Arabic (Original)
Ḥadīth | Ṭabarānī (الطبراني) tabarani:10591 حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ ثنا عَارِمٌ أَبُو النُّعْمَانِ ثنا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ هِرَقْلَ كَتَبَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ وَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ بَقِيَ فِيهِمْ شَيْءٌ مِنَ النُّبُوَّةِ فَسَيُخْبِرُنِي عَمَّا أَسْأَلُهُمْ عَنْهُ قَالَ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ الْمَجَرَّةِ وَالْقَوْسِ وَعَنِ الْبُقْعَةِ الَّتِي لَمْ تُصِبْهَا الشَّمْسُ إِلَّا سَاعَةً وَاحِدَةً قَالَ فَلَمَّا أَتَى مُعَاوِيَةَ الْكِتَابُ وَالرَّسُولُ قَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا لِشَيْءٌ مَا كُنْتُ أُرَاهُ أَنْ أُسْأَلَ عَنْهُ إِلَى يَوْمِي هَذَا مَنْ لِهَذَا؟ قِيلَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَطَوَى مُعَاوِيَةُ كِتَابَ هِرَقْلَ فَبَعَثَ بِهِ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ «إِنَّ الْقَوْسَ أَمَانٌ لِأَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْغَرَقِ وَالْمَجَرَّةَ بَابُ السَّمَاءِ الَّذِي تَنْشَقُّ مِنْهُ وَأَمَّا الْبُقْعَةُ الَّتِي لَمْ تُصِبْهَا الشَّمْسُ إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِنْ نَهَارٍ فَالْبَحْرُ الَّذِي أُفْرِجَ عَنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ»
English Translation
Ibn Abbas reported that Heraclius wrote to Mu'awiyah, saying: "If there remains anything of prophethood among them, he will answer me about what I ask." He wrote asking about the Milky Way, the rainbow, and the spot on earth that was only touched by the sun for one hour. When the letter reached Mu'awiyah, he said: "I never thought I would be asked about such things. Who can answer this?" They said: "Ibn Abbas." So Mu'awiyah sent Heraclius's letter to Ibn Abbas, who wrote back: "The rainbow is a security for the people of the earth from drowning. The Milky Way is the gate of heaven from which it will split open. As for the spot that the sun touched only for one hour of the day, it is the sea that parted for the Children of Israel."