Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say on the day of Khaybar: "I will give the banner to a man at whose hands Allah will grant victory." The people spent the night discussing which of them would be given it. In the morning the people went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), each hoping that it would be given to him. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Where is Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him)?" The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) said: O Messenger of Allah, his eyes are troubling him. He (peace and blessings be upon him) sent for him, applied his saliva to his eyes and supplicated for him. He was healed on the spot, as though he had never had any ailment. He (peace and blessings be upon him) gave him the banner, and he said: O Messenger of Allah, shall we fight them until they become like us? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Go gently; proceed until you camp in their open ground, then invite them to Islam and inform them of the obligations upon them in it. By Allah, that Allah should guide a single man through you is better for you than red camels."
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب السير / 18230
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wrote to Chosroes, to Caesar and to every chieftain, inviting them to Allah Almighty.
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب السير / 18231
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) never fought any people until he had first invited them (to Islam).
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب السير / 18232
Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Captives from (the worshippers of) al-Lat and al-Uzza were brought to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The narrator said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Did you invite them to Islam?" They said: No. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said to them (the captives): "Did they invite you to Islam?" They said: No. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Let them go until they reach their place of safety." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited these two verses: "Indeed, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good tidings and a warner, and as one who invites to Allah by His permission, and as an illuminating lamp." [Surah al-Ahzab: 46] and "And this Qur'an has been revealed to me so that I may warn you thereby and whomever it reaches. Do you indeed testify that there are other gods besides Allah?" [Surah al-An'am: 19] to the end of the verse.
Rawh bin Musafir is da'if (weak).
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب السير / 18233