Letters to Rulers
This chapter covers the Prophet’s ﷺ letters after Hudaybiyyah to rulers beyond Arabia, including Heraclius, the ruler of Egypt, the Negus, Chosroes, and others. The message of Islam now moved from a persecuted call in Makkah to a recognised invitation reaching courts and kingdoms.
Where This Chapter Fits
Hudaybiyyah opened space for dawah. With Quraysh restrained by treaty, the Prophet ﷺ sent letters inviting rulers to Islam with clarity, dignity, and responsibility.
Hudaybiyyah
The treaty gave the Muslims breathing room and public recognition.
Letters sent
The Prophet ﷺ called rulers to worship Allah alone and accept Islam.
Umm Habibah رضي الله عنها
The next household chapter connects to Abyssinia and the Negus.
Why the Letters Were Sent
After Hudaybiyyah, the Prophet ﷺ had new space to call beyond the immediate conflict with Quraysh. The message of Islam was not tribal, local, or temporary. It was a mercy and warning for people beyond Arabia as well.
The letters were sent with selected Companions as envoys. They carried the call to tawhid, the honour of prophethood, and the responsibility of leaders toward those under their authority.
These letters show that the Seerah had entered a new phase: Islam was no longer only surviving attacks; it was openly inviting the world.
Sahih al-Bukhari 7; Sahih Muslim 1773; Seerah reports in Ibn Hisham and Ibn Sa'dThe Prophet ﷺ Sent as Mercy
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
Meaning: “And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds.”
Qur'an 21:107The Prophet’s ﷺ Seal
Authentic reports mention that when the Prophet ﷺ wanted to write to rulers, he was told that they would not read a letter unless it had a seal. So he took a silver ring with the inscription “Muhammad Messenger of Allah.”
This shows the Prophet’s ﷺ practical wisdom. The message remained revelation, but the method respected diplomatic custom. Dawah carried truth with order, clarity, and proper presentation.
The seal also reminds us that Islam does not confuse sincerity with carelessness. When calling people, form and adab matter.
Sahih al-Bukhari 65; Sahih Muslim 2092; Sahih al-Bukhari 2938Call with Wisdom
ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ
Meaning: “Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction.”
Qur'an 16:125The Letter to Heraclius
The most detailed preserved account among these letters is the letter to Heraclius, the Byzantine ruler. The Prophet ﷺ invited him to Islam and included the Qur'anic call to the People of the Book: to come to a common word, that we worship none but Allah and do not associate partners with Him.
Heraclius then questioned Abu Sufyan, who was still not Muslim at that time, about the Prophet ﷺ. Abu Sufyan later admitted that he could not lie because he feared being exposed by his companions.
This report is one of the great proofs of the Prophet’s ﷺ truthfulness: even an opponent had to describe his character, lineage, followers, honesty, and message.
Sahih al-Bukhari 7; Sahih Muslim 1773; Qur'an 3:64A Common Word
قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ
Meaning: “Say, O People of the Book, come to a word that is common between us and you...”
Qur'an 3:64; Sahih al-Bukhari 7What Heraclius asked
Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan about the Prophet’s ﷺ lineage, followers, truthfulness, whether he broke promises, and what he commanded. Abu Sufyan answered that the Prophet ﷺ called people to worship Allah alone, speak truth, maintain family ties, pray, and give charity.
Heraclius recognised signs of prophethood from the answers, though his response did not become open acceptance in the public sense.
Sahih al-Bukhari 7The ruler’s responsibility
The Prophet ﷺ wrote that if Heraclius accepted Islam, he would be safe and Allah would give him his reward twice. If he turned away, the burden of his people would also be upon him.
This shows that leadership carries weight. A ruler’s choice affects more than himself.
Sahih al-Bukhari 7; Sahih Muslim 1773Leadership Is a Trust
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهَا
Meaning: “Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due.”
