4. THE PROPHET’S DEPUTATION TO KISRA (CHOSROES)THE KING OF PERSIA
Al-Bukhari related on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, sent a man with a letter addressed to Kisra. He ordered him to first give it to the ruler of Bahrain and tell him to deliver it to Kisra. When Kisra read it, he tore it into pieces. (Az-Zuhri said): I think Ibn Al- Musaiyyab said: “Allah’s Messenger invoked Allah to tear them (Kisra and his followers) into pieces.”
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, also sent Hudhafah Ibn Qais Ibn ‘Adiyy Ibn Sa’d Ibn Sahm with a letter to Kisra saying: “In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah To Kisra, the king of Persia Peace be upon those who follow the guidance and believe in Allah and His Messenger; bearing witness that none deserves to be worshipped except Allah, Alone, with Whom there is no partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. I invite you with Allah’s invitation, for I am truly His Messenger sent to the entire humanity, to give warning to the living and justify the Word against the disbelievers. If you submit (to Islam), you will be safe but if you decline, the sin of (all) the Magians will be upon you.”
(The narrator added): When he read the letter, he tore it and said, “He writes this type of letter to me, while he is my slave?” Then Kisra wrote to Badham, his viceroy over Yemen, ordering him to “send two men to arrest this man in Hijaz and bring him to me.” Badham sent his steward along with two Persians. When they reached the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, with their clean-shaven beards and bushy mustaches, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, detested looking at them. He asked, “Woe be to you, who ordered you to do this?” They responded, “Our lord (Kisra).” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “Rather, my Lord commands me to keep the beard and trim the must ache.” He then said, “Go back and return to me tomorrow.” Meanwhile, Divine revelation was sent to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, informing him that Sheerawaih, Kisra’s son, had overthrown him, and killed him (his father) in such-and-such month on such- and-such night. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, invited the two emissaries and informed them of the news. They said: “Are you aware of what you are saying? The one who has sent us against you is more vulnerable than that. Should we write this against you and inform King Badham about what you have said?”
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Yes, inform him on my behalf” and add: “Certainly, my religion and my authority shall subsume the extent of Kisra’s authority and it will terminate at the limit of where the hooves (of riding animals) can cover. Also tell him: If you submit, I shall leave your territory with you and preserve your authority over your people.”
Badham had not tarried long before Sheerawaih’s letter reached him saying: “I have killed Kisra in vengeance for deeming it permissible to assassinate noblemen and slaughtering them. So once you receive my letter, take allegiance on my behalf from those in your direction and then proceed to that man about whom Kisra had written an edict and do not provoke him until you receive my order concerning him.”
When Sheerawaih’s letter was delivered to Badham, he cried out: “This man is truly a Messenger (from Allah).” He accepted Islam and all those Persians who were with him in Yemen also followed suit. Badhawaih said to Badham: “I have never spoken to a more awe-inspiring person than him.” Badham asked him: “Did he have a guard with him?” He said, “No.”
Imam Ash-Shafi‘i related on the authority of Abu Hurairah that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Kisra will die and there would be no Kisra after him. Qaisar (king of Rome) will die and there would be no Qaisar after him; by the One in Whose Hands is my life, you will spend their treasures in the cause of Allah.” Related by Muslim from the Hadith of IbnUyainahand they narrated it from the Hadith of Az-Zuhri.
I say: In this is an implicit tiding that the king of Rome shall never return to Sham. The Arabs used to give the appellation of Qaisar to the Roman rulers of Sham and the peninsula. Similarly, they referred to each person that ruled Persia as Kisra and the ruler of Abyssinia as Negus. They also gave the title of Muqawqis to every ruler of Alexandria, Fir‘awn (Pharaoh) to the non-Muslim ruler of Egypt, and Batlaimoos to the ruler of Hind. They also had peculiar titles other than these. We have mentioned this at other places also. And Allah (SWT) knows best. Muslim related on the authority of Jabir Ibn Samurah who said: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: A small force of Muslims will capture the treasure of Kisra in the White Palace.”
By: Ibn Katheer
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