as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed me.”

Chosroes said, “Come closer.” Shujāʿ stepped forward and handed him the letter. Chosroes then summoned a scribe from al-Ḥīrah to read it aloud. It began: “From Muḥammad, the servant of Allah and His Messenger, to Chosroes, the great one of Persia.”

The Prophet’s placing his own name first enraged Chosroes. He shouted in fury, tore the letter to pieces before even hearing its contents, and ordered that Shujāʿ be expelled. Shujāʿ mounted his camel and departed. When Chosroes’ anger subsided he sent for Shujāʿ, but he was nowhere to be found. Shujāʿ returned to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him of what had happened, whereupon the Prophet ﷺ said, “O Allah, tear his dominion to shreds.”

Abū ʿAwnah transmitted—through Simāk—from Jābir ibn Samurah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “A company of Muslims will assuredly conquer the treasures of Chosroes that lie in the White Palace.” Muslim recorded this ḥadīth. In another narration, Asbāṭ ibn Naṣr related it from Simāk, from Jābir, adding: “My father and I were among them, and each of us received one thousand dirhams from that booty.”

Aḥmad ibn al-Walīd al-Faḥḥām reported: Aswad ibn ʿĀmir told us; Ḥammād ibn Salamah told us, from Ḥumayd, from al-Ḥasan, from Abū Bakrah, that a man from Persia came to the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, “My Lord has killed your lord,” meaning Chosroes. It was then said to the Prophet ﷺ that Chosroes’ daughter had succeeded him, and he replied, “A people who place a woman in authority over them will never prosper.”

It is also related that Chosroes wrote to Bādhān, his governor in Yemen, threatening him: “Will you not rid me of the man who has arisen in your land inviting me to his religion? Either put an end to him, or I will deal with you myself.”