Ibn Lahiʿah narrated from al-Aswad, from ʿUrwah, who said (1):
Abu Sufyan ibn Harb travelled to Syria on business with a party of Quraysh. News of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—reached Heraclius, and he wanted to ascertain the facts for himself. He therefore sent to the Arab governor under his rule in Syria and ordered him to bring a number of Arabs whom he could question. The governor sent thirty men, among them Abu Sufyan ibn Harb. They entered upon Heraclius in the Church of Īliyāʾ, which lies within the city.
Heraclius said, “I have summoned you so that you may tell me about the man who is in Mecca. What is his affair?”
They replied, “A sorcerer and a liar; he is not a prophet.”
He asked, “Who among you knows him best and is most closely related to him by blood?”
They said, “This is Abu Sufyan, his cousin, and he has fought against him.” When they informed him of this, he ordered the rest of them to be taken outside and seated Abu Sufyan before him to question him.
He said, “Inform me, Abu Sufyan.”
Abu Sufyan answered, “He is a sorcerer and a liar.”
Heraclius replied, “I do not wish to insult him, but how is his lineage among you?”
He said, “By Allah, he is from the noblest house of Quraysh.”
Heraclius asked, “How is his intellect and judgment?”
He answered, “We have never found fault with his mind or his opinion.”
Heraclius said, “Was he ever given to excessive oaths, lying, or deceit in his dealings?”
He replied, “No, by Allah, he was never like that.”
Heraclius asked, “Perhaps he seeks a kingdom or an honor that belonged to one of his forefathers?”
Abu Sufyan said, “No.”
He then asked, “Do any of those who follow him return to you and abandon his religion?”
He replied, “No.”
Heraclius asked, “Does he break his covenants?”
He said, “No—except that he may break this present truce.”
Heraclius said, “What do you fear concerning this truce of his?”
He answered, “My people have reinforced their allies against his allies while he is in Madinah.”
Heraclius responded, “If it was you who began hostilities, then you are the more treacherous.”
Abu Sufyan grew angry and said, “He has only defeated us once, and I was absent that day—the day of Badr. After that I attacked him twice in his own dwellings, ripping open bellies and mutilating ears and genitals.”
Heraclius said, “Do you consider him a liar or truthful?”
He replied, “Rather, he is a liar.”
Heraclius said, “If there is a prophet among you, do not kill him, for the people most inclined to do so are the Jews.” Abu Sufyan then departed.
This report contains an unusual chain of transmission and benefits not found in Ibn Isḥāq or al-Bukhārī. Mūsā ibn ʿUqbah has cited something similar to what ʿUrwah ibn al-Zubayr mentioned in his al-Maghāzī, and Allah knows best.
Ibn Jarīr said in his History (2): Ibn Ḥumayd related to us; Salamah related to us; Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq related from some scholars that when Dihyah ibn Khalīfah al-Kalbī brought the letter of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to Heraclius, the emperor said:
“By Allah, I know that your companion is a messenger-prophet; he is the one we have been awaiting and whose description we find in our Book. But I fear the Romans for my life; were it not for that, I would follow him. So go to the archbishop Ḍughāṭir, mention to him the matter of your companion—for by Allah, he is more highly regarded among the Romans than I am and his word carries more weight with them than mine—and see what he says to you.”
Dihyah went to him and informed him of the message he had brought from the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to Heraclius and of the call to Islam.
Ḍughāṭir said, “By Allah, your companion is indeed a messenger-prophet; we recognize him by his description and we find him in our Book…”