كا&ف&ة& ف&ال& تخ&ت&لف&وا ع&لي& كم&ا& ا&خ&ت&لف‬ : ‫ف&ق&ا&ل‬
The Prophet said: O people! Verily, God has sent me as a mercy and has sent me to all
[people]. So do not hesitate as the apostles of Jesus hesitated when he sent them out.
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers

&‫& ف&أ&م&ا& م&ن& ب&عث&ه& مب&ع&ثا‬، &‫ دع&ا&ه&م& إل&ى& ال&ذي& دع&وت&ك&م& إلي&ه‬: ‫ي&ا& ر&س&ول هللا& ؟ ق&ا&ل‬ &‫الح&وار&ي&ون‬ &‫ وك&ي&ف& ا&خ&ت&لف‬: &‫ف&ق&ا&ل أ&صح&ا&به‬
&‫& ف&أ&ص&بح& الم&ت&ثا&ق&ل&ون‬، &‫إلى& هللا‬ &‫ع&ي&س&ى‬ &‫& ف&ش&ك&ا& ذ&لك‬، ‫& وأم&ا& م&ن& ب&ع&ث&ه& م&بع&ث&ا& ب&ع&ي&دا ف&ك&ر&ه وج&ه&ه& وت&ث&ا&ق&ل‬، &‫ق&ر&يب&ا& ف&ر&ض&ي& وس&لم‬
‫و&ك&ل واح&د& م&نه&م& ي&ت&كلم& ب&لغ&ة& األ&م&ة& الت&ي& ب&ع&ث& إ&لي&ها‬
The companions asked: How did they hesitate O Messenger of God? He replied: He
invited them to what I am inviting you towards. As for those who were sent to nearby
lands, they were pleased and submitted but those who were sent to distant lands, they
dislike appeared on their faces and they were complacent….
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers

• As the Prophet was preparing the letters to be sent, the companions point out that
that these rulers will not read any letter unless it is sealed.
• On that day, the Prophet designated an official ring for himself made of silver.
• Imam Al-Sadiq in a narration in Al-Kafi describes the ring:
&‫وك&ا&ن& ن&ق&ش& خ&ا&ت&م& ر&سو&ل هللا& ص&لى& هللا& ع&لي&ه& وآل&ه " م&ح&م&د& ر&س&و&ل هللا‬ 
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers

• Some historians note that the Prophet sent over 20 letters to various
leaders.
• The most significant letters are the following:
• 1. Letter to Najashi of Abyssinia through ʿAmr ibn Umayyah al-
Dhamri
• 2. Letter to Heraclius, the Emperor of Rome through Daḥyah ibn
Khalīfah al-Kalbī
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers

• 3. Letter to Khosrow, the Emperor of Persia through  Abdullah ibn

Hudhafah al-Sahmi 
• 4. Letter to the Coptic Ruler, Muqawqiṣ of Alexandria he sent a letter
with Hatib ibn Abi Balta’ah
• 5. Letters to other rulers
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers

• Letter to Najashi (as reported by Al-Tabari):

‫ب&سم& هللا& الرح&من ا&لرحي&م& م&ن م&حمد& رس&ول& هللا& إ&لى& ا&ل&ن&جا&ش&ي& ا&ال&ص&ح&م& مل&ك& ا&ل&حب&شة& سل&م& أ&ن&ت& ف&ا&ن&ى& أ&حم&د& إ&ل&ي&ك& هللا& ال&مل&ك& ا&ل&قد&و&س‬
&‫ا&ل&سال&م& ال&مؤ&من& ا&لم&هي&م&ن و&أ&شه&د& أ&ن عي&سى& اب&ن مري&م& رو&ح هللا& و&ك&لم&ته& أل&ق&ا&ها& إ&ل&ى& مري&م& ال&ب&ت&و&ل& ال&طي&ب&ة& ال&حص&ي&ن&ة& فح&ملت& ب&ع&ي&سى‬
‫فخ&لق&ه& هللا& من رو&حه& و&ن&فخ&ه& ك&ما& خل&ق آد&م& ب&ي&د&ه& و&ن&ف&خه‬
"In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
From Muhammad, the Messenger of God to Negus, King of Abyssinia. Peace be upon him
who follows true guidance. Salutations, I praise God, there is no god but He, the Sovereign,
the Holy, the Source of peace, the Giver of peace, the Guardian of faith, the Preserver of
safety. I bear witness that Jesus, the son of Mary, is the spirit of God and His Word which He
cast into Mary, the virgin, the good, the pure, so that she conceived Jesus. God created him
from His spirit as He created Adam by His Hand and His Breath.”
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
&‫وإن&ي& أدع&وك& إلى& هللا& وح&د&ه ال& ش&ر&ي&ك& ل&ه& والم&واال&ة& ع&لى& طا&ع&ت&ه& وأن& ت&ت&ب&عن&ي& وت&ؤم&ن& ب&ا&لذ&ي& ج&ا&ء&ن&ي& ف&إ&ن&ي& ر&س&و&ل هللا‬
&‫وق&د ب&ع&ث&ت& إ&لي&ك& اب&ن& ع&م&ى& ج&عف&ر&ا ون&ف&ر&ا مع&ه& م&ن& ال&مس&لم&ين& ف&إ&ذا ج&ا&ء&ك& ف&أ&ق&ر&ه&م& ودع& الت&ج&ب&ر& ف&ا&ن&ى& أ&دع&وك& و&ج&ن&ودك& إلى‬
‫هللا& ف&ق&د ب&لغ&ت& ون&ص&ح&ت& ف&ا&ق&ب&لوا& ن&صح&ي& و&الس&ال&م& ع&لى& م&ن ات&ب&ع& اله&دى‬
I call you to God Alone with no associate and to His obedience and to follow me and
to believe in that which came to me, for I am the Messenger of God. I invite you and
your people to God the Glorious, the All-Mighty. I hereby bear witness that I have
communicated my message and advice. I invite you to listen and accept my advice.
Peace be upon him who follows true guidance."
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
&‫ م&ن ا&ل&ن&ج&ا&ش&ى& ا&ٔالص&ح&م& ب&ن ا&ب&ج&ر& سال&م‬،&‫ ا&ل&ى& مح&م&د& ر&س&و&ل& هللا‬،&‫ ب&س&م& هللا& ا&ل&ر&ح&من& ا&ل&ر&ح&ي&م‬: &‫فك&ت&ب& ا&ل&ن&ج&ا&ش&ى& ا&ل&ى& ر&س&و&ل هللا‬
&‫ فق&د& ب&ل&غن&ى& كت&ا&ب&ك‬،&‫ ا&ل&ذ&ى& ه&د&ا&ن&ي ا&ل&ى& ا&ال&س&ال&م& ا&ما& ب&عد‬،&‫ من& هللا& ا&ل&ذ&ى& ال& ا&ل&ه& ا&ال& ه&و‬،&‫ع&ل&ي&ك& ي&ا& ن&ب&ى& هللا& و& ر&ح&مه& هللا& و& ب&ر&ك&ا&ت&ه‬
‫ي&ا& ر&سو&ل هللا& في&ما& ذ&ك&ر&ت& من& ا&م&ر& ع&ي&س&ى‬

“In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
From Negus Al-Asham to Muhammad, the Messenger of God.
Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah! and mercy and blessing from God beside
Whom there is no god. I have received your letter in which you have mentioned about
Jesus 
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers

‫ و ق&د‬،&‫& و ق&د& ع&ر&ف&ن&ا& م&ا& ب&ع&ث&ت& به& إ&لي&نا‬،&‫& ا&نه& كم&ا& ق&ل&ت‬،&‫ف&و ر&ب& ا&لس&م&ا&ء& و اال&ر&ض& ان& ع&ي&س&ى& م&ا& ي&ز&ي&د ع&لى& م&ا& ذك&ر&ت& ث&ف&ر&و&ق&ا‬
&‫& و اس&لم&ت& ع&ل&ى‬،&‫& و ق&د& ب&ا&ي&عت&ك& و& با&يع&ت& اب&ن& ع&م&ك‬،&‫& ف&ا&ش&ه&د ا&نك& ر&س&و&ل هللا& ص&ا&دق&ا& م&ص&دق&ا‬،&‫ق&ر&ي&ن&ا& اب&ن& ع&م&ك& و اص&ح&ا&ب&ه‬
&‫& و ان& ش&ئت& ان‬،&‫& ف&ا&نى& ال& ام&لك& اال& نف&س&ي‬،&‫ و ق&د بع&ث&ت& إلي&ك& ب&ا&ب&ن&ي& ار&ه&ا& ب&ن& األ&ص&ح&م& اب&ن& اب&ج&ر‬،&‫ي&د&ي&ه هلل& ر&ب& الع&ا&لم&ي&ن‬
&‫& و& الس&ال&م& ع&لي&ك& ي&ا& ر&س&ول& هللا‬،‫& ف&ا&ن&ى& اش&ه&د ان& م&ا& ت&ق&و&ل ح&ق‬،&‫آت&يك& ف&علت& ي&ا& ر&س&ول هللا‬.
and by the Lord of heaven and earth, Jesus is not more than what you say. We fully
acknowledge that with which you have been sent to us and we have entertained your
cousin and his companions. I bear witness that you are the Messenger of God, true
and confirming (those who have gone before you), I pledge to you through your
cousin and surrender myself through him to the Lord of the worlds….
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
• There were at least five letters sent to this Najashi in all:
• 1. In support of Ja’far ibn Abi Talib (sent in the 5-6 year AB)
• 2. To invite him to Islam (6-7 AH)
• 3. In reply to his letter (7-8 AH)
• 4. To ask him to marry Ramlah “Umm Habiba” bint Abi Sufyan to the Prophet
(7 AH)
• 5. To recall the Muslims to Medina (7 AH before Khaybar)
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
• Letter to Heraclius, the Emperor of Rome:
• He was a Christian ruler who reigned from 610 to 641 CE.
• The Prophet sent Dahyah al-Kalbi to Bosra (where the Quraysh would go to for
their trades). He sent a letter to the governor of Bosra so that he would send it to the
Caesar — and it so happened Heraclius was visiting a nearby city, Jerusalem, at the
time, so the letter arrived to him quickly.
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
&‫& فَ&ِإنِّ&ي‬،&‫ َأ َّ&ما& بَ& ْع& ُد‬،&‫& َس&الَّ& ٌم& َع&لَ&&ى َم& &ِن ا&تَّ&بَ& َع& ا& ْل&هُ& َد&ى‬،‫& ِم ْ&ن& ُم& َ&ح& َّ&م ٍد& َع& ْب& ِد& هللاِ& َو& َر& ُس&و&ل&ِ ِه& ِإلَ&ى& ِه& َر& ْق& َل& َع& ِظي& &ِم ا&ل& ُّر&و& &ِم‬،‫ب&ِ ْس& &ِم هللاِ& ا&ل& َّر& ْ&ح& َم& &ِن ا&ل& َّر& &ِحي& &ِم‬
&‫ك& ِإ ْث& َم& ا&َأل ِر&ي& &ِسيِّ&ي& َن‬ &َ &‫ك& هَّللا ُ& َأ ْ&ج& َر‬
&َ &‫& فَ&ِإ ْ&ن& تَ& َو&لَّ& ْي‬،‫ك& َم& َّر&تَ& ْي& &ِن‬
&َ &‫ت& فَ&ِإ َّ&ن& َع&لَ& ْي‬ َ ِ&‫& يُ&ْؤ ت‬،&‫ َأ ْس&ل&ِ ْم& تَ& ْس&لَ& ْم‬،‫ك& ب&ِ ِد& َع&ا&يَ& ِة& ا&ِإل ْس&الَ& &ِم‬
َ &‫َأ ْد& ُع&و‬
“In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful.
“From Muhammad, the servant of Allah and His Messenger
“To Heraclius, the emperor of Rome.
“Peace be upon those who follow the Guidance.
“Furthermore, I invite you to Islam; embrace Islam and you will find peace, and Allah will
reward you twofold. However, if you turn away, you will also bear the sin of ’Arisiyyin
[your subjects].“
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers

}&‫ {ا& ْش&هَ& ُد&وا بَِأنَّ&ا& ُ&م ْس&لِ ُ&مو& َ&ن‬:&‫&ولِ ِه‬ ِ &‫َ&و {يَ&ا& َأ ْه& َ&ل ْ&ال ِك&تَ&ا‬
&ْ &َ‫ب& تَ& َع&ا&لَ& ْ&و&ا ِإلَ&ى& َك&لِ َم& ٍة& َس& َ&وا& ٍء& بَ& ْي&نَ&نَ&ا& َ&وبَ& ْ&ينَ& ُك& ْم&} ِإلَ&ى& ق‬
“And ‘O People of the Book! come to a word equal between us and you — that we
worship none but God, and that we associate no partner with Him, and that some of
us take not others for Lords beside God But if they turn away, then say, ‘Bear witness
that we have submitted [to God].’
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
• Heraclius was intrigued by the letter and wanted to know more about the one who
sent him this letter and whether he was truly, as the letter claimed, God’s
Messenger.
• Abu Sufyan happened to be passing through Bosra and he is summoned to meet
with the Emperor in Jerusalem.
• So Abu Sufyan and his companions went to Heraclius at Jerusalem. Heraclius
called them to his court, and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him.
He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius’s question, said to them,
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
ُّ& ‫ فَ&َأيُّ ُ&ك ْم& َأ َ&م‬ :&‫قَ&ا& َل‬
‫س ب&ِ ِه& َر& &ِح ً&ما&؟‬
“Who among you is closely related to the man who claims to be a prophet?” Abu Sufyan
replied, “I am the nearest relative to him (among the group).” Heraclius said, “Bring
him close to me, and make his companions stand behind him.”

