The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) – Volume III — Page 211
VI - All Races Invited to Islām 211 discovered this letter was Monsieur Etienne Barthelemy and its photographic image was perhaps first published in a renowned periodical by the name of Al- Hilāl in November 1904. After this, Professor Marlogious published a photo of it in his book ‘Muḥammad and the Rise of Islām. ’ 1 It has also been published in a new book entitled ‘Tārīkhul-Islām As-Siyāsī,’ written by Dr. Ḥasan bin Ibrāhīm, Professor of Islāmic History at the University of Egypt. 2 Many non-Muslim research scholars have confirmed that this is the original letter sent by the Holy Prophet sa to Maqauqis of Egypt. On a side note, the discovery of this invitation, each and every word and letter of which is exactly the same as the narrations of Ḥadīth and Islāmic history, is a heavy proof of the great caution and magnificent honesty and integrity with which the reliable collectors of Ḥadīth and Islāmic historians have practiced in gathering these narrations. They transmitted a long chain of narrators verbally on the basis of their memory along with the actual text of the letter and stated that on a certain occasion the Holy Prophet sa wrote a letter to Maqauqis in the following words; and then after a vast period of 1300 years when the actual letter is discovered, it is proven in the likeness of broad daylight that the narration which Muslim Muḥaddithīn and historians relayed was accurate word for word. What greater evidence can there be in support of the authenticity of Islāmic narrations, and the honesty and integrity of the Muḥaddithīn ? I do not suggest in the least that all narrators were reliable in every respect, because undoubtedly, in terms of memory, understanding and honesty, weak narrators can be found as well. As for those, however, who were reliable, they have no parallel in the history of the world. 1 Mohammed And the Rise of Islām, By D. S. Margoliouth, p. 365, Chapter X (Steps Towards the Taking of Makkah), G. P. Putnam’s Sons, New York and London, The Knickerbocker Press 2 Tarikhul-Islāmis-Siyasiyyi, By Hasan bin Ibrahim, Volume 1, Kitabur-Rasuli Ilal-Maquqas, p. 198