Hadith 1 Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab:
I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "The reward of deeds depends
upon the intentions and every person will get the reward
according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for
worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for
what he emigrated for." Hadith 2 Narrated 'Aisha:
(The mother of the faithful believers) Al-Harith bin Hisham asked
Allah's Apostle "O Allah's Apostle! How is the Divine Inspiration
revealed to you?" Allah's Apostle replied, "Sometimes it is
(revealed) like the ringing of a bell, this form of Inspiration is the
hardest of all and then this state passes ' off after I have grasped
what is inspired. Sometimes the Angel comes in the form of a man
and talks to me and I grasp whatever he says." 'Aisha added:
Verily I saw the Prophet being inspired Divinely on a very cold
day and noticed the Sweat dropping from his forehead (as the
Inspiration was over).
Hadith 3 Narrated 'Aisha:
(The mother of the faithful believers) The commencement of the
Divine Inspiration to Allah's Apostle was in the form of good
dreams which came true like bright day light, and then the love of
seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion in
the cave of Hira where he used to worship (Allah alone)
continuously for many days before his desire to see his family. He
used to take with him the journey food for the stay and then come
back to (his wife) Khadija to take his food like-wise again till
suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave
of Hira.
The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet
replied, "I do not know how to read.
The Prophet added, "The angel caught me (forcefully) and
pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then
released me and again asked me to read and I replied, 'I do not
know how to read.' Thereupon he caught me again and pressed
me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then
released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, 'I do
not know how to read (or what shall I read)?' Thereupon he
caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released
me and said, 'Read in the name of your Lord, who has created (all
that exists) has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is
the Most Generous." (96.1, 96.2, 96.3) Then Allah's Apostle
returned with the Inspiration and with his heart beating severely.
Then he went to Khadija bint Khuwailid and said, "Cover me!
Cover me!" They covered him till his fear was over and after that
he told her everything that had happened and said, "I fear that
something may happen to me." Khadija replied, "Never! By
Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with
your Kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your
guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted
ones."
Khadija then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqa bin Naufal
bin Asad bin 'Abdul 'Uzza, who, during the PreIslamic Period
became a Christian and used to write the writing with Hebrew
letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as
Allah wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his
eyesight. Khadija said to Waraqa, Listen to the story of your
nephew, O my cousin!" Waraqa asked, "O my nephew! What
have you seen?" Allah's Apostle described whatever he had seen.
Waraqa said, "This is the same one who keeps the secrets (angel
Gabriel) whom Allah had sent to Moses.
I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your
people would turn you out." Allah's Apostle asked, "Will they
drive me out?" Waraqa replied in the affirmative and said,
"Anyone (man) who came with something similar to what you
have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should remain
alive till the day when you will be turned out then I would support
you strongly." But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine
Inspiration was also paused for a while.
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah Al-Ansari while talking about the
period of pause in revelation reporting the speech of the Prophet
"While I was walking, all of a sudden I heard a voice from the
sky. I looked up and saw the same angel who had visited me at the
cave of Hira' sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I
got afraid of him and came back home and said, 'Wrap me (in
blankets).' And then Allah revealed the following Holy Verses (of
Quran):
'O you (i.e. Muhammad)! wrapped up in garments!' Arise and
warn (the people against Allah's Punishment),... up to 'and desert
the idols.' (74.1-5) After this the revelation started coming
strongly, frequently and regularly."
