Hadith 3867
Volume 3English
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated: The Prophet (ﷺ) wrote 3 to Caesar, inviting him to Islam, and sent his letter with Dihyah al-Kalbi, instructing him to deliver it to Caesar. The letter read: "In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the servant of Allah and His Messenger, to Heraclius, the great leader of the Romans. Peace be upon those who follow guidance. To proceed: I invite you with the call of Islam. Embrace Islam, and you will be safe. Embrace Islam, and Allah will grant you your reward twice over. But if you turn away, the sin of the Arisiyyin (peasants/subjects) will be upon you. ‘O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you—that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him, and not take one another as lords instead of Allah.’ But if they turn away, then say, ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims’ [Qur’an 3:64]." [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim]
In a narration by Muslim: It said, "From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah," and "the sin of the Yarisiyyin," and "with the call of Islam."
Possible references (unverified, pending editorial review)
- Candidate: Sahih al-Bukhari 2941 (unverified) 97% confidence
- Candidate: Sahih Muslim 1773a (unverified) 95% confidence
Confidence and text similarity are not editorial verification.
Commentary and footnotes (2)
Note 3
(3) The statement: "wrote to Caesar, etc.": In (Al-Mirqat), Al-Nawawi said: This letter contains several principles and benefits. Among them: His saying, "Peace be upon those who follow guidance," supports the view of Shafi‘i and most of his followers that a disbeliever should not be greeted with salam first. I say: I do not think there is any disagreement on this. Another benefit: Inviting disbelievers to Islam before fighting them is obligatory, and fighting them beforehand is forbidden if they have not been reached by the call to Islam. I say: Ibn al-Humam, one of our scholars, mentioned this, stating that if the call has reached them, it is not obligatory but recommended. Al-Nawawi added: Another benefit is the obligation to act upon the report of a single narrator, as he sent it with Dihyah al-Kalbi alone. Another: It is recommended to begin speech with the Bismillah, even when addressing a disbeliever. Another: It is permissible to travel to enemy territory with one or two verses or the like, and the prohibition of traveling with the Qur’an applies when there is fear of it falling into disbelievers’ hands. It is also permissible for someone in a state of minor impurity or a disbeliever to touch a verse or a few verses alongside other text. I say: This assumes the phrase "come to" refers to the Qur’anic text, but it appears to be a paraphrase, not a recitation, as evidenced by omitting "say" from the verse’s beginning. Another benefit: The Sunnah in correspondence is to begin with oneself, saying, "From Zaid to Amr," whether in the letter’s opening or address, as Allah said: Indeed, it is from Solomon, and it is: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful [Qur’an 27:30]. Another: He said, "leader of the Romans." Another: It is recommended to use eloquence, brevity, and dignified language, as his words (ﷺ) are profoundly concise, eloquent, and comprehensive, with excellent wordplay. His saying "embrace Islam, and you will be safe" encompasses safety from worldly disgrace through war, captivity, death, and loss of homes and wealth, as well as safety from the Hereafter’s punishment. Another: Those who cause misguidance or prevent guidance bear greater sin, as Allah said: And they will surely carry their [own] burdens and [other] burdens along with their burdens [Qur’an 29:13]. Another: It is recommended to use "to proceed" (amma ba‘d) in speeches and letters.
Note 3
(٣) قوله: كتب إلى قيصر إلخ: وقال في (المرقاة): قال النووي: وفي هذا الكتاب جمل من القواعد وأنواع من الفوائد.منها: قوله: (سلام على من اتبع الهدى) فيه دليل لمذهب الشافعي، وجمهور أصحابه أن الكافر لا يبدأ بالسلام. قلت:ما أظن فيه خلافاً. ومنها: دعاء الكفار إلى الإسلام قبل قتالههم، وهو واجب، والقتال قبله حرام، إن لم تكن بلغتهمدعوة الإسلام. قلت: وكذا ذكره ابن الهمام من أئمتنا، وقال: فإذا كانت بلغتهم لا تجب، ولكن يستحب، انتهى. وقالالنووي: ومنها: وجوب العمل بخبر الواحد؛ لأنه بعثه مع دحية الكلبي وحده، ومنها: استحباب تصدير الكلامبالبسملة، وإن كان المبعوث إليه كافرًا، ومنها: جواز المسافرة إلى أرض العدو بآية أو آيتين ونحوهما، والنهي عنالمسافرة بالقرآن محمول على ما إذا خيف وقوعه في أيدي الكفار، وجواز مس المحدث والكافر آية أو آيات يسيرةمع غير القرآن. قلت: هذا كله مبني على أنه قصد بقوله: تعالوا لفظ القرآن، والظاهر أن هذا نقل بالمعنى، ولميقصد التلاوة بدليل حذف قل من أول الآية: ومنها: أن السنة في المكاتبة بين الناس أن يبدأ بنفسه، فيقول: من زيدإلى عمرو، سواء فيه تصدير الكتاب به أو العنوان، قال تعالى: ﴿إِنَّهُ مِن سُلَيْمَنَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴾يقل: (ملك الروم). ومنها: استحباب استعمال البلاغة والإيجاز وتحري الألفاظ الجزلة، فإن قوله ﷺ في غاية الإيجازوالبلاغة وجمع المعاني مع ما فيه من بديع التجنيس، فإن تسلم شامل لسلامته من خزي الدنيا بالحرب والسبيوالقتل وأخذ الديار والأموال ومن عذاب الآخرة، ومنها: أن من كان سبب ضلال، ومنع هداية كان أكثر إثما، قالتعالى: ﴿وَلَيَحْمِلُنَّ أَثْقَالَهُمْ وَأَثْقَالَا مَّعَ أَثْقَالِهِمَّ﴾ (العنكبوت: ١٣)، ومنها: استحباب أما بعد في الخطابوالمكاتبات.