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Heraclius Receives News of Muhammad
Ibn al-Natur was the Governor of Jerusalem for Heraclius,
who was the head of the Christians of Greater Syria. Ibn al-Natur
narrates that once, while he was in Jerusalem :
Heraclius got up in the morning in a sad mood. Some of
the priests asked him why.
Being one who practiced astrology, Heraclius had been
attempting to map out the future.
In reply to the enquiry, he said, “Last night I was looking
at the stars, and I saw that a leader of those who practice circumcision had
appeared (and would conqueror all before him). Who are they who practice
circumcision?”
The priests replied, “Except the Jews nobody practices
circumcision, and you needn’t be afraid of them; just issue orders to kill
every Jew present in the country.”
While they were discussing it, a messenger sent by the King
of Ghassan[1] to
convey the news of the Messenger of God to Heraclius was brought in.
(This news may have been the actual letter from the Prophet)
Having heard the news, Heraclius ordered the priest check
whether the messenger from Ghassan was circumcised. After having him
physically examined, they reported that the man was circumcised.
Heraclius then asked the messenger about the custom of the Arabs. The
messenger replied, “Arabs also practice circumcision.”
When he heard this, Heraclius said, “The reign of the Arabs
has began and their kingdom is about to become manifest.”[2]
The following story is taken from the narratives by the
companions of the Prophet. The story was told by Abu Sufyan to Abdullah
Ibn Abbas, who related it to others.[3]
Ibn Abbas was a very devoted student to Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings
of God be upon him, and a well respected scholar of the Quran.
Abu Sufyan’s Meeting with Heraclius Caesar
In 629CE, three years before the death of the Messenger of
God, Heraclius re-conquered Jerusalem
triumphantly bearing what was said to be the original cross venerated by the
Christians, and which the Khosrau II had taken as booty 15 years previously.[4]
While resident there, the letter Muhammad had sent, perhaps a year earlier,
came to his hand. When he read it, he enquired about the presence of
someone from the author’s people in the territory he controlled, and was told
of Abu Sufyan’s trade caravan from Mecca ,
which was trading nearby. He, with his companions, was summoned to the
Emperor’s court in Jerusalem ,
appearing before Heraclius who had his Byzantine Grandees around him.
The Questions Posed by Heraclius and Their Answers
Heraclius called for his interpreter so as to question them,
commanding him to ask who amongst them was the closest in kinship to the man
who claimed to be a prophet.
Abu Sufyan replied, “I am the nearest relative to him (in
this group).”
Heraclius asked, “And what is the relationship between you
and him?”
Abu Sufyan said, “He is my (distant) cousin on the spear
side.”[5]
Heraclius said, “Bring him closer!” and had Abu
Sufyan’s companions placed behind him, at his shoulders. Then he ordered
his interpreter, “Tell his companions that I am going to question him about the
man who claims to be a prophet, so if he tells a lie, immediately repudiate it
as a lie.”
“How is the lineage of this man among you?” the Roman
Emperor continued.
“He is of noble descent.” Abu Sufyan replied.
Heraclius further enquired, “Has anybody amongst you ever
previously claimed the same as he does?” “Was
he prone to lying before he claimed what he has claimed?” “Was anybody
among his ancestors a king?”
To each question Abu Sufyan could only answer, “No.”
“Do the highborn or the humble among his people listen to
him?”
Abu Sufyan replied, “The powerless, rather than the
highborn, follow him.”
He said, “Are they increasing or decreasing in number?”
“They are increasing,” was the reply.
He then asked, “Does anybody amongst those who embrace his
religion turn away discontent and renounce it after a while.”
“No.”
Heraclius said, “Does he break his covenants?”
The caravan leader replied, “No. We have a truce
with him now, but we fear he may betray us.”
The questioning relentlessly continued: “Have you ever
fought each other?”
“Yes.”
“How do the battles turn out?”
“Sometimes he wins the battles and sometimes we win them.”
“What does he order you to do (when he preaches)?
“He tells us to worship God alone and not to worship
anything along with Him, and to renounce the all the idols that our ancestors
have taught us to worship. He orders us to pray, give charity, be chaste,
fulfill promises and discharge our trusts to kith and kin.”
Abu Sufyan was to later admit that he would have lied about
the Prophet if he hadn’t been afraid of the shame of having his colleagues
(listening behind him) spread reports that he was a liar. So he answered
as truthfully as he could. He also mentioned the part that he had feared
betrayal from Muhammad and those he led because it presented the best
opportunity he had to slip in a negative statement against him.
The Emperor Assesses the Interrogation
After he had finished interrogating Abu Sufyan about the
Prophet, Heraclius decided to tell him what he had learned from the
interview. His interpreter conveyed his analysis.
He said: “I asked you about his lineage among you, and
you stated that he was of sound lineage. Indeed, all the Messengers of
God come from sound lineages among their respective peoples.
“Then I asked if anybody had claimed what he claims before
him among your tribe, and your reply was that none had. If you had said
others had made such a claim, I would have assumed he was following that which
had been said before him.
“I further asked if you had found him a liar before he said
what he said, and you said that you had not. I know that a person who
does not lie about other men would never lie about God.
“And I asked you if any of his ancestors had been a
king. If your reply had been an affirmative, I would have thought that
the man was seeking to restore his ancestral kingdom.
“Then I enquired whether the highborn or the humble followed
him, and you told me his followers were mainly humble people. Indeed,
they are invariably the followers of Messengers.
“Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or
decreasing, and you informed me that they were increasing. And so it is
with true faith until it is complete.
“I further asked you whether there was anybody who embraces
the religion he teaches who turns away discontent and renounces it after a
while. Your reply was in the negative, which is how true faith is, when
the delight of it mixes completely with their hearts.
“And I asked you whether you fought one another, to which
you replied affirmatively, adding that the fortunes of war were sometimes in
his favor and sometimes in yours. So it is with all Messengers, but the
final victory will be with him.
“I asked you whether he is ever treacherous, and you said he
is not. So it is with all the Messengers; they never act treacherously.
“Then I asked you what he enjoins upon you in the religion
he preaches. You stated that he orders you to worship God alone, and not
associate any thing with Him, and not worship the idols of your
ancestors. And that he enjoins you to pray and give charity, to be
chaste, fulfill covenants and discharge trusts. And this is the
description of what a prophet does.”
Thus did The Byzantine Caesar acknowledge the prophethood of
the Messenger of God.
Footnotes:
[1] Ghassan
was vassal state of the Roman Empire in Greater Syria administered by an Arab
king loyal to Byzantium .
[4] Khosrau
II, a Wikipedia article incorporating information from Heraclius and Khosrow II
in the online Encyclopædia Britannica (2006).
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