Hadith 4 Narrated Said bin Jubair:
Ibn 'Abbas in the explanation of the Statement of Allah. 'Move
not your tongue concerning (the Quran) to make haste
therewith." (75.16) Said "Allah's Apostle used to bear the
revelation with great trouble and used to move his lips (quickly)
with the Inspiration." Ibn 'Abbas moved his lips saying, "I am
moving my lips in front of you as Allah's Apostle used to move
his." Said moved his lips saying: "I am moving my lips, as I saw
Ibn 'Abbas moving his." Ibn 'Abbas added, "So Allah revealed
'Move not your tongue concerning (the Qur'an) to make haste
therewith. It is for us to collect it and to give you (O Muhammad)
the ability to recite it (the Qur'an) (75.16-17) which means that
Allah will make him (the Prophet ) remember the portion of the
Qur'an which was revealed at that time by heart and recite it. The
Statement of Allah: And 'When we have recited it to you (O
Muhammad through Gabriel) then you follow its (Qur'an) recital'
(75.18) means 'listen to it and be silent.' Then it is for Us (Allah) to
make It clear to you' (75.19) means 'Then it is (for Allah) to make
you recite it (and its meaning will be clear by itself through your
tongue). Afterwards, Allah's Apostle used to listen to Gabriel
whenever he came and after his departure he used to recite it as
Gabriel had recited it."
Hadith 5 Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
Allah's Apostle was the most generous of all the people, and he
used to reach the peak in generosity in the month of Ramadan
when Gabriel met him. Gabriel used to meet him every night of
Ramadan to teach him the Qur'an. Allah's Apostle was the most
generous person, even more generous than the strong
uncontrollable wind (in readiness and haste to do charitable
deeds).
Hadith 6 Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas:
Abu Sufyan bin Harb informed me that Heraclius had sent a
messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan
from Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Sham
(Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan), at the time when Allah's
Apostle had truce with Abu Sufyan and Quraish infidels. So Abu
Sufyan and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem).
Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior
Roman dignitaries around him. He called for his translator who,
translating Heraclius's question said to them, "Who amongst you
is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?" Abu
Sufyan replied, "I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the
group)."
Heraclius said, "Bring him (Abu Sufyan) close to me and make
his companions stand behind him." Abu Sufyan added, Heraclius
told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put
some questions to me regarding that man (The Prophet) and that
if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me." Abu
Sufyan added, "By Allah! Had I not been afraid of my
companions labeling me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth
about the Prophet. The first question he asked me about him was:
'What is his family status amongst you?'
I replied, 'He belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us.'
Heraclius further asked, 'Has anybody amongst you ever claimed
the same (i.e. to be a Prophet) before him?'
I replied, 'No.'
He said, 'Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?'
I replied, 'No.'
Heraclius asked, 'Do the nobles or the poor follow him?'
I replied, 'It is the poor who follow him.'
He said, 'Are his followers increasing decreasing (day by day)?'
I replied, 'They are increasing.'
He then asked, 'Does anybody amongst those who embrace his
religion become displeased and renounce the religion afterwards?'
I replied, 'No.'
Heraclius said, 'Have you ever accused him of telling lies before
his claim (to be a Prophet)?'
I replied, 'No. '
Heraclius said, 'Does he break his promises?'
I replied, 'No. We are at truce with him but we do not know what
he will do in it.' I could not find opportunity to say anything
against him except that.
Heraclius asked, 'Have you ever had a war with him?'
I replied, 'Yes.'
Then he said, 'What was the outcome of the battles?'
I replied, 'Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we.'
Heraclius said, 'What does he order you to do?'
I said, 'He tells us to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to
worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our
ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to speak the truth, to be
chaste and to keep good relations with our Kith and kin.'
Heraclius asked the translator to convey to me the following, I
asked you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to
a very noble family. In fact all the Apostles come from noble
families amongst their respective peoples. I questioned you
whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing, your
reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the
affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following the
previous man's statement. Then I asked you whether anyone of
his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it
had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man
wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom.
