Salaam and Greetings of Peace:

Letter to the Monks of St. Catherine Monastery

In 628 C.E. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) granted a Charter of Privileges to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt.Sinai. It consisted of several clauses covering all aspects of human rights including such topics as the protection of Christians, freedom of worship and movement, freedom to appoint their own judges and to own and maintain their property, exemption from military service, and the right to protection in war. An English translation of that document is presented here:

“This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.

“Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them. No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate. No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”

A Letter from the Prophet Muhammad To The Assyrian Christians

“God has told me in a vision what to do, and I confirm His command by giving my solemn promise to keep this agreement.

“To the followers of the Islam I say: Carry out my command, protect and help the Nazarene nation in this country of ours in their own land. Leave their places of worship in peace; help and assist their chief and their priests when in need of help, be it in the mountains, in the desert, on the sea, or at home. Leave all their possessions alone, be it houses or other property, do not destroy anything of their belongings, the followers of Islam shall not harm or molest any of this nation, because the Nazarenes are my subjects, pay tribute to me and will help the Muslims. No tribute, but what is agreed upon, shall be collected from them, their church buildings shall be left as they are, they shall not be altered, their priests shall be permitted to teach and worship in their own way-the Nazarenes have full liberty of worship in their churches and homes. None of their churches shall be torn down, or altered into a mosque, except by the consent and free will of the Nazarenes. If any one disobeys this command, the anger of God and His Prophet shall be upon him.

“The tribute paid the Nazarenes shall be used to promote the teachings of Islam and shall be deposited at the treasury of Beth Almal. A common man shall pay one denar (piece of money), but the merchants and people who own mines of gold and silver and are rich shall pay twelve denars. Strangers and people who have no houses or other settled property shall not have taxes levied upon them. If a man inherits property he shall pay a settled sum to the Baitulmal treasury. The Christians are not obliged to make war on the enemies of Islam, but if an enemy attacks the Christians, the Muslims shall not deny their help, but give them horses and weapons, if they need them, and protect them from evils from outside and keep the peace with them. The Christians are not obliged to turn Muslims, until God’s will makes them believers.

“The Muslims shall not force Christian women to accept Islam, but if they themselves wish to embrace it, the Muslims shall be kind to them.

“If a Christian woman is married to a Muslim and does not want to embrace Islam, she has liberty to worship at her own church according to her own religious belief, and her husband must not treat her unkindly on account of her religion. If any one disobeys this command, he disobeys God and his prophet and will be guilty of a great offense.

The above happened before the revelation.


“If the Nazarenes wish to build a church, their Muslim neighbors shall help them. This shall be done, because the Christians have obeyed us and have come to us and pleaded for peace and mercy.

“If there be among the Christians a great and learned man the Muslims shall honor him and not be envious of his greatness.

“If any one is unjust and unkind to the Christians he will be guilty of disobeying the Prophet of God.

“The Christians should not shelter an enemy of Islam or give him horse, weapon or any other help. If a Muslim is in need the Christian shall for three days and nights be his host and shelter him from his enemies. The Christians shall, furthermore, protect the Mohammedan women and children and not deliver them up to the enemy or expose them to view. If the Nazarenes fail to fulfil these conditions, they have forfeited their right to protection, and the agreement is null and void.

“This document shall be entrusted to the Christian chief and head of their church for safe keeping.”

The peace of God be over them all! This agreement is written by Moavijah Ben Sofian, according to the dictates of Muhammad, the Messenger of God, in the 4th year of the Hegira in the city of Medina.

Al Qur`an says: “And abuse not those whom they call upon besides Allah, lest exceeding the limits, they abuse Allah through ignorance. Thus to every people have We made their deeds fair-seeming; then to their Lord is their return so he will inform them of what they did” (6:109)

Al Qur’an says: “Those who restrain their anger and pardon men. And Allah loves the doer of good (to others)” (3: 133)

it is well. sounds more political than religious.

What is your point? Was it to all Christians? What about other religious beliefs?

What happens in practice?

Guys, at least the letters dispel the belief that there is wholesale killing in Islam.

I wonder if you guys ever thought about your inability to put in practice the "turn the other cheek," concept? You always claim about yor peaceful generousity. But you never put a tiny bit of it in practice. Now you are informed of the graciousness of the noble Prophet (AS), you got all wound up. The better thing was that you guys reflect and learn about this new information given to you.

Hercules questions about the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh)

Abu Sufyan a leader of the tribe of Quraish and the arch enemy of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) was in Constantinople on a business trip, when the Prophet Mohammed's (pbuh) letter of invitation reached Hercules, the Byzantine emperor of Eastern Roman Empire. Hercules, at the time was in his court at Constantinople celebrating his victory over the Persians.

Hercules read the letter through an interpreter and then asked the people in his court, to find out if there was someone in the city, who knew the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). Abu Sufyan with his companions was brought into the court.

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Abu Sufian ibn Harb informed me that Heraclius sent a messenger to him while he was accompanying a caravan from the Quraish. They were merchants doing business in the Levant (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan), at the time when Allah’s Messenger had a truce with Abu Sufian and the unbelievers of the Quraish. So Abu Sufian and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilya’ (Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him.

He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius’ question, said to them, “Who amongst you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?”

Abu Sufian replied, “I am the nearest relative to him (among the group).”

Heraclius said, “Bring him close to me and make his companions stand behind him.”

Abu Sufian added [to Ibn `Abbas], “Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put some questions to me regarding that man (the Prophet) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me. By Allah, had I not been afraid of my companions labeling me a liar, I would have lied against him (the Prophet).”