Qur'an 4:58The Letter to Chosroes
The Prophet ﷺ also sent a letter to Chosroes, the Persian ruler. Reports mention that Chosroes tore the letter. The Prophet ﷺ then made a statement indicating that his kingdom would be torn apart.
This response stands in sharp contrast to the adab of receiving a call from Allah’s Messenger ﷺ. The issue was not merely paper being torn. It was arrogance toward revelation.
Later events in history showed the collapse of Persian imperial power. The Seerah here plants the seed: kings may sit on thrones, but Allah owns every kingdom.
Sahih al-Bukhari 64; Sahih al-Bukhari 4424; Seerah reportsAllah Gives and Removes Kingdom
قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ مَالِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَن تَشَاءُ وَتَنزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّن تَشَاءُ
Meaning: “Say, O Allah, Owner of Kingdom, You give kingdom to whom You will and remove kingdom from whom You will.”
Qur'an 3:26The Letter to the Ruler of Egypt
Seerah and biographical reports mention that the Prophet ﷺ sent Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah رضي الله عنه with a letter to the ruler of Egypt, often called al-Muqawqis in the reports.
The ruler responded with courtesy and sent gifts. Among those sent to the Prophet ﷺ was Mariyah رضي الله عنها, who later became connected to a major family event in Madinah: the birth of Ibrahim رضي الله عنه. That event will be covered in its correct later chapter.
This letter is important because it links Hudaybiyyah’s open dawah to later household events and the spread of Islam beyond the Hijaz.
Seerah reports in Ibn Hisham, Ibn Sa'd, and biographical worksAllah Creates What He Wills
يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ يَهَبُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ إِنَاثًا وَيَهَبُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ الذُّكُورَ
Meaning: “He creates what He wills. He grants females to whom He wills and grants males to whom He wills.”
Qur'an 42:49Heraclius
The best-preserved letter report includes Abu Sufyan’s questioning before Heraclius.
Chosroes
He tore the letter, and the Prophet ﷺ spoke of his kingdom being torn.
Al-Muqawqis
Reports mention a courteous response and gifts, including Mariyah رضي الله عنها.
The Letter to the Negus
The Negus of Abyssinia had already shown justice to the early Muslims who migrated there. Reports about letters to the Negus include different contexts and details, so this page keeps the wording careful.
Abyssinia remains deeply connected to the Seerah: it sheltered early believers, and later the marriage to Umm Habibah رضي الله عنها was arranged there through the Negus. That household event comes next in the timeline.
The Negus’s earlier protection of the Muslims shows that justice can appear in places where the oppressed least expect rescue.
Sahih Muslim 1774; Seerah and biographical reportsStand for Justice
كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّهِ
Meaning: “Stand firmly for justice as witnesses for Allah.”
Qur'an 4:135Other Letters and Envoys
Seerah reports also mention letters and envoys to other rulers and regional leaders, including rulers connected to Bahrain, Yamamah, Oman, and other places.
Some reports are stronger than others, and details vary across Seerah and biographical works. The broad historical picture is clear: after Hudaybiyyah, the Prophet ﷺ sent the call of Islam beyond the immediate battlefield with organised envoys.
The da'wah was clear: worship Allah alone, accept His Messenger ﷺ, and carry responsibility for those under one’s care.
Seerah reports in Ibn Hisham, Ibn Sa'd, and early Maghazi worksThe Message Is for All People
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا
Meaning: “Say, O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all.”
Qur'an 7:158Why These Letters Matter
The letters matter because they show the global direction of the Prophetic mission. The Prophet ﷺ did not keep Islam as a local tribal identity. He called emperors, kings, governors, and communities to the worship of Allah alone.
They also show the difference between power and truth. Some rulers listened with interest, some responded with courtesy, and some rejected arrogantly. But every letter carried the same essential call: surrender to Allah and be safe.
Hudaybiyyah made this stage possible. What looked like a difficult treaty became a platform for the message to travel beyond Arabia.
