Heraclius asked, 'Is there anyone among you who is a close
relative of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)?' Abu Sufyan
replied, ‘I am.’ So the Emperor addressed all the questions to
him, thinking he would know the Prophet (pbuh) best. He said,
'Tell me what is the Prophet's position in your tribe" Abu
Sufyan said, 'he is a member of our most respected family. Did
anyone before him say the kinds of things he says?' the
Emperor went on. ‘No.’ was the reply.' And was he ever
accused of lying or cheating?' ‘Never.’ And then the Emperor
asked: ‘And what about his ideas and opinions, and his powers
of reasoning?’ ‘No one has ever had cause to doubt him or find
fault with his reasoning’, replied Abu Sufyan. ‘Who follows him,
the proud or the humble?’ ‘The humble.’ ‘Do his followers
increase or decrease?’ ‘They increase’, said Abu Sufyan, ‘none
of his followers leave him.’ The Emperor then turned to other
matters and asked: ‘If he makes a treaty, does he keep it?’
‘Yes’, Abu Sufyan replied. ‘Did you ever fight against him?’
inquired the Emperor. To which Abu Sufyan answered: ‘Yes.
Sometimes we won, sometimes he won, but he never broke
his word in any agreement.’ The emperor then asked: ‘What
does he say people must do?’ ‘To worship one God’, said Abu
Sufyan. ‘He forbids people to worship as their fathers
worshipped, and says they must pray to Allah alone, give
elms, keep their word, and fulfil their duties and
responsibilities.’ Abu Sufyan had spoken the truth even though
he was an enemy of the prophet (pbuh), and did not become a
Muslim until the very end of his life. But he was afraid to lie
before the members of his caravan who were also there with
him. The meeting ended with these words from the Emperor:
‘I see from this that he is indeed a prophet. You said that his
followers don not leave him which proves they have true faith,
for faith does not enter the heart and then go away. I knew he
was coming and if what you say is true, he will surely conquer
me. If I were with him now, I would wash his feet. You may
leave now.’
relative of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)?' Abu Sufyan
replied, ‘I am.’ So the Emperor addressed all the questions to
him, thinking he would know the Prophet (pbuh) best. He said,
'Tell me what is the Prophet's position in your tribe" Abu
Sufyan said, 'he is a member of our most respected family. Did
anyone before him say the kinds of things he says?' the
Emperor went on. ‘No.’ was the reply.' And was he ever
accused of lying or cheating?' ‘Never.’ And then the Emperor
asked: ‘And what about his ideas and opinions, and his powers
of reasoning?’ ‘No one has ever had cause to doubt him or find
fault with his reasoning’, replied Abu Sufyan. ‘Who follows him,
the proud or the humble?’ ‘The humble.’ ‘Do his followers
increase or decrease?’ ‘They increase’, said Abu Sufyan, ‘none
of his followers leave him.’ The Emperor then turned to other
matters and asked: ‘If he makes a treaty, does he keep it?’
‘Yes’, Abu Sufyan replied. ‘Did you ever fight against him?’
inquired the Emperor. To which Abu Sufyan answered: ‘Yes.
Sometimes we won, sometimes he won, but he never broke
his word in any agreement.’ The emperor then asked: ‘What
does he say people must do?’ ‘To worship one God’, said Abu
Sufyan. ‘He forbids people to worship as their fathers
worshipped, and says they must pray to Allah alone, give
elms, keep their word, and fulfil their duties and
responsibilities.’ Abu Sufyan had spoken the truth even though
he was an enemy of the prophet (pbuh), and did not become a
Muslim until the very end of his life. But he was afraid to lie
before the members of his caravan who were also there with
him. The meeting ended with these words from the Emperor:
‘I see from this that he is indeed a prophet. You said that his
followers don not leave him which proves they have true faith,
for faith does not enter the heart and then go away. I knew he
was coming and if what you say is true, he will surely conquer
me. If I were with him now, I would wash his feet. You may
leave now.’