Abū al-Yamān narrated to us; Shuʿayb transmitted it, from al-Zuhrī. ʿUbayd-Allah ibn ʿAbd-Allah ibn ʿUtbah ibn Masʿūd informed me that ʿAbd-Allah ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them both) told him that Abū Sufyān ibn Ḥarb told him that Heraclius summoned him. Heraclius then asked for the letter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ which the Prophet had sent with Dihyah al-Kalbī to the governor of Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius. He read it, and it contained:

“In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Especially Merciful. From Muhammad, the servant and Messenger of Allah, to Heraclius, Emperor of the Byzantines. Peace be upon whoever follows the guidance. To proceed:
‘O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you…’ (Āl ʿImrān 3:64) up to His words: ‘But if they turn away, then say, “Bear witness that we are Muslims.”’ (Āl ʿImrān 3:64).”

When he finished reading the letter, the commotion around him grew loud; voices rose, and we were expelled.

Yahyā ibn Bukayr narrated to us; al-Layth reported the same account ⦗103⦘.

ʿAbd-Allah narrated to us; al-Layth transmitted it; Yūnus related, from Ibn Shihāb, from ʿUbayd-Allah, from ʿAbd-Allah ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them both) that Abū Sufyān ibn Ḥarb ibn Umayyah conveyed this very report to him, and in it were the words:
“In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Especially Merciful. From Muhammad, the servant and Messenger of Allah…”