The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) – Volume III — Page 208
Seal of the Prophets - Volume III 208 wise man. ” After this, he said, “I have reflected upon what you have said about your Prophet, and have found that he has not taught anything evil, nor has he forbidden anything good. ” Then he placed the letter of the Holy Prophet sa in an ivory box, sealed it and handed it over to one of his responsible female servants. 1 After this, Maqauqis summoned a scribe who was well-versed in Arabic, then he dictated the following letter addressed to the Holy Prophet sa , and handed it over to Ḥāṭib. The text of the letter is as follows: ٌ بِسْم ِ اللّٰه ِ الرَّحْمٰن ِ الرَّحِیْمِ. لِمُحَمَّد ِ بْن ِ عَبْد ِ اللّٰه ِ مِن َ الْمُقَوْقِس ِ عَظِیْم ِ الْقِبْطِ. سَلَام ُ أت ُ كِتَابَك َ وَفَھِمْت ُ مَا ذَكَرْت َ فِیْه ِ وَمَا تَدْعُو ْ اِلَیْهِ. وَقَد ْ عَلِمْت ا عَلَیْكَ. اَمَّا بَعْد ُ فَقَد ْ قَرَ َ اَن َّ نَبِیًّا قَد ْ بَقِی َ وَكُنْت ُ اَظُن ُّ اَن ْ یَّخْرُج َ مِن َ الشَّامِ. وَقَد ْ اَكْرَمْت ُ رَسُوْلَك َ وَبَعَثْتُه ٗ اِلَیْك بِجَارِیَتَیْن ِ لَھُمَا مَكَان ٌ مِن َ الْقِبْط ِ عَظِیْم ٌ وَكِسْوَة ٌ وَاَھْدَیْت ُ اِلَیْك َ بَغْلَة ً لِتَرْكُبَھَا. وَالسَّلَامُ. “In the name of Allāh, the Gracious, the Merciful. This letter is from Maqauqis, Chief of the Copts, to Muḥammad sa , the son of ‘Abdullāh. Peace be upon you. I have read your letter, understood its contents, and pondered over your invitation. I knew that a Prophet was to appear, but I thought that he would be raised in the country of Syria (not in Arabia). I have treated your emissary with honour, and send two girls, who are held in high esteem by the Copts. I also send you some garments and a mule so that you may ride upon it. Peace be upon you. ” This letter demonstrates that Maqauqis of Eygpt treated the emissary of the Holy Prophet sa with reverence, and to some extent, he took an interest in the invitation of the Holy Prophet sa as well. However, in any case, he did not accept Islām. It is ascertained by other narrations that he passed away as 1 * Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘Alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Allāmah Shihābuddīn Al-Qusṭalānī, Volume 5, pp. 29-32, Wa Ammā Mukātabatuhū ‘Alaihiṣ-Ṣalātu Was-Salāmu Ilal-Mulūki Wa Ghairihim, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996) * Tārīkhul-Khamīs Fī Aḥwāli Anfasi Nafīs, By Ḥusain bin Muḥammad bin Ḥasan, Volume 2, p. 37, Kitābun-Nabiyyi sa Ilā Kisrā, Mu’assasatu Sha‘bān, Beirut