The Hadeeth of Heraclius

Assalamu alaikum,

Today's post is the final hadeeth from the Book of Revelation - Jazakumullahu khairan to Abu Talha for providing the notes. As the hadeeth is about Heraclius I would also like to direct readers to my post from last year about the Real Holy Grail - http://bukhariblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/real-holy-grail.html

Also, always bear in mind that these notes are a summary and I can't do justice to the Shaykh's work and insight on this blog. Please refer to the original lessons for a greater understanding and of course for the barakah of listening to the hadeeth being recited by the Shaykh with a full chain of narration to the Holy Prophet (saw).
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Hadeeth No. 7

أَنّ هِرَقْلَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ في رَكْبٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ, كَانُوا تُجّارًا بالشّأْمِ, فِي المُدّةِ الّتِي كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَادّ فِيهَا أَبَا سُفْيَانَ وَكُفّارَ قُرَيْشٍ, فَأَتَوْهُ وَهُمْ بِإِيلِيَاءَ, فَدَعَاهُمْ وَحَوْلَهُ عُظَمَاءُ الرّومِ, ثُمّ دَعَاهُمْ فَدَعَا بِالتّرْجُمَانِ, فَقَالَ: أَيّكُمْ أَقْرَبُ نَسَبًا بِهذَا الرّجُلِ الّذِي يَزْعُمُ أَنّهُ نَبِيّ فَقَالَ أَبُو سُفْيانَ: فَقُلْتُ أَنَا أَقْرَبُهُمْ, فَقَالَ: أَدْنُوهُ مِنّي, وَقَرّبُوا أَصْحَابَهُ فَاجْعَلُوهُمْ عِنْدَ ظَهْرِهِ, ثُمّ قَالَ لِتَرْجُمَانِهِ: قُلْ لَهُمْ إِنّي سَائِلٌ هذَا عَنْ هذَا الرّجُلِ, فَإِنْ كَذَبَنِي فَكَذّبُوهُ. فَوَاللهِ لَوْلاَ الْحَيَاءُ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْثُرُوا عَلَيّ كَذِبًا لَكَذَبْتُ عَنْهُ. ثُمّ كَانَ أَوّلَ مَا سَأَلَنِي عنْهُ أَنْ قَالَ: كَيْفَ نَسَبُهُ فِيكُمْ قُلْتُ: هُوَ فينَا ذُو نَسَبٍ. قَالَ فَهَلْ قَالَ هذَا الْقَوْلَ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدٌ قَطّ قَبْلَهُ قُلْتُ: لاَ. قَالَ: فَهَلْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ قُلْتُ: لاَ. قَالَ: فَأَشْرَافُ النّاسِ اتّبَعُوهُ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ فَقُلْتُ: ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ. قَالَ: أَيَزِيدُونَ أَمْ يَنْقُصُونَ قُلْتُ: بَلْ يَزِيدُونَ.