I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before
he said what he said, and your reply was in the negative. So I
wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others could
ever tell a lie about Allah. I, then asked you whether the rich
people followed him or the poor. You replied that it was the poor
who followed him. And in fact all the Apostle have been followed
by this very class of people. Then I asked you whether his
followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they
were increasing, and in fact this is the way of true faith, till it is
complete in all respects. I further asked you whether there was
anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became displeased
and discarded his religion. Your reply was in the negative, and in
fact this is (the sign of) true faith, when its delight enters the
hearts and mixes with them completely. I asked you whether he
had ever betrayed. You replied in the negative and likewise the
Apostles never betray. Then I asked you what he ordered you to
do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah and Allah
alone and not to worship any thing along with Him and forbade
you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth
and to be chaste. If what you have said is true, he will very soon
occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew it (from the
scriptures) that he was going to appear but I did not know that he
would be from you, and if I could reach him definitely, I would go
immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly
wash his feet.' Heraclius then asked for the letter addressed by
Allah's Apostle which was delivered by Dihya to the Governor of
Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the
letter were as follows: "In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the
Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad the slave of Allah and
His Apostle to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon
him, who follows the right path. Furthermore I invite you to
Islam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allah will
double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam you
will be committing a sin by misguiding your Arisiyin (peasants).
(And I recite to you Allah's Statement:)
'O people of the scripture! Come to a word common to you and us
that we worship none but Allah and that we associate nothing in
worship with Him, and that none of us shall take others as Lords
beside Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we
are Muslims (those who have surrendered to Allah).' (3:64).
Abu Sufyan then added, "When Heraclius had finished his speech
and had read the letter, there was a great hue and cry in the
Royal Court. So we were turned out of the court. I told my
companions that the question of Ibn-Abi-Kabsha) (the Prophet
Muhammad) has become so prominent that even the King of Bani
Al-Asfar (Byzantine) is afraid of him. Then I started to become
sure that he (the Prophet) would be the conqueror in the near
future till I embraced Islam (i.e. Allah guided me to it)."
The sub narrator adds, "Ibn An-Natur was the Governor of llya'
(Jerusalem) and Heraclius was the head of the Christians of
Sham. Ibn An-Natur narrates that once while Heraclius was
visiting ilya' (Jerusalem), he got up in the morning with a sad
mood. Some of his priests asked him why he was in that mood?
Heraclius was a foreteller and an astrologer. He replied, 'At night
when I looked at the stars, I saw that the leader of those who
practice circumcision had appeared (become the conqueror). Who
are they who practice circumcision?' The people replied, 'Except
the Jews nobody practices circumcision, so you should not be
afraid of them (Jews).
'Just Issue orders to kill every Jew present in the country.'
While they were discussing it, a messenger sent by the king of
Ghassan to convey the news of Allah's Apostle to Heraclius was
brought in. Having heard the news, he (Heraclius) ordered the
people to go and see whether the messenger of Ghassan was
circumcised. The people, after seeing him, told Heraclius that he
was circumcised. Heraclius then asked him about the Arabs. The
messenger replied, 'Arabs also practice circumcision.'
(After hearing that) Heraclius remarked that sovereignty of the
'Arabs had appeared. Heraclius then wrote a letter to his friend in
Rome who was as good as Heraclius in knowledge. Heraclius then
left for Homs. (a town in Syrian and stayed there till he received
the reply of his letter from his friend who agreed with him in his
opinion about the emergence of the Prophet and the fact that he
was a Prophet. On that Heraclius invited all the heads of the
Byzantines to assemble in his palace at Homs. When they
assembled, he ordered that all the doors of his palace be closed.
Then he came out and said, 'O Byzantines! If success is yourdesire and if you seek right guidance and want your empire to
remain then give a pledge of allegiance to this Prophet (i.e.
embrace Islam).'
(On hearing the views of Heraclius) the people ran towards the
gates of the palace like onagers but found the doors closed.
Heraclius realized their hatred towards Islam and when he lost
the hope of their embracing Islam, he ordered that they should be
brought back in audience.
(When they returned) he said, 'What already said was just to test
the strength of your conviction and I have seen it.' The people
prostrated before him and became pleased with him, and this was
the end of Heraclius's story (in connection with his faith).
