Invitations
Heracles
:
Among the kings he contacted were the Byzantine emperor Heracles, the Persian emperor,
Choruses Parvez the Negus, King of Abyssinia, and Muqawqis, King of Egypt.
Heracles, the Negus and Muqawqis received their letters with respect and gave courteous replies.
Heracles wanted to know more about the Prophet and dispatched to find out all they could. Abu Sufyan happened to be in Ghazzah on a business trip and he was presented to the king.
Heracles proved to be an intelligent examiner who knew the history of religion and the qualities and
behavior of the Prophets. He had studied how nations reacted to them and how and when Allah would send them. Abu Sufyan was truthful in his answers in the tradition of the early Arabs who considered it beneath their dignity to tell a lie.
When Heracles heard Abu Sufyan's answers, he was certain that Muhammad was the Prophet of Allah. He said, 'If what you say is true, he will come to possess the place on which my two feet are standing. I knew that one was due to come forth but I did not think that he would come from you. If I knew that I could reach him, I would set out to meet him. If I was with him, I would wash his feet.'
He summoned the Roman generals to the castle and commanded that the doors be shut. Then he went to them, declaring, 'O Romans! If you want success and right guidance and to establish and strengthen your kingdom, give homage to this Prophet.'
They disliked what he was saying and tried to leave but they found that the doors were locked. When
Heracles saw their reaction, he despaired of their faith. He said, 'Return those people to me,' and to them he repeated, 'What I said before was to test your faith. Now I have seen it.'
They prostrated before him and were pleased with what he had said.
Heracles had preferred his kingdom to Islam. Wars and battles continued between him and the Muslims during the caliphate of Abu Bakr and
Umar when he lost both his kingdom and his power.