قَالَ: فَهَلْ يَرْتَدّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ سَخْطَةً لدِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِيهِ قُلْتُ: لاَ. قَالَ: فَهَلْ تَتّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ قُلْتُ: لاَ. قَالَ: فَهَلْ يَغْدِرُ قُلْتُ: لاَ, ونَحْنُ مِنْهُ فِي مُدّةٍ لاَ نَدْرِي مَا هُوَ فَاعِلٌ فِيهَا. قَالَ: ولَمْ يُمْكِنّي كَلِمَةٌ أُدْخِلُ فِيهَا شَيْئًا غَيْرُ هذِهِ الْكَلِمَةِ. قَالَ: فَهَلْ قَاتَلْتُمُوهُ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَكَيْفَ كَانَ قِتَالُكُمْ إِيّاهُ قُلْتُ: الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُ سِجَالٌ, يَنَالُ مِنّا وَنَنَالُ مِنْهُ. قَالَ: فَمَاذَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ قُلْتُ: يَقُولُ: اعْبُدُوا اللهَ وَحْدَهُ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا, وَاتْرُكُوا مَا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُكُمْ, وَيَأْمُرنَا بِالصّلاَةِ وَالصّدْقِ وَالْعَفَافِ وَالصّلَةِ. فَقَالَ لِلتّرْجُمَانِ: قُلْ لَهُ: إِنّي سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ نَسبِهِ فَذَكَرْتَ أَنّهُ فِيكُمْ ذُو نَسَبٍ, وَكَذلِكَ الرّسُلُ تُبْعَثُ فِي نَسَبِ قَوْمِهَا. وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ قَالَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ هذَا الْقَوْلَ قَبْلَهُ, فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ, فَقُلْتُ لَوْ كَانَ أَحَدٌ قَالَ هذَا الْقَوْلَ قَبْلَهُ, لَقُلْتُ رَجُلٌ يَتَأَسّى بِقَوْلٍ قِيلَ قَبْلَهُ. وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كَانَ مِنْ آبائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ, فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ, قُلْتُ: لَوْ كَانَ مِنْ آبَائِهِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ, قُلْتُ رَجُلٌ يَطْلُبُ مُلْكَ أَبِيهِ. وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ كُنْتُمْ تَتّهِمُونَهُ بِالْكَذِبِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُولَ مَا قَالَ, فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ, فَقَدْ أَعْرِفُ أَنّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَذَرَ الْكَذِبَ عَلَى النّاسِ وَيَكْذِبَ علَى اللهِ. وَسَأَلْتُكَ أَشْرَافُ النّاسِ اتّبَعُوهُ أَمْ ضُعَفَاؤُهُمْ, فَذَكَرْتَ أَنّ ضُعَفَاءَهُمْ اتّبَعُوهُ, وَهُمْ أَتْبَاعُ الرّسُلِ. وَسَأَلْتُكَ أَيَزِيدُونَ أَمْ يَنْقُصُونَ, فَذَكَرْتَ أَنّهُمْ يَزِيدُونَ, وَكَذلِكَ أَمْرُ الإِيمَانِ حَتّى يَتِمّ. وَسَأَلْتُكَ أَيَرْتَدّ أَحَدٌ سَخْطَةً لدِينِهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَدْخَلُ فِيهِ, فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ, وَكَذَلِكَ الإِيمَانُ حِينَ تُخَالِطُ بَشَاشَتُهُ الْقُلُوبَ. وَسَأَلْتُكَ هَلْ يَغْدِرُ, فَذَكَرْتَ أَنْ لاَ, وَكَذَلِكَ الرّسُلُ لاَ تَغْدِرُ. وَسَأَلْتُكَ بِمَا يَأْمُرُكُمْ, فَذَكَرْتَ أَنّهُ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَعْبُدُوا اللهَ وَحْدَه وَلاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا, وَيَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْ عِبادَةِ الأَوْثَانِ, وَيَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالصّلاَةِ وَالصِدْقِ وَالعَفَافِ, فَإِنْ كَانَ مَا تَقُولُ حَقّا فَسَيَمْلِكُ مَوْضِعَ قَدَمَيّ هَاتَيْنِ, وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَنّهُ خَارِجٌ, لَمْ أَكُنْ أَظُنّ أَنّهُ مِنْكُمْ, فَلَوْ أَعْلَمُ أَنّي أَخْلُصُ إِلَيْهِ, لَتَجَشّمْتُ لِقَاءَهُ, وَلَوْ كُنْتُ عِنْدَهُ لَغَسَلْتُ عَنْ قَدَمِهِ. ثُمّ دَعَا بِكِتَابِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الّذِي بُعِثَ بِهِ دِحْيَةُ إِلَى عَظيمِ بُصْرَى, فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ, فَقَرَأَهُ, فَإِذَا فِيهِ: (بِسْمِ اللهِ الرّحْمنِ الرّحيْمِ, مِنْ مُحَمّدٍ عَبْدِ اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى هِرَقْلَ عَظِيمِ الرّومِ: سَلاَمٌ عَلَى مَنِ اتّبَعَ الْهُدَى, أَمّا بَعْدُ, فَإِنّي أَدْعُوكَ بِدِعَايَةِ الإِسْلاَمِ, أَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ, يُؤْتِكَ اللهُ أَجْرَكَ مَرّتَيْنِ, فَإِنْ تَوَلّيْتَ فَإِنّ عَلَيْكَ إِثْمَ الأَرِيسّيينَ, وَ: (يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَنْ لاَ نَعْبُدَ إِلاّ اللهَ وَلاَ نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَتّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنّا مُسْلِمُونَ)). قَالَ أَبُو سُفْيانَ: فَلَمّا قَالَ مَا قَالَ, وَفَرَغَ مِنْ قِرَاءَةِ الْكِتابِ, كَثُرَ عِنْدَهُ الصّخَبُ وَارْتَفَعَتِ الأَصْواتُ وَأُخْرِجْنَا, فَقُلْتُ لِأَصْحَابِي: لَقَدْ أَمِرَ أَمْرُ ابْنِ أَبِي كَبْشَةَ, إِنّهُ يَخَافُهُ مَلِكُ بَنِي الأَصْفَرِ. فَما زِلْتُ مُوقِنًا أَنّهُ سَيَظْهَرُ حَتّى أَدْخَلَ اللهُ عَلَيّ الإِسْلاَمَ.

