Introduction to the Study of The Holy Quran — Page 182
182 which did not bear the seals of the senders. Accordingly the Prophet had a seal made on which were engraved the words, Muhammad Rasulullah. Out of reverence, Allah was put at the top, beneath it Rasul and lastly Muhammad. In Muharram 628, envoys went to different capitals, each with a letter from the Prophet, inviting the rulers to accept Islam. Envoys went to Heraclius, the Roman Emperor, the Kings of Iran, Egypt (the King of Egypt was then a vassal of the Kaiser) and Abyssinia. They went to other kings and rulers also. The letter addressed to the Kaiser was taken by Dihyah Kalbi who was instructed to call first on the Governor of Busrah. When Dihyah saw the Governor, the great Kaiser himself was in Syria on a tour of the Empire. The Governor readily passed Dihyah on to the Kaiser. When Dihyah entered the court, he was told that whoever was received in audience by the Kaiser must prostrate himself before him. Dihyah refused to do this, saying that Muslims did not bow before any human being. Dihyah, therefore, sat before the Kaiser without making the prescribed obeisances. The Kaiser had the letter read by an interpreter and asked if an Arab caravan was in the town. He said he desired to interrogate an Arab about this Arabian Prophet who had sent him an invitation to accept Islam. It so happened that Abu Sufyan was in the town with a commercial caravan. The court officials took him to the Kaiser. Abu Sufyan was ordered to stand in front of the other Arabs, who were told to correct him if he should tell a lie or make a wrong statement. Then Heraclius proceeded to interrogate Abu Sufyan. The conversation is thus recorded in history: H: Do you know this man who claims to be a Prophet and who has sent me a letter? Can you say what sort of family he comes from? A-S: He comes of a noble family and is one of my relations. H: Have there been Arabs before him who have made claims similar to his? A-S: No. H: Did your people ever charge him with lying before he announced his claim? A-S: No. H: Has there been a king or a ruler among his forefathers? A-S: No. H: How do you judge his general ability and his capacity for judgement? A-S: We have never found any fault in his ability and his capacity for judgement. H: What are his followers like? Are they big and powerful persons or are they poor and humble? A-S: Mostly poor and humble and young. H: Do their numbers tend to increase or decrease? A-S: To increase. H: Do his followers ever go back to their old beliefs? A-S: No.