Life-of-Muhammad

Life of Muhammad sa 131were increasing. At this I remembered that the followers ofa Prophet go on increasing until the Prophet attains hisgoal. I then asked you if his followers left him out ofdisgust or disappointment, and you said, No. At this Iremembered that the followers of Prophets are usuallysteadfast. They may fall away for other reasons, but notout of disgust for the faith. I then asked you if there hadbeen fights between you and him and, if so, with whatresults. And you said that you and his followers were likebuckets on a wheel and the Prophets are like that. In thebeginning their followers suffer reverses and meet withmisfortunes, but in the end they win. I then asked youabout what he teaches and you said he teaches the worshipof One God, truth-speaking, virtue and the importance ofkeeping covenants and discharging trusts. I asked you alsowhether he ever played false, and you said, No. And this isthe way of virtuous men. It seems to me, therefore, that hisclaim to being a Prophet sa is true. I was half expecting hisappearance in our time, but I did not know he was going tobe an Arab. If what you have told me is true, then I thinkhis influence and his dominion will certainly spread overthese lands (Bukhari).The speech unsettled the courtiers who began toblame the King for applauding a Teacher of anothercommunity. Protests were raised. The court officialsthen sent away Abu Sufyan ra and his friends. The text ofthe letter which the Prophet sa wrote to the Kaiser is to befound in historical records. It runs as follows:From Muhammad sa , the Servant of God and HisMessenger. To the Chief of Rome, Heraclius. Whoevertreads the path of divine guidance, on him be peace. Afterthis, O King, I invite you to Islam. Become a Muslim. Godwill protect you from all afflictions, and reward you twiceover. But if you deny and refuse to accept this Message,then the sin not only of your own denial, but of the denialof your subjects, will be on your head. "Say, 'O People ofthe Book! come to a word equal between us and you thatwe worship none but Allah, and that we associate no