Majma al-Zawaid — Hadith 9589

Abdullah bin Shaddad narrates: Sayyiduna Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) stated: (Before I accepted Islam,) the first day on which awe of Sayyiduna Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) came over my heart was the day when Caesar, in his kingdom, his dominion and his presence, said what he said. The narrator says: He meant Caesar's words: "If I come to know that he is the one, I will walk on foot to him, kiss his head and wash his feet." Abu Sufyan says: I was present there; sweat flowed from his forehead and fell onto the letter which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had sent to him. Sayyiduna Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) says: After that I remained continually in awe of Sayyiduna Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) until I accepted Islam. In that letter was written: "O People of the Book! Come to a word that is common between us and you: that we worship none but Allah, and associate no one with Him, and that none of us takes another as lord besides Allah. If you turn away, then say: We are Muslims. He is the One who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, so that He may make it prevail over all religions, even though the polytheists dislike it." "Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, and do not make unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful, and do not adopt the religion of truth, from among those who were given the Book, (keep fighting) until they pay the jizyah by hand, in a state of humility." (Allamah Haythami says:) I say: A hadith narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) is mentioned in the Sahih, but it is other than this report.
Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.