Dua for Clear Speech
رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي، وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي، وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي، يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي
Meaning: “My Lord, expand my chest, ease my task for me, and untie the knot from my tongue so they may understand my speech.”
Qur'an 20:25-28Keep the message central
The letters were invitations to tawhid, not displays of political pride.
Keep reports labelled
The Heraclius report is strongly preserved, while some other letter details come through Seerah reports.
Keep the timeline connected
The Egypt letter links to Mariyah رضي الله عنها and later Ibrahim رضي الله عنه, while Abyssinia links to Umm Habibah رضي الله عنها.
What This Stage Led To
The letters widened the public reach of Islam. The next chapter covers the marriage to Umm Habibah رضي الله عنها, connected to Abyssinia and the Negus.
The Prophet ﷺ sent envoys
The treaty gave space for organised da'wah beyond Quraysh.
Rulers were invited to Islam
The message reached courts connected to Byzantium, Persia, Egypt, Abyssinia, and regional powers.
Reactions differed
Some listened carefully, some responded politely, and some rejected arrogantly.
Marriage to Umm Habibah رضي الله عنها
The next chapter returns to the Prophet’s ﷺ household and the believers in Abyssinia.
Zaynab رضي الله عنها Returns to Allah
During this later Madinah period, Zaynab رضي الله عنها, the eldest daughter of the Prophet ﷺ, returned to Allah. Her story had already passed through hardship: separation during the early struggle, migration from Makkah, and the pain she suffered on the road to Madinah.
She had been married to Abu al-As ibn ar-Rabi' رضي الله عنه. After a long and difficult separation caused by faith and migration, Allah reunited their home when Abu al-As رضي الله عنه accepted Islam and came to Madinah.
Her return to Allah was a deep family sorrow for the Prophet ﷺ. The washing and preparation were carried out by the believing women, and the Prophet ﷺ gave his own garment to be used with her shrouding, showing fatherly mercy and honour.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1253; Sahih Muslim 939; Ibn Sa'd; Ibn HajarPatience at Family Loss
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
Meaning: “Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we return.”
Qur'an 2:156References Used in This Chapter
Major claims are tied to Qur'an, authentic hadith, or named Seerah and biographical reports.
- Qur'an 21:107: the Prophet ﷺ sent as mercy to the worlds.
- Qur'an 16:125: calling to Allah with wisdom and good instruction.
- Qur'an 3:64: the common-word invitation to the People of the Book, included in the letter to Heraclius.
- Qur'an 4:58 and Qur'an 4:135: trusts, leadership responsibility, and standing for justice.
- Qur'an 3:26: Allah gives and removes kingdom.
- Qur'an 42:49: Allah grants children as He wills, connected to the later Ibrahim رضي الله عنه chapter.
- Qur'an 7:158: the Prophet ﷺ sent to all people.
- Qur'an 20:25-28: dua for expanded chest, eased task, and clear speech.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 7 and Sahih Muslim 1773: the letter to Heraclius and Abu Sufyan’s questioning.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 65, Sahih al-Bukhari 2938, and Sahih Muslim 2092: the Prophet’s ﷺ seal ring for letters.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 64 and Sahih al-Bukhari 4424: the report of Chosroes tearing the letter and the Prophet’s ﷺ statement.
- Sahih Muslim 1774: reports connected to the Negus and Abyssinia.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1253 and Sahih Muslim 939: reports connected to washing and shrouding Zaynab رضي الله عنها, the Prophet’s ﷺ daughter.
- Seerah and biographical reports: letters to al-Muqawqis, regional rulers, envoys, responses, Mariyah رضي الله عنها, and fuller diplomatic details are recorded in early works such as Ibn Hisham’s Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Ibn Sa'd’s Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, and later biographical works.
- Content note: reports about some letters differ in details, so this page separates strongly preserved hadith reports from Seerah and biographical reports.