on his way to Jerusalem. The messenger then threw the letter onto the carpet and stepped aside. Caesar called out: “Who brought this letter? He is safe.” The man replied: “I did.” Caesar said: “When I arrive, come to me.” When Caesar arrived, the man came to him. Caesar ordered the palace doors to be shut, then instructed his herald to announce: “Hear this: Caesar has followed Muhammad and abandoned Christianity.” His troops advanced, fully armed. He said to the Messenger of Allah’s envoy, peace and blessings be upon him: “You can see that I fear for my kingdom.” Then he instructed his herald to announce: “Hear this: Caesar is pleased with you.” He wrote to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him: “I am a Muslim,” and sent him some dinars. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The enemy of Allah has lied. He is not a Muslim; he remains a Christian.” He then distributed the dinars.

He sent Abd Allāh ibn Hudhāfah al-Sahmī to Chosroes, whose name was Abrawīz ibn Hurmuz ibn Anūsharwān. Chosroes tore up the Prophet’s letter. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “O Allah, tear his kingdom apart.” Allah then tore apart his kingdom (1) and the kingdom of his people (2).

He sent Hātib ibn Abī Balta‘ah to al-Muqawqis (3), whose name was Jurayj ibn Mīnā’, king of Alexandria (4) and ruler of the Copts. He responded favourably and came close to accepting Islam, but did not embrace it. He presented the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with Māriyah and her two sisters, Sīrīn and Qaysar (5). He took Māriyah as a concubine and gave Sīrīn to Hassān ibn Thābit (6). Al-Muqawqis also presented him with another slave woman and one thousand mithqāls of gold,