I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "The reward of deeds depends
upon the intentions and every person will get the reward
according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for
worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for
what he emigrated for." Hadith 2 Narrated 'Aisha:
(The mother of the faithful believers) Al-Harith bin Hisham asked
Allah's Apostle "O Allah's Apostle! How is the Divine Inspiration
revealed to you?" Allah's Apostle replied, "Sometimes it is
(revealed) like the ringing of a bell, this form of Inspiration is the
hardest of all and then this state passes ' off after I have grasped
what is inspired. Sometimes the Angel comes in the form of a man
and talks to me and I grasp whatever he says." 'Aisha added:
Verily I saw the Prophet being inspired Divinely on a very cold
day and noticed the Sweat dropping from his forehead (as the
Inspiration was over).
Hadith 3 Narrated 'Aisha:
(The mother of the faithful believers) The commencement of the
Divine Inspiration to Allah's Apostle was in the form of good
dreams which came true like bright day light, and then the love of
seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion in
the cave of Hira where he used to worship (Allah alone)
continuously for many days before his desire to see his family. He
used to take with him the journey food for the stay and then come
back to (his wife) Khadija to take his food like-wise again till
suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave
of Hira.
The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet
replied, "I do not know how to read.
The Prophet added, "The angel caught me (forcefully) and
pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then
released me and again asked me to read and I replied, 'I do not
know how to read.' Thereupon he caught me again and pressed
me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then
released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, 'I do
not know how to read (or what shall I read)?' Thereupon he
caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released
me and said, 'Read in the name of your Lord, who has created (all
that exists) has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is
the Most Generous." (96.1, 96.2, 96.3) Then Allah's Apostle
returned with the Inspiration and with his heart beating severely.
Then he went to Khadija bint Khuwailid and said, "Cover me!
Cover me!" They covered him till his fear was over and after that
he told her everything that had happened and said, "I fear that
something may happen to me." Khadija replied, "Never! By
Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with
your Kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your
guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted
ones."
Khadija then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqa bin Naufal
bin Asad bin 'Abdul 'Uzza, who, during the PreIslamic Period
became a Christian and used to write the writing with Hebrew
letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as
Allah wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his
eyesight. Khadija said to Waraqa, Listen to the story of your
nephew, O my cousin!" Waraqa asked, "O my nephew! What
have you seen?" Allah's Apostle described whatever he had seen.
Waraqa said, "This is the same one who keeps the secrets (angel
Gabriel) whom Allah had sent to Moses.
I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your
people would turn you out." Allah's Apostle asked, "Will they
drive me out?" Waraqa replied in the affirmative and said,
"Anyone (man) who came with something similar to what you
have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should remain
alive till the day when you will be turned out then I would support
you strongly." But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine
Inspiration was also paused for a while.
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah Al-Ansari while talking about the
period of pause in revelation reporting the speech of the Prophet
"While I was walking, all of a sudden I heard a voice from the
sky. I looked up and saw the same angel who had visited me at the
cave of Hira' sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I
got afraid of him and came back home and said, 'Wrap me (in
blankets).' And then Allah revealed the following Holy Verses (of
Quran):
'O you (i.e. Muhammad)! wrapped up in garments!' Arise and
warn (the people against Allah's Punishment),... up to 'and desert
the idols.' (74.1-5) After this the revelation started coming
strongly, frequently and regularly."
