Stories from Early Islam — Page 156
156 you will value the sincerity which prompted this mes- sage. Whoever obeys the guidance of God, receives the blessings of God’. When this letter reached the Emperor, he showed great respect for it. He took it into his hands, held it to his eyes and placed it reverently in an ivory box saying, ‘As long as this letter is safe, my kingdom is safe’. What the Emperor said, proved true, and though the Muslim Empire extended as far as India and China in one direction and Spain and Morocco in the other, the Negus con- tinued to rule Abyssinia without any interference. The Holy Prophet saw wrote a similar letter to the Emperor of Iran. When this letter reached him, he ordered an inter- preter to read it to him. When the contents of the letter were explained to him, he rose in anger, took the letter in his hands and tore it to pieces. When this was reported to the Holy Prophet saw, he said: