He went on:

‘I was summoned with a group of Quraysh and we were admitted to Heraclius. He seated us in front of him and said, “Which of you is closest in lineage to the man who claims to be a prophet?”

I replied, “I am.” They therefore placed me directly before him, while my companions were seated behind me. He then called for his interpreter and said, “Tell them: I am going to question this man about the one who claims to be a prophet; if he lies to me, expose his lie.”

By Allah,’ Abu Sufyan added, ‘had I not feared that a falsehood would be attributed to me, I would have lied about him.

‘Then he said to his interpreter, “Ask him: What is his lineage among you?”

I answered, “He is of noble lineage among us.”

He asked, “Has any of his forefathers been a king?”

I replied, “No.”

He asked, “Did you ever accuse him of lying before he made this claim?”

I replied, “No.”

He asked, “Who follows him—your elite or your weak?”

I answered, “Rather, the weak among them.”’