Hadith 4 Narrated Said bin Jubair:
Ibn 'Abbas in the explanation of the Statement of Allah. 'Move
not your tongue concerning (the Quran) to make haste
therewith." (75.16) Said "Allah's Apostle used to bear the
revelation with great trouble and used to move his lips (quickly)
with the Inspiration." Ibn 'Abbas moved his lips saying, "I am
moving my lips in front of you as Allah's Apostle used to move
his." Said moved his lips saying: "I am moving my lips, as I saw
Ibn 'Abbas moving his." Ibn 'Abbas added, "So Allah revealed
'Move not your tongue concerning (the Qur'an) to make haste
therewith. It is for us to collect it and to give you (O Muhammad)
the ability to recite it (the Qur'an) (75.16-17) which means that
Allah will make him (the Prophet ) remember the portion of the
Qur'an which was revealed at that time by heart and recite it. The
Statement of Allah: And 'When we have recited it to you (O
Muhammad through Gabriel) then you follow its (Qur'an) recital'
(75.18) means 'listen to it and be silent.' Then it is for Us (Allah) to
make It clear to you' (75.19) means 'Then it is (for Allah) to make
you recite it (and its meaning will be clear by itself through your
tongue). Afterwards, Allah's Apostle used to listen to Gabriel
whenever he came and after his departure he used to recite it as
Gabriel had recited it."
Hadith 5 Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
Allah's Apostle was the most generous of all the people, and he
used to reach the peak in generosity in the month of Ramadan
when Gabriel met him. Gabriel used to meet him every night of
Ramadan to teach him the Qur'an. Allah's Apostle was the most
generous person, even more generous than the strong
uncontrollable wind (in readiness and haste to do charitable
deeds).
Hadith 6 Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas:
Abu Sufyan bin Harb informed me that Heraclius had sent a
messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan
from Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Sham
(Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan), at the time when Allah's
Apostle had truce with Abu Sufyan and Quraish infidels. So Abu
Sufyan and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem).
Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior
Roman dignitaries around him. He called for his translator who,
translating Heraclius's question said to them, "Who amongst you
is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?" Abu
Sufyan replied, "I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the
group)."
Heraclius said, "Bring him (Abu Sufyan) close to me and make
his companions stand behind him." Abu Sufyan added, Heraclius
told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put
some questions to me regarding that man (The Prophet) and that
if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me." Abu
Sufyan added, "By Allah! Had I not been afraid of my
companions labeling me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth
about the Prophet. The first question he asked me about him was:
'What is his family status amongst you?'
I replied, 'He belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us.'
Heraclius further asked, 'Has anybody amongst you ever claimed
the same (i.e. to be a Prophet) before him?'
I replied, 'No.'
He said, 'Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?'
I replied, 'No.'
Heraclius asked, 'Do the nobles or the poor follow him?'
I replied, 'It is the poor who follow him.'
He said, 'Are his followers increasing decreasing (day by day)?'
I replied, 'They are increasing.'
He then asked, 'Does anybody amongst those who embrace his
religion become displeased and renounce the religion afterwards?'
I replied, 'No.'
Heraclius said, 'Have you ever accused him of telling lies before
his claim (to be a Prophet)?'
I replied, 'No. '
Heraclius said, 'Does he break his promises?'
I replied, 'No. We are at truce with him but we do not know what
he will do in it.' I could not find opportunity to say anything
against him except that.
Heraclius asked, 'Have you ever had a war with him?'
I replied, 'Yes.'
Then he said, 'What was the outcome of the battles?'
I replied, 'Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we.'
Heraclius said, 'What does he order you to do?'
I said, 'He tells us to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to
worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our
ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to speak the truth, to be
chaste and to keep good relations with our Kith and kin.'
Heraclius asked the translator to convey to me the following, I
asked you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to
a very noble family. In fact all the Apostles come from noble
families amongst their respective peoples. I questioned you
whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing, your
reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the
affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following the
previous man's statement. Then I asked you whether anyone of
his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it
had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man
wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom.
