(Imam Bukhari said:) Abul Yaman Al-Hakam bin Nafi narrated to us, he said: Shu'ayb informed us, from Zuhri, he said: Ubaidullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah bin Mas'ud informed me that Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) informed him that Abu Sufyan bin Harb informed him that

Heraclius summoned him along with a group of Quraysh. These people had gone to Syria for trade during that period in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had made a temporary peace with Abu Sufyan and the Quraysh. So the Quraysh came to him, and he was in Iliya' (Jerusalem). Heraclius summoned them to his court, and around him were the chiefs of Rome. Then he called the Quraysh and his interpreter, then said: "Who among you is the closest relative of that person who claims that he is a Prophet?" Abu Sufyan said: "I am the closest relative of that person." Heraclius said: "Bring him close to me, and bring his companions close to him as well, and stand them behind his back." Then he said to his interpreter: "Tell these people that I will ask about that person. If he lies to me, then you should contradict him." Abu Sufyan said: "So by Allah! If I had not been ashamed that the people would call me a liar, I would certainly have lied about him." Then the first question that Heraclius asked me was this: "How is that person's lineage among you?" I said: "He is of very noble lineage among us." He said: "Has anyone else among you made this claim before him?" I said: "No." He said: "Was there any king among his forefathers?" I said: "No." He said: "Do the powerful people follow him or the weak people?" I said: "Rather the weak people." He said: "Are they increasing or decreasing?" I said: "Rather they are increasing." He said: "Does anyone among them, after entering his religion, turn back from his religion out of displeasure?" I said: "No." He said: "Did you used to accuse him of lying before he claimed prophethood?" I said: "No." He said: "Does he break his promises?" I said: "No. However, we have an agreement with him for a period. We do not know what he will do during that time." Abu Sufyan said: "Other than this, I could not find any room to say anything against him. [The Blessed Prophet ﷺ]" He said: "Did you fight with him?" I said: "Yes." He said: "How was your fighting with him?" I said: "The war between us and him was like the bucket of a well — sometimes he would get that bucket and sometimes we would." He said: "What does he command you?" I said: "He says: Worship only Allah alone and do not associate anyone with Him, and abandon what your forefathers used to say. And he commands us to pray, to speak the truth, to remain pure, and to keep ties with relatives." Then Heraclius said to the interpreter: "Tell them that I asked you about his lineage and you told me that he is of noble lineage among you — and likewise, messengers are sent among the noble lineage of their people. And I asked you whether anyone among you had made this claim before?" "Then you said: No. I said to myself: If anyone among you had made this claim before, I would have said: This person is following a claim that was made before him. And I asked you whether any of his forefathers was a king? Then you told me: No. I said to myself: If any of his forefathers had been a king, I would have said that this person is seeking his father's kingdom. And I asked you whether you used to accuse him of lying before his claim of prophethood? You told me: No. So I recognized that a person who does not tie lies upon people, how would he tie lies upon Allāh. And I asked you whether the powerful people follow him or the weak people? Then you told me that the weak people follow him, and those are the very people who are the followers of messengers. And I asked you whether they are increasing or decreasing? Then you told me that they are increasing, and that is how the matter of faith is, until it becomes complete. And I asked you whether anyone among them, after entering the religion, turns back from the religion out of displeasure?" "Then you told me: No. And when the joy of faith settles in the hearts, then that is how it is. And I asked you whether he ever broke his promise? Then you told me: No. And likewise, messengers do not break their promises. And I asked you what he commands you? Then you told me that he commands you to worship Allah and not to associate anyone with Him, and he forbids you from worshipping idols, and he commands you to pray, to speak the truth, and to remain pure. If what you have said is true, then he will soon become the owner of the place beneath my very feet. And I knew that his appearance was going to happen, but I did not think that he would be from among you. So if I were certain that I would be able to reach him, I would certainly take the trouble to meet him. And if I were in his presence, I would certainly wash his feet." Then he asked for the letter sent by the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, which he had sent through Hazrat Dihyah to the governor of Busra, who gave that letter to Heraclius. Heraclius read it and in it was written: In the name of Allah alone, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. From Muhammad (ﷺ), the servant of Allah and His Messenger, to Heraclius, the great one of Rome [the ruler of Byzantium]. Peace be upon whoever follows guidance. As for what follows after Bismillah: Indeed I invite you to Islam. Accept Islam, you will be safe. Allāh the Exalted will grant you double the reward. And if you turn away, then the sin of your followers will also be upon you. O People of the Book! Come towards a word that is equal between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we do not associate anything with Him, and that none of us takes another as lord besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: O people! Bear witness that we are Muslims." (Al-Imran: 64). Abu Sufyan said: When Heraclius said what he said and finished reading that letter, there was a great uproar near him and voices rose, and we were taken out. When we were taken out, I said to my companions: "The matter of the son of Abu Kabshah (meaning the Prophet ﷺ) has become very great. Even the king of the fair-skinned people fears him." Then I always remained certain that he would soon prevail, until Allāh placed Islam in my heart. And Ibn al-Natur, who was the governor of Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), a companion of Heraclius, and the chief bishop of the Christians of Syria, narrates that one morning Heraclius woke up in Bayt al-Maqdis in a very troubled state. His courtiers said: "Your condition is very changed today." Ibn al-Natur said: Heraclius was an astrologer and used to study the stars. In reply to their question he said: "Last night when I studied the stars, I saw that the king of the circumcised people has prevailed." "So who among the people of this time practices circumcision?" They said: "Only the Jews practice circumcision, so do not be troubled because of them. Write and send an order to all the cities of your kingdom that whatever Jews are there, they should be killed." So those people were occupied in these very matters when a person was brought to Heraclius, who had been sent by the king of Ghassan. He gave the news of the appearance of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When Heraclius had learned the full news from him, he said: "Go and find out whether they practice circumcision or not." He inquired about his circumstances and the people told him that they do practice circumcision. And Heraclius asked that person about the Arabs, and he said: "The Arabs practice circumcision." Then Heraclius said: "This is the king of this nation that has appeared." Heraclius had a governor in Romiyah who was his equal in knowledge. Heraclius wrote a letter to him to find out, and Heraclius himself set out for Homs. He had not yet reached Homs when a letter from his friend arrived to him his opinion also agreed with Heraclius that the Prophet ﷺ had appeared and that he was a true Prophet. Then Heraclius summoned the chiefs of Rome to his palace in Homs and gave the order to close the doors. So the doors were closed. Then he came before them and said: "O people of Rome! What is your opinion regarding attaining lasting success and guidance, and regarding the survival of your kingdom? So pledge allegiance to this Prophet." Upon hearing this, they rushed towards the doors like wild donkeys, but the doors had already been closed. Finally, when Heraclius saw their wildness and became hopeless of their faith, he said: "Bring them back to me." And said: "The proposal I had just put forward — I was testing the strength of your religion with it, so now I have come to know." Then all those chiefs prostrated before Heraclius and became pleased with him. And this was the last matter of Heraclius.

(Imam Bukhari said:) This hadith has been narrated by Salih bin Kaysan, Yunus, and Ma'mar from Zuhri.