وَكَانَ ابْنُ النّاطُورِ, صَاحِبُ إِيلِيَاءَ وِهِرَقْلَ, أُسْقِفَ عَلَى نَصَارَى الشّأْمِ, يُحَدّثُ أَنّ هِرَقْلَ حِينَ قَدِمَ إِيلِيَاءَ, أَصْبَحَ خَبِيثَ النّفْسِ, فَقَالَ له بَعْضُ بَطَارِقَتِهِ: قَدِ اسْتَنْكَرْنَا هَيْئَتَكَ, قَالَ ابْنُ النّاطُورِ: وَكَانَ هِرَقْلُ حَزّاءً يَنْظُرُ في النّجُومِ, فَقَالَ لَهُمْ حِينَ سَأَلُوهُ: إِنّي رَأَيْتُ اللّيْلَةَ حِينَ نَظَرْتُ في النّجُومِ أَنّ مَلِكَ الْخِتَانِ قَدْ ظَهَرَ, فَمَنْ يَخْتَتِنُ مِنْ هذِهِ الأُمّةِ قَالُوا: لَيْسَ يَخْتَتِنُ إِلاّ الْيَهُودُ, فَلاَ يُهِمّنّكَ شَأْنُهُمْ, وَاكْتُبْ إِلَى مَدَايِنِ مُلْكِكَ, فَيَقْتُلُوا مَنْ فِيهِمْ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ. فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ عَلَى أَمْرِهِمْ, أُتِيَ هِرَقْلُ بِرَجُلٍ أَرْسَلَ بِهِ مَلِكُ غَسّانَ يُخْبِرُ عَنْ خَبَرِ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم, فَلَمّا اسْتَخْبَرَهُ هِرَقْلُ قَالَ: اذْهَبُوا فَانْظُرُوا أَمُخْتَتِنٌ هُوَ أَمْ لاَ فَنَظَرُوا إِلَيْهِ, فَحَدّثُوهُ أَنّهُ مَخْتَتِنٌ, وَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْعَرَبِ, فَقَالَ: هُمْ يَخْتَتِنُونَ, فَقَالَ هِرَقْلُ: هذَا مُلْكُ هذِهِ الأُمّةِ قَدْ ظَهَرَ. ثُمّ كَتَبَ هِرَقْلُ إِلَى صَاحِبٍ لَهُ بُرُومِيَةَ, وَكَانَ نَظِيرَهُ فِي الْعِلْمِ, وَسَارَ هِرَقْلُ إِلَى حِمْصَ, فَلَمْ يَرِمْ حِمْصَ حَتّى أَتَاهُ كِتَابٌ مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ يُوَافِقُ رَأْيَ هِرَقْلَ عَلَى خُرُوجِ النّبِيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم, وَأَنّهُ نَبِيّ, فَأَذِنَ هِرَقْلُ لِعُظَمَاءِ الرّومِ فِي دَسْكَرَةٍ لَهُ بِحِمْصَ, ثُمّ أَمَرَ بِأَبْوَابِهَا فَغُلّقَتْ, ثُمّ اطّلَعَ فَقَالَ: يَا مَعْشَرَ الرّومِ, هَلْ لَكُمْ فِي الْفَلاَحِ وَالرّشْدِ, وَأَنْ يَثْبُتَ مُلْكُكُمْ, فَتُبَايِعُوا هذَا النّبِيّ فَحَاصُوا حَيْصَةَ حُمُرِ الْوَحْشِ إِلَى الأَبْوَابِ, فَوَجَدُوهَا قَدْ غُلّقَتْ, فَلَمّا رَأَى هِرَقْلُ نَفْرَتَهُمْ, وَأَيسَ مِنَ الإِيمانِ, قَالَ: رُدّوهُمْ عَلَيّ, وَقَالَ: إِنّي قُلْتُ مَقَالَتِي آنِفًا أَخْتَبِرُ بِهَا شِدّتَكُمْ عَلَى دِينِكُمْ, فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ, فَسَجَدُوا لَهُ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ, فَكَانَ ذلِكَ آخِرَ شَأْنِ هِرَقْلَ. رواه البخاري: ٧

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas:

Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه) bin Harb informed me that Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan from Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Sham (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan), at the time when Allah's Apostle had truce with Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه) and Quraish infidels. So Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه) and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him. He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius's question said to them, "Who amongst you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?" Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه) replied, "I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the group)."