I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before
he said what he said, and your reply was in the negative. So I
wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others could
ever tell a lie about Allah. I, then asked you whether the rich
people followed him or the poor. You replied that it was the poor
who followed him. And in fact all the Apostle have been followed
by this very class of people. Then I asked you whether his
followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they
were increasing, and in fact this is the way of true faith, till it is
complete in all respects. I further asked you whether there was
anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became displeased
and discarded his religion. Your reply was in the negative, and in
fact this is (the sign of) true faith, when its delight enters the
hearts and mixes with them completely. I asked you whether he
had ever betrayed. You replied in the negative and likewise the
Apostles never betray. Then I asked you what he ordered you to
do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah and Allah
alone and not to worship any thing along with Him and forbade
you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth
and to be chaste. If what you have said is true, he will very soon
occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew it (from the
scriptures) that he was going to appear but I did not know that he
would be from you, and if I could reach him definitely, I would go
immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly
wash his feet.' Heraclius then asked for the letter addressed by
Allah's Apostle which was delivered by Dihya to the Governor of
Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the
letter were as follows: "In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the
Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad the slave of Allah and
His Apostle to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon
him, who follows the right path. Furthermore I invite you to
Islam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allah will
double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam you
will be committing a sin by misguiding your Arisiyin (peasants).
(And I recite to you Allah's Statement:)
'O people of the scripture! Come to a word common to you and us
that we worship none but Allah and that we associate nothing in
worship with Him, and that none of us shall take others as Lords
beside Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we
are Muslims (those who have surrendered to Allah).' (3:64).
Abu Sufyan then added, "When Heraclius had finished his speech
and had read the letter, there was a great hue and cry in the
Royal Court. So we were turned out of the court. I told my
companions that the question of Ibn-Abi-Kabsha) (the Prophet
Muhammad) has become so prominent that even the King of Bani
Al-Asfar (Byzantine) is afraid of him. Then I started to become
sure that he (the Prophet) would be the conqueror in the near
future till I embraced Islam (i.e. Allah guided me to it)."
The sub narrator adds, "Ibn An-Natur was the Governor of llya'
(Jerusalem) and Heraclius was the head of the Christians of
Sham. Ibn An-Natur narrates that once while Heraclius was
visiting ilya' (Jerusalem), he got up in the morning with a sad
mood. Some of his priests asked him why he was in that mood?
Heraclius was a foreteller and an astrologer. He replied, 'At night
when I looked at the stars, I saw that the leader of those who
practice circumcision had appeared (become the conqueror). Who
are they who practice circumcision?' The people replied, 'Except
the Jews nobody practices circumcision, so you should not be
afraid of them (Jews).
'Just Issue orders to kill every Jew present in the country.'
While they were discussing it, a messenger sent by the king of
Ghassan to convey the news of Allah's Apostle to Heraclius was
brought in. Having heard the news, he (Heraclius) ordered the
people to go and see whether the messenger of Ghassan was
circumcised. The people, after seeing him, told Heraclius that he
was circumcised. Heraclius then asked him about the Arabs. The
messenger replied, 'Arabs also practice circumcision.'
(After hearing that) Heraclius remarked that sovereignty of the
'Arabs had appeared. Heraclius then wrote a letter to his friend in
Rome who was as good as Heraclius in knowledge. Heraclius then
left for Homs. (a town in Syrian and stayed there till he received
the reply of his letter from his friend who agreed with him in his
opinion about the emergence of the Prophet and the fact that he
was a Prophet. On that Heraclius invited all the heads of the
Byzantines to assemble in his palace at Homs. When they
assembled, he ordered that all the doors of his palace be closed.
Then he came out and said, 'O Byzantines! If success is yourdesire and if you seek right guidance and want your empire to
remain then give a pledge of allegiance to this Prophet (i.e.
embrace Islam).'
(On hearing the views of Heraclius) the people ran towards the
gates of the palace like onagers but found the doors closed.
Heraclius realized their hatred towards Islam and when he lost
the hope of their embracing Islam, he ordered that they should be
brought back in audience.
(When they returned) he said, 'What already said was just to test
the strength of your conviction and I have seen it.' The people
prostrated before him and became pleased with him, and this was
the end of Heraclius's story (in connection with his faith).
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