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he tells a lie, they should contradict him (instantly)’. By Allâh had I not been afraid that my
companions would consider me a liar, I would have told lies”, Abu Sufyan later said.
Abu Sufyan’s testimony went as follows: “Muhammad descends from a noble family. No one of his
family happened to assume kingship. His followers are those deemed weak with numbers ever
growing. He neither tells lies nor betrays others, we fight him and he fights us but with alternate
victory. He bids people to worship Allâh Alone with no associate, and abandon our fathers’ beliefs.
He orders us to observe prayer, honesty, abstinence andmaintain strong family ties.” “Hercules, on
hearing this testimony, turned to his translator bidding him to communicate to us his following
impression which reveals full conviction in the truthfulness of Muhammad’s Prophethood: ‘I fully
realize that Prophets come from noble families; he does not affect any previous example of
Prophethood. Since none of his ancestors was a monarch, we cannot then allege that he is a man
trying to reclaim his father’s monarchy. So long as he does not tell lies to people, he i s for the more
reason, immune to telling lies as regards Allâh. Concerning his followers being those deemed weak
with numbers ever growing, it is something that goes in agreement with questions of Faith until this
latter assumes its full dimensions geographically and demographically. I have understood that no
instance of apostasy has as yet appeared among his followers, and this points to the bliss of Faith
that finds its abode in the human heart. Betrayal, as I see, is alien to him because real Prophets
hold betrayal in . Bidding worship of Allâh with no associates, observance of prayer, honesty and
abstinence and prohibition of paganism are traits bound to subject to him all my possessions. I have
already known that a Prophet must arise but it has never occurred to me that he will be an Arab
from among you. If I was sure I would be faithful to him, I might hope to meet him, and if I were
with him, I would wash his feet.’ Hercules then requested that the Prophet’s letter be read. The
observations of the emperor and finally the definite and clear-cut exposition of the Islamic message
could not but create a tense atmosphere amongst the clergy present at the court. We were ordered
to go out.” Abu Sufyan said, “While coming out, I said to my companions, ‘The matter of Ibn Abi
Kabshah [i.e. Muhammad (Peace be upon him)] has become so prominent that even the king of
Banu Al-Asfar (i.e. the Romans) is afraid of him.’ So I continued to believe that Allâh’s Messenger
(Peace be upon him) would be victorious, till Allâh made me embrace Islam.” The king did not
embrace Islam — for it was differently ordained. However, the Muslim envoy was returned to
Madinah with the felicitations of the emperor.
On his way back to Madinah, Dihyah Al-Kalbi was intercepted by people from Judham tribe in Hasmi,
who looted the presents sent to the Prophet Õáì Çááå Úáíå æÓáã. Zaid bin Haritha at the head of
five hundred men was despatched to that spot, inflicted heavy losses on those people and captured
1000 camels, 5000 of their cattle and a hundred women and boys. The chief of Judham who had
embraced Islam filed a complaint with the Prophet, who gave a positive response to the former’s
protest, and ordered that all the spoils and captives be returned.
5. A Letter to Mundhir bin Sawa, Governor of Bahrain:
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) despatched ‘Al-‘Ala’ bin Al-Hadrami to the governor of Bahrain,
carrying a letter inviting him to embrace Islam. In reply, Al-Mundhir bin Sawa wrote the following
letter:
“Allâh’s Messenger (Peace be upon him)! I received your injunctions. Prior to this, I read your letter,
which you wrote to the people of Bahrain extending to them an invitation to Islam. Islam appealed
to some of them and they entered the fold of Islam, while others did not find it appealing. In my
country, there live Magians and Jews, and therefore you may inform me of the treatment to be
extended to them.”
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) wrote the following letter in reply to his:
“In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
From Muhammad, Messenger of Allâh to Mundhir bin Sawa.
Peace be on you! I praise Allâh with no associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave
and Messenger.
Thereafter, I remind you of Allâh, the Mighty, the Glorious. Whoever accepts admonition, does it for
his own good. Whoever follows my messengers and acts in accordance with their guidance, he, in
fact, accepts my advice.
My messengers have highly praised your behaviour. You shall continue in your present office. Give
the new Muslims full chance to preach their religion. I accept your recommendation regarding the
people of Bahrain, and I pardon the offences of the offenders; therefore, you may also forgive them.
Of the people of Bahrain whoever wants to go on in their Jewish or Magian fa ith, should be made to
pay
Jizya
(poll-tax).”
6. A Letter to Haudha bin ‘Ali, Governor of Yamama:
“In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
From Muhammad, Messenger of Allâh to Haudha bin ‘Ali:
Peace be upon him who follows true guidance. Be informed that my religion shall prevail
everywhere. You should accept Islam, and whatever under your command shall remain yours.”
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