Heraclius told his translator to tell Abu Sufyan’s companions that he wanted to ask him
some questions regarding Muhammad and that if he told a lie they should contradict
him.
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
‫& َأ ْ&و& َس& &ِطنَ&ا& نَ& َس&ب&ً&ا‬،‫ض‬ &ُ &‫ف& نَ& َس&بُ&هُ& فِي& ُك& ْ&م؟& قُ& ْل‬
&ُ &‫ َم& ْ&ح‬:‫&ت‬ &َ &‫َك& ْي‬
‫& فَ&هُ& َو& يَ&تَ& َش&ب&َّهُ& ب&ِه&ِ؟‬،&‫فَ&َأ ْ&خ&ب&ِ ْ&ر&ن&ِي هَ& ْ&ل& َك&ا& َ&ن& َأ َ&ح ٌد& ِم& ْ&ن& َأ ْه& &ِل بَ& ْي&ت&ِ ِه& يَ&قُ&و& ُل& ِم& ْث& َ&ل& َم&&ا يَ&قُ&و&ل‬
&ُ &‫ قُ& ْل‬:
&‫ ال‬:&‫ت‬
Heraclius: What is his family status among you?
Abu Sufyan: He belongs to a noble family among us.
Heraclius: Has anyone else among you before him ever claimed to be a prophet?
Abu Sufyan: No.
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
Heraclius: Was anyone among his ancestors a king?
Abu Sufyan: No.
Heraclius: Are the strong and powerful following him or the weak and poor?
Abu Sufyan: It is the weak and poor that are following him.
Heraclius: Are his followers increasing or decreasing day by day?
Abu Sufyan: They are increasing.
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
Heraclius: Does anyone among those who embrace his religion become displeased
and leave the religion afterwards?
Abu Sufyan: No.
Heraclius: Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim to be a prophet?
Abu Sufyan: No.
Heraclius: Does he ever betray or is he treacherous in his agreements?
Abu Sufyan: No, we are at truce with him, but we do not know what he will do in it.
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
Heraclius: Have you ever had a fight with him?
Abu Sufyan: Yes.
Heraclius: What was the outcome of your battles with him?
Abu Sufyan: The fighting between him and us was undecided, and victory was shared between him
and us by turns.
Heraclius: What does he order you to do?
Abu Sufyan:  He tells us to worship God 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 good relations with our kith and kin.
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
• Heraclius said to his translator to convey Abu Sufyan the following:

I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belongs to a noble family
among you. In fact, all the messengers come from noble families among their
respective peoples.
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
 I asked you whether anyone else among you claimed such a thing, and your reply
was no. If you had said yes, I would have thought that this person is copying the
previous person’s saying.

I asked you whether anyone of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was no. If you
had said yes, I would have thought that the man wants to take back his ancestral
kingdom.
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers

I further asked you whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he
said, and your reply was no. So I wonder how a person who does not tell a lie about
others could ever tell a lie about God.

I then asked you whether the rich or the poor follow him. You replied that it was the
poor who followed him. In fact, the poor are always the followers of the messengers.
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
I asked you whether his followers are increasing or decreasing. You replied that they
were increasing. In fact, this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in all respects.

I asked you whether there was anyone who, after accepting his religion, became
displeased with and abandoned his religion. Your reply was no. In fact, this is the sign
of true faith, when its delight penetrates the depths of the hearts.
 Letters to the Surrounding Powers
I asked you whether he had ever betrayed and your reply was no. Likewise, the messengers never
betray.

I asked you what he ordered you to do, and your reply was he ordered you to worship God, 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 say is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my
feet. I knew from the scriptures that he was going to come, but I did not know that he would be from
you. If I could reach him, I would go immediately to meet him; if I were with him, I would certainly
wash his feet.