Heraclius said, "Bring him (Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه) close to me and make his companions stand behind him." Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه) added, Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put some questions to me regarding that man (The Prophet) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me." Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه) added, "By Allah! Had I not been afraid of my companions labeling me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about the Prophet. The first question he asked me about him was:

'What is his family status amongst you?'

I replied, 'He belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us.'

Heraclius further asked, 'Has anybody amongst you ever claimed the same (i.e. to be a Prophet) before him?'

I replied, 'No.'

He said, 'Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?'

I replied, 'No.'

Heraclius asked, 'Do the nobles or the poor follow him?'

I replied, 'It is the poor who follow him.'

He said, 'Are his followers increasing decreasing (day by day)?'

I replied, 'They are increasing.'

He then asked, 'Does anybody amongst those who embrace his religion become displeased and renounce the religion afterwards?'

I replied, 'No.'

Heraclius said, 'Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim (to be a Prophet)?'

I replied, 'No. '

Heraclius said, 'Does he break his promises?'

I replied, 'No. We are at truce with him but we do not know what he will do in it.' I could not find opportunity to say anything against him except that.

Heraclius asked, 'Have you ever had a war with him?'

I replied, 'Yes.'

Then he said, 'What was the outcome of the battles?'

I replied, 'Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we.'

Heraclius said, 'What does he order you to do?'

I said, 'He tells us to worship Allah and Allah 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.'

Heraclius asked the translator to convey to me the following, I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to a very noble family. In fact all the Apostles come from noble families amongst their respective peoples. I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing, your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following the previous man's statement. Then I asked you whether anyone of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom.

I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he said, and your reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others could ever tell a lie about Allah. I, then asked you whether the rich people followed him or the poor. You replied that it was the poor who followed him. And in fact all the Apostle have been followed by this very class of people. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing, and in fact this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in all respects. I further asked you whether there was anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded his religion. Your reply was in the negative, and in fact this is (the sign of) true faith, when its delight enters the hearts and mixes with them completely. I asked you whether he had ever betrayed. You replied in the negative and likewise the Apostles never betray. Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship any thing 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 have said is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew it (from the scriptures) that he was going to appear but I did not know that he would be from you, and if I could reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his feet.' Heraclius then asked for the letter addressed by Allah's Apostle which was delivered by Dihya to the Governor of Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius to read.

The contents of the letter were as follows: "In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad the slave of Allah and His Apostle to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon him, who follows the right path. Furthermore I invite you to Islam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allah will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam you will be committing a sin by misguiding your Arisiyin (peasants). (And I recite to you Allah's statement:

'O people of the scripture! Come to a word common to you and us that we worship none but Allah and that we associate nothing in worship with Him, and that none of us shall take others as Lords beside Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who have surrendered to Allah).' (3:64).

Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه) then added, "When Heraclius had finished his speech and had read the letter, there was a great hue and cry in the Royal Court. So we were turned out of the court. I told my companions that the question of Ibn-Abi-Kabsha) (the Prophet Muhammad) has become so prominent that even the King of Bani Al-Asfar (Byzantine) is afraid of him. Then I started to become sure that he (the Prophet) would be the conqueror in the near future till I embraced Islam (i.e. Allah

guided me to it)."

The sub narrator adds, "Ibn An-Natur was the Governor of llya' (Jerusalem) and Heraclius was the head of the Christians of Sham. Ibn An-Natur narrates that once while Heraclius was visiting ilya' (Jerusalem), he got up in the morning with a sad mood. Some of his priests asked him why he was in that mood? Heraclius was a foreteller and an astrologer. He replied, 'At night when I looked at the stars, I saw that the leader of those who practice circumcision had appeared (become the conqueror). Who are they who practice circumcision?' The people replied, 'Except the Jews nobody practices circumcision, so you should not be afraid of them (Jews).

'Just Issue orders to kill every Jew present in the country.'

While they were discussing it, a messenger sent by the king of Ghassan to convey the news of Allah's Apostle to Heraclius was brought in. Having heard the news, he (Heraclius) ordered the people to go and see whether the messenger of Ghassan was circumcised. The people, after seeing him, told Heraclius that he was circumcised. Heraclius then asked him about the Arabs. The messenger replied, 'Arabs also practice circumcision.'

(After hearing that) Heraclius remarked that sovereignty of the 'Arabs had appeared. Heraclius then wrote a letter to his friend in Rome who was as good as Heraclius in knowledge. Heraclius then left for Homs. (a town in Syrian and stayed there till he received the reply of his letter from his friend who agreed with him in his opinion about the emergence of the Prophet and the fact that he was a Prophet. On that Heraclius invited all the heads of the Byzantines to assemble in his palace at Homs. When they assembled, he ordered that all the doors of his palace be closed. Then he came out and said, 'O Byzantines! If success is your desire and if you seek right guidance and want your empire to remain then give a pledge of allegiance to this Prophet (i.e. embrace Islam).'

(On hearing the views of Heraclius) the people ran towards the gates of the palace like onagers but found the doors closed. Heraclius realized their hatred towards Islam and when he lost the hope of their embracing Islam, he ordered that they should be brought back in audience.

(When they returned) he said, 'What already said was just to test the strength of your conviction and I have seen it.' The people prostrated before him and became pleased with him, and this was the end of Heraclius's story (in connection with his faith).

Background to the hadeeth

This hadeeth deals with the story of Heraclius, who was the emperor of the Byzantium Romans. He was an emperor who dabbled in astronomy and he knew that the time for the emergence of a Prophet was near. This is highlighted towards the end of the Hadeeth (section of ibn An Natur). Whilst he was in Jerusalem the Ghassanian Arabs, who lived in the north of the Arabian Peninsula, sent word to him that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was proclaiming his message. At this stage Heraclius asked his courtiers if any Arabs of the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) tribe were close by - it happened that Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه) was in Gaza. At this stage he was still a non Muslim, and Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه ) and his companions were trading due to the fact that the treaty of Hudaybiyah was established between the Quraish and the Muslims.

Points to note from the Hadeeth

The Narrative by Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه)

The honesty of Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه), even though he was a non Muslim at the time is clear from the hadeeth. He told the truth about the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Lying was considered a despicable act even by the Disbelievers at the time and considered dishonorable. The passage in the Hadeeth regarding the question of Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه) is amazing. he remarks that this was a golden opportunity to deface and dishonor Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) but the fear of his companions conveying the fact that he had lied back in Makkah stopped him from doing so.

It is also worth mentioning what Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه) said when his daughter Umm Habibah (رضى الله عنها) married Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه ) remarked that “Indeed she has married a worthy man”

Ibn Kabsha

Towards the end of the narrative by Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه)., Abu Kabsha is mentioned.

The possibilities regarding this individual are three:

1. Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) foster father was Kabsha

2. He was one of Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) forefathers

3. He was an Arab who shunned idols

The Letter of Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)

Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq mentioned that there are a number of points to note from the letter that was sent:

1. It is permissible to write even to the disbelievers starting the letter with Bismillah

2. Heraclius feared accepting Islam and he also feared that if he accepted his people would turn against him, but in the letter Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) states that “accept Islam and you will be saved”

3. The verse of the Quran mentioned in the letter; This Hadeeth is not evidence as some suggest that one can handle the Quran without wudhu. The evidence for the impermissibly of touching the Quran without wudhu is clearly stated in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad (narrated by Ali رضى الله عنه) and by Haakim in his Mustadarrak (narrated by ibn Umar (رضى الله عنه) and Jafar )

The Final state of Heraclius

This Hadeeth is closely linked to the first Hadeeth in the book. Heraclius knew the truth but was insincere and preferred the dunya. It is also worth mentioning that he sent forces against the Muslims in the battle of Hunyan in the eighth year of Hijrah

Furthermore Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) sent him another letter just before the battle of Tabuk, Heraclius replied back saying that he had accepted Islam. However, Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) remarked that “He has lied and he remains in his Christianity”

Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq asked the question that:

Why has Imam Bukhari placed the ibn Natur section after the narrative of Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه)?

He answered:

That the answer lies in one of the narrators – Imaam Zuhree. The Imam adds the section of ibn Natur after personally meeting him, and the section is added for further clarification to the section by Abu Sufyan (رضى الله عنه). As a result the scholars of Hadeeth have recorded the Hadeeth in the same way.