The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) – Volume III — Page 196
Seal of the Prophets - Volume III 196 there is no doubt that despite possessing many qualities such as wisdom and foresight, fear of the world, and greed for power and honour kept Heraclius deprived of guidance. It was as if the spark of guidance almost glittered in his heart, but was put out before it could shine forth. However, despite this denial and loss, the honor of the Holy Prophet sa had found way into his heart. As such, history tells us that he safeguarded this letter of the Holy Prophet sa inviting him to Islām as a blessing, 1 and it safely remained in his family for many hundreds of years. As such, there is a narration that when a few ambassadors of King Manṣūr Qalā’ūn (who was from 7th century A. H. ) visited Al-Faranj, a golden box was called for and they were shown a letter wrapped in a silk cloth that a letter from your Messenger once came to a grandfather of mine named Heraclius. It is preserved in our home even today as a blessed gift. 2 If anyone wishes to further study the history of King Manṣūr Qalā’ūn refer to the Encyclopaedia of Islām. 3 Regarding the letter to Heraclius, there is also a narration that when Diḥyah Kalbī was to be presented before Caesar for the first time, it was said to him that as per the royal custom, upon coming before Caesar, one is expected to prostrate immediately and the head is not raised until he orders so himself. Diḥyah said, “I shall not prostrate before anyone except Allāh, whether I am permitted to go before him or not. ” However, God’s grace was such that he found way to the Royal Court of Caesar, even without the observance of this un-Islāmic practice. 4 There is one aspect in the letter of the Holy Prophet sa addressed to Heraclius, upon the foundation of which Ch ristian Historians have raised an allegation, and have also attempted to put the actual validity of this letter to doubt. The allegation is that the words: ْ وَبَيْنَكُم ٍ بَيْنَنَا ء اِلَى ٰ كَلِمَة ٍ سَوَا اَهْل َ الْكِتَاب ِ تَعَالَوْا يَا which appear in this letter is a verse from among the first verses of Sūrah Āl- 1 * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 5, p. 17, Wa Ammā Mukātabatuhū ‘Alaihiṣ-Ṣalātu Was-Salāmu Ilal-Mulūki Wa Ghairihim, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 5, pp. 12-13, Wa Ammā Mukātabatuhū ‘Alaihiṣ-Ṣalātu Was-Salāmu Ilal-Mulūki Wa Ghairihim, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) 2 * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 5, pp. 18-19, Wa Ammā Mukātabatuhū ‘Alaihiṣ-Ṣalātu Was-Salāmu Ilal-Mulūki Wa Ghairihim, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) 3 The Encyclopaedia of Islām, Number 27, pp. 685-687 4 Tārīkhul-Khamīs Fī Aḥwāli Anfasi Nafīs, By Ḥusain bin Muḥammad bin Ḥasan, Volume 2, pp. 31-32, Irsālur-Rusula Ilal-Mulūki/Kitābun-Nabiyyi sa Ilā Qaiṣara, Mu’assasatu Sha‘bān, Beirut