Mu'jam Kabir Tabarani 7241 — Abu Sufyan bin Harb told me that he was

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: Abu Sufyan bin Harb (may Allah be pleased with him) told me that he was in Syria with some men of Quraysh who had come to trade, and this was during the period (of truce) between the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the disbelievers of Quraysh. Abu Sufyan said: Then Caesar's messenger came, and he took me and my companions until we reached Iliya'. We went in to him and found him sitting in his royal court wearing the crown, with the great men of Rome around him. He said to his interpreter: Ask them: Which of them is closest in lineage to this man who claims that he is a prophet? Abu Sufyan said: I said: I am the closest of them to him in lineage. He said: What is the relationship between you and him? I said: He is my cousin. Abu Sufyan said: And that day there was no one in the caravan from Banu Abd Manaf except me. Caesar said: Bring him close to me. Then he gave orders concerning my companions, and they were placed behind my back, near my shoulders. Then Caesar said to his interpreter: Tell his companions: I am going to ask this man about the man who claims that he is a prophet; if he lies, then declare him a liar. Abu Sufyan said: Had it not been for the shame that day of my companions accusing me of lying, I would certainly have lied about him when he asked me; but I was ashamed that they would accuse me of lying, so I told him the truth. Then Caesar said to his interpreter: Ask him: What is the lineage of this man among you? I said: He is of noble lineage among us. He said: Has anyone among you ever said this thing? I said: No. He said: Did you accuse him of lying before he said what he said? I said: No. He said: Was any of his forefathers a king? I said: No. He said: Did the noble among the people follow him, or the weak? I said: Rather the weak. He said: Are they increasing or decreasing? I said: Rather they are increasing. He said: Does any of them, after entering his religion, turn back out of displeasure with it? I said: No. He said: Does he act treacherously? I said: We are now in a period (of truce) with him, and we fear that. Abu Sufyan said: I found no word other than this into which I could insert something to belittle him without fearing that it would be reported of me (as a lie). He said: Did you fight him, and did he fight you? He said: Yes. He said: How has his war with you and your war with him gone? I said: It has gone by turns and changed hands; one time he prevails over us, and another time we prevail over him. He said: What does he command you? I said: He commands us to worship Allah alone and not to associate anything with Him, forbids us to worship what our forefathers worshipped, and commands us to pray, give charity, be chaste, keep our covenants and fulfil trusts. He said: When I said this to him, he said to his interpreter: Tell him: I asked you about his lineage among you, and you stated that he is of noble lineage among you; and so the messengers are sent from the nobility of their people. I asked you: Did any of his forefathers say this thing? You said no. So I said: Had anyone among you said this thing, I would have said: This is a man following the saying of someone who spoke before him. I asked you: Was there a king among his forefathers before? And you said no. So I said: Had there been a king among his forefathers, I would have said: This is a man seeking the kingdom of his forefathers. I asked you: Did the noble follow him, or the weak? And you stated that the weak are his followers; and such are the followers of the messengers. I asked you: Are they increasing or decreasing? And you stated that they are increasing; and such is the matter of faith. I asked you: Does any of them, after entering his religion, turn back out of displeasure with it? And you said no; and such is faith when it settles deep in hearts: no one becomes displeased with it. I asked you: Does he act treacherously? And you said no; and so the messengers do not act treacherously. I asked you: Did you fight him, and did he fight you? And you stated that he has done so, and that your war and his war go by turns and change hands, one time he prevails over you and another time you prevail over him; and so it is with the messengers, then the final outcome is theirs. I asked you what he commands you, and you stated that he commands you to worship Allah alone and not associate anything with Him, forbids you what your forefathers used to worship, and commands you to pray, give charity, be chaste and fulfil trusts. He is a prophet. I knew that he was going to appear, but I did not think he would be from among you. If what I have said is true, then soon he will possess the place of these two feet of mine. By Allah! If I were certain that I could reach him, I would bear every hardship to meet him, and I would wash his feet. Abu Sufyan said: Then he called for the letter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and ordered it to be read, and in it was: "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the servant of Allah and His Messenger, to Heraclius, the great one of the Romans. Peace be upon whoever follows guidance. To proceed: I invite you with the call of Islam. Accept Islam and you will be safe; accept Islam and Allah will give you your reward twice over. But if you turn away, the sin of the subjects will be upon you. And: 'O People of the Book! Come to a word that is equal between us and you: that we worship none but Allah, that we associate nothing with Him, and that none of us takes others as lords besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims.'" Abu Sufyan said: When he finished his speech, the voices of the great men of Rome around him rose and their clamour grew, and I did not know what they were saying. He said: Then orders were given concerning us and we were taken out. When I had come out with my companions and got clear, I said: The affair of Ibn Abi Kabshah has grown great; here is the king of the Romans fearing him. Abu Sufyan said: By Allah! I remained humbled and certain that his affair would prevail, until Allah granted me Islam, though I was unwilling.