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* THE ROMAN EMPEROR AND ABU SUFYAN:

Ibn Abbas narrated that Abu Sufyan stated to him personally that after the ‘Peace Treaty of Hudaibiya’, …when he was in Syria, a letter sent by the Holy Prophet was received by Heraclius , the Emperor of Byzantine. …Abu Sufyan was, accordingly brought with his companions to him. Through a translator, the Emperor asked him a few questions, being the nearest relative of the Holy Prophet, warning his companions that they should deny him there and then, if he spoke a lie. Therefore, he became scared and answered his questions without telling a lie. The Questions (Q) and answers (A) were:

1. Q: What is his (i.e. the Prophet’s) family status?

A: He belongs to a very noble family.

2. [Q: Did any one from you declared Prophet - hood, before.

A: No.]

3. Q: Had there been a king from his fore fathers?

A: No.

4. Q: Do the noble people follow him or the poor?

A: In fact, these are the poor.

5. Q: Is their number increasing or decreasing?

A: The fact is that they are increasing.

5. Q: Has any one of them reverted from his religion, after entering into it,

being displeased with it.

A: No.

6. Q: Did you ever accuse him of telling lies about what he committed before?

A: No.

7: Q: Does he betray?

A: No, but presently we have entered into a peace agreement with them and I don’t know what he will do about it (in future).

8.Q: Do you fight him?

A: yes.

9.Q: What was the result of fighting?

A: The fight has been equal between us. Sometimes, he overpowers us and sometimes the other way.

10.Q: What does he order you (to do)?

A: He says: ‘ Worship Allah alone and do not associate any partner to Him. Abandon what your forefathers said. He orders us to offer prayers, speak the truth, avoid the unlawful and treat the relatives with kindness.

The Emperor then gave his concluding remarks, as below, through his translator about the Holy Prophet, while addressing Abu Sufyan:

1. …The Messengers (of Allah) are raised from the noblest of their people.

2. …Had there been a Prophet before him, he would have followed him to declare his Prophet - hood? But, this is not the case with him.

3. …Had there been a king before him in his fore fathers, he would have wished to become the king (by pretending to be a Prophet)? But, this is not the case with him..

4. …The person, who (has not betrayed you and who) never spoke a lie to his people, he can never speak a lie about Allah.

5. ..These are the poor in the beginning, who have followed the Messengers.

6. …The rising trend in the number of the followers of the Messengers is similar to faith which reaches its zenith progressively.

7.…The non - reversion of his followers is similar to (the light of) faith, which when absorbed in hearts, does not dissipate away.

8. …The Messengers are put to test (in the battles) and the final victory is for them.

9….Of course, the Messengers never betray.

10….. The tenets that he orders i.e. offering prayers, speaking the truth, treating the relatives with kindness, abstaining from the unlawful, worshipping Allah only without associating any partner to Him, avoiding idolatry - are, of course, the true tenets.

The Emperor continued:

“If all such things that you (Abu Sufyan) state about him are correct, he is definitely the Messenger of Allah and his kingdom will reach the very ground on which I am standing.I knew it before that he (i.e. the Holy Messenger is going to appear, but I never thought him to be from you. Had I known that I could reach him, I would have reached him even after bearing severe hardships. And had I been with him, I would have (affectionately) washed his feet”.

The Emperor then opened the letter sent by

the Holy Prophet. It stated:

“ Bismillah –ir- Rehman –ir-Rahim”

[In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful]