Muammar informed us from Zuhri, who narrated from Ubaidullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah, and he narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him face to face, saying: During the period of the truce that was between me and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), I went on a journey. He said: During this time, when I was in Syria, a letter from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was brought to Heraclius, the ruler of Rome in Syria. He said: Dihyah Kalbi (may Allah be pleased with him) brought it and handed it over to the governor of Busra, and the governor of Busra delivered it to Heraclius. So Heraclius said: Is there anyone here from the people of this man who claims to be a prophet? They said: Yes. He said: So I was called along with some men from Quraysh. We came to Heraclius, and he made us sit before him and asked: Who among you is closest in lineage to this man who claims to be a prophet? Abu Sufyan said: I replied: I am. So they made me sit in front of him and my companions behind me. Then he called his interpreter and said to him: Tell them that I am going to ask this man about the one who claims to be a prophet. If he lies to me, then you all should deny him. He said: Abu Sufyan said: By Allah! If I had not been afraid that they would attribute a lie to me, I would have lied. Then he said to his interpreter: Ask him: How is his lineage among you? He said: I replied: He is of noble lineage among us. He asked: Was there any king among his ancestors? I replied: No. He asked: Did you ever accuse him of lying before he said what he said (about prophethood)? I replied: No. He asked: Who are his followers? Are they the noble or the weak? I replied: Rather, they are the weak. He asked: Are they increasing or decreasing? I replied: No, rather they are increasing. He asked: Does anyone among them, after entering his religion, dislike it and apostatize? I replied: No. He asked: Have you fought him? I replied: Yes. He asked: How was your fighting with him? I replied: The fighting between us and him is like the filling of a bucket—sometimes he harms us and sometimes we harm him. He asked: Does he break his promises? I replied: No, we are in a truce with him, and we do not know what he will do in it. He said: By Allah! Except for this one word, I could not add anything else. He asked: Has anyone said this (claim of prophethood) before him? I replied: No. He said to his interpreter: Tell them: I asked you about his lineage, and you said he is of noble lineage among you. That is how the messengers are sent, among the noblest of their people. And I asked: Was there any king among his ancestors? You claimed: No. I thought: If there had been a king among his ancestors, I would have said: He is a man seeking to reclaim the kingdom of his forefathers. And I asked you about his followers: Are they the weak or the noble? You said: Rather, they are the weak. The followers of the messengers are always the weak. And I asked you: Did you ever accuse him of lying before he said what he said? You said: No. So I knew that it is not possible for him to refrain from lying to people and then lie about Allah. And I asked you: Does anyone, after entering his religion, dislike it and leave it? You said: No. When faith enters the heart, it settles there. And I asked you: Are they increasing or decreasing? You said: They are increasing. Faith is like that until it is complete. And I asked you: Have you fought him? You said: Yes, and that the fighting between you and him is like the filling of a bucket—he kills from among you and you kill from among his people. That is how the messengers are tested, then the outcome is in their favor. And I asked you: Does he break his promises? You said: He does not break his promises, and that is how the messengers are; they do not betray. And I asked you: Has anyone said this before him? You said: No. I thought: If someone had said this before him, I would have said: He is a man repeating what was said before. He said: Then he asked: What does he command you to do? I replied: He commands us to pray, to give zakat, to maintain ties of kinship, and to be chaste. He said: If what you say about him is true, then he is indeed a prophet, and I knew that he was about to appear, but I did not think he would be from among you. And if I knew that I could reach him, I would love to meet him, and if I were with him, I would wash his feet, and his kingdom will reach the land beneath my feet. He said: Then he called for the letter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and read it. In it was written: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Heraclius, the ruler of Rome. Peace be upon him who 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. But if you turn away, then upon you will be the sin of the peasants (your followers). And: "O People of the Book! Come to a word that is just between us and you: that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate nothing with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who submit to Allah)." When he finished reading the letter, voices were raised and there was much commotion. He ordered that we be expelled. He said: When we went out, I said to my companions: The matter of the son of Abu Kabshah has become great; even the king of Banu Asfar (the Romans) fears him. He said: After that, I was always certain about the matter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he would prevail, until Allah entered Islam into me by overpowering me.