[The dialogue then continued like this.]

Heraclius: What is his family status among you?

Abu Sufian: He belongs to a noble family among us.

Heraclius: Has anyone else among you before him ever claimed the same (i.e., to be a Prophet)?

Abu Sufian: No.

Heraclius: Was anyone among his ancestors a king?

Abu Sufian: No.

Heraclius: Are the strong and powerful following him or the weak and poor?

Abu Sufian: It is the weak and poor that are following him.

Heraclius: Are his followers increasing or decreasing (day by day)?

Abu Sufian: They are increasing.

Heraclius: Does anyone among those who embrace his religion become displeased and leave the religion afterwards?

Abu Sufian: No.

Heraclius: Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim (to be a Prophet)?

Abu Sufian: No.

Heraclius: Does he ever betray or is he treacherous in his agreements?

Abu Sufian: No, we are at truce with him but we do not know what he will do in it. (Abu Sufian said [to Ibn `Abbas], “I could not find an opportunity to say anything against him except that word.”)

Heraclius: Have you ever had a fight with him?

Abu Sufian: Yes.

Heraclius: What was the outcome of your battles with him?

Abu Sufian: The fighting between him and us was undecided and victory was shared between him and us by turns.

Heraclius: What does he order you to do?

Abu Sufian: He tells us to worship Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to speak the truth, to be chaste and to keep good relations with our kith and kin.

Heraclius said to his translator to convey to him,

[1] I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belongs to a noble family among you. In fact, all the Messengers come from noble families among their respective peoples.

[2] I questioned you whether anyone else among you claimed such a thing, and your reply was no. If you had said yes, I would have thought that this person is copying the previous person’s saying.

[3] I asked you whether anyone of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was no. If you had said yes, I would have thought that the man wants to take back his ancestral kingdom.

[4] I further asked you whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he said, and your reply was no. So I wonder how a person who does not tell a lie about others could ever tell a lie about Allah.

[5] I then asked you whether the rich people follow him or the poor. You replied that it was the poor who followed him. In fact, the poor are always the followers of the Messengers.

[6] I asked you whether his followers are increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing. In fact, this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in all respects.

[7] I asked you whether there was anyone who, after accepting his religion, became displeased with and abandoned his religion. Your reply was no. In fact, this is the sign of true faith, when its delight penetrates the depths of the hearts.

[8] I asked you whether he had ever betrayed and your reply was no. Likewise, the Messengers never betray.

[9] I asked you what he ordered you to do, and your reply was he ordered you to worship Allah, and not to worship anything along with Him and forbade you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth and to be chaste. If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet now. I knew from the scriptures that he was going to come but I did not know that he would be from you. If I could reach him I would go immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his feet.

Heraclius then asked for the letter addressed by Allah’s Messenger to him. The letter was delivered by Dihya to the governor of Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius.

The letter said: “In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. This letter is from Muhammad, the Servant of Allah and His Messenger to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantines. Peace be upon him who follows the right path. I invite you with the call of Islam. Accept Islam and you will find peace. Allah will double your reward. But if you turn away then you will have upon you the sin of Arisiyyin (his subjects). ( O People of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than Allah.” If then they turn back, say ye: “Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah’s Will). ) (Aal `Imran 3: 64)”

Abu Sufian said [to Ibn `Abbas], “When Heraclius finished his speech and read the letter, there arose commotion and many voices in the court, so we were asked to leave.” (Reported by al-Bukhari)

It is possible that Heraclius accepted Islam secretly, but he was unable to declare it because he feared rebellion of his people. However, it is interesting that he tried to consider the Prophetic claim by considering:

1. The background of the Prophet
2. His motivations
3. His effects on his people
4. His character
5. His accomplishments
6. His message

Considering all these aspects of his life, he became convinced that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was indeed the Messenger of Allah.

-A Letter to Chosroes, Emperor of Persia

"In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allâh to Chosroes, king of Persia.

Peace be upon him who follows true guidance, believes in Allâh and His Messenger and testifies that there is no god but Allâh Alone with no associate, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. I invite you to accept the religion of Allâh. I am the Messenger of Allâh sent to all people in order that I may infuse fear of Allâh in every living person, and that the charge may be proved against those who reject the Truth. Accept Islam as your religion so that you may live in security, otherwise, you will be responsible for all the sins of the Magians."

‘Abdullah bin Hudhafa As-Sahmi was chosen to carry the letter. This envoy carried it to the king of Bahrain but we do not know as yet if the latter despatched to Chosroes by one of his men or chose ‘Abdullah himself.

The proud monarch was enraged by the style of the letter as the name of the Prophet had been put above his own name. He tore the letter into shreds and forthwith dictated a command to his viceroy in Yemen to send a couple of troopers to arrest the Prophet and bring him to his presence. The governor, Bazan by name, immediately sent two men to Madinah for the purpose. As soon as the men reached Madinah, the Prophet was informed by a Divine Revelation that Pervez, the emperor of Persia, had been murdered by his son. The Prophet disclosed to them the news and they were stunned. He added asking them to tell their new monarch that Islam would prevail everywhere and outstrip the sovereignty of Chosroes himself. They hurried back to Bazan and communicated to him what they heard. Meanwhile, Sherweh, the new monarch sent a letter to Bazan confirming the news and bidding him to stop any procedures as regards the Prophet till further notice. Bazan, together with the Persians in Yemen, went into the folds of Islam, and gladly signified his adhesion to the Prophet. [Fath Al-Bari 8/127,128]