He had already dispatched a letter to Heraclius through Dihyah al-Kalbi during the period of truce with the idolaters. At that time Abū Sufyān had not yet embraced Islam; he happened to be present before Heraclius, who questioned him about the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Since Abū Sufyān did not accept Islam until the Year of the Conquest, it follows that this letter was sent prior to the Conquest. Now, the verse regarding the jizyah (tribute) was revealed after the Conquest, in the ninth year AH. This shows that the verse under discussion came down before the jizyah verse, and also before the Verse of Mutual Imprecation (mubāhalah). It is certain that the mubāhalah verse was revealed in connection with the arrival of the delegation from Najrān. The exegetes and the biographers likewise state that Sūrat Āl ʿImrān was revealed on account of the debate with the people of Najrān, and we have already cited this with a continuous chain of transmission from the scholars of hadith.