Arabic (Original)
Ḥadīth | Ṭabarānī (الطبراني) tabarani:4198 حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَضْرَمِيُّ وَالْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ التُّسْتَرِيُّ قَالَا ثنا يَحْيَى الْحِمَّانِيُّ ثنا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ شَدَّادٍ عَنْ دِحْيَةَ الْكَلْبِيِّ قَالَ بَعَثَنِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِلَى قَيْصَرَ صَاحِبِ الرُّومِ بِكِتَابٍ فَقُلْتُ اسْتَأْذَنُوا لِرَسُولِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَأُتِيَ قَيْصَرُ فَقِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّ عَلَى الْبَابِ رَجُلًا يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ رَسُولُ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَفَزِعُوا لِذَلِكَ فَقَالَ أَدْخِلْهُ فَأَدْخَلَنِي عَلَيْهِ وَعِنْدَهُ بَطَارِقَتُهُ فَأَعْطَيْتُهُ الْكِتَابَ فَقُرِئَ عَلَيْهِ فَإِذَا فِيهِ «بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللهِ إِلَى قَيْصَرَ صَاحِبِ الرُّومِ» فَنَخَرَ ابْنُ أَخٍ لَهُ أَحْمَرُ أَزْرَقُ سَبِطٌ فَقَالَ لَا تَقْرَإِ الْكِتَابَ الْيَوْمَ بَدَأَ بِنَفْسِهِ وَكَتَبَ صَاحِبَ الرُّومِ لَمْ يَكْتُبْ مَلِكَ الرُّومِ قَالَ فَقُرِئَ الْكِتَابُ حَتَّى فَرَغَ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُمْ فَخَرَجُوا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ ثُمَّ بَعَثَ إِلَيَّ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَسَأَلَنِي فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ فَبَعَثَ إِلَى الْأَسْقُفِّ فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ وَكَانَ صَاحِبَ أَمْرِهِمْ يَصْدُرُونَ عَنْ رَأْيَهُ وَعَنْ قَوْلِهِ فَلَمَّا قَرَأَ الْكِتَابَ قَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ هُوَ وَاللهِ الَّذِي بَشَّرَنَا بِهِ مُوسَى وَعِيسَى الَّذِي كُنَّا نَنْتَظِرُ قَالَ قَيْصَرُ فَمَا تَأْمُرُنِي؟ قَالَ أَمَّا أَنَا فَإِنِّي مُصَدِّقُهُ ومُتَّبِعُهُ فَقَالَ قَيْصَرُ أَعْرِفُ أَنَّهُ كَذَلِكَ وَلَكِنْ لَا أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أَفْعَلَ إِنْ فَعَلْتُ ذَهَبَ مُلْكِي وقَتَلَنِي الرُّومُ
English Translation
Dihyah al-Kalbi said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) sent me to Caesar, the ruler of the Romans, with a letter. I said: "Seek permission for the envoy of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)." Caesar was told: "There is a man at the gate claiming to be the envoy of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)." They were alarmed by that. He said: "Bring him in." I was brought before him while his patricians were with him. I gave him the letter, and it was read to him. It contained: "In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Caesar, ruler of the Romans." A red-faced, blue-eyed nephew of his with straight hair snorted and said: "Do not read the letter today — he began with himself and wrote 'ruler of the Romans,' not 'king of the Romans.'" The letter was read until it was finished. Then he ordered them out. Then he sent for me, and I entered. He questioned me and I informed him. Then he sent for the bishop, and he entered — he was the chief of their religious authority, and they followed his opinion and counsel. When the bishop read the letter, he said: "By Allah, he is the one whom Moses and Jesus foretold — the one we have been expecting." Caesar said: "What do you advise me?" He said: "As for me, I believe him and follow him." Caesar said: "I know that is so, but I cannot do it. If I did, my kingdom would be lost and the Romans would kill me."