Quran Universe

Heraclius questions Abu Sufyan, c. 629 CE

Chapter 6 · The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ48 / 60

8 AH

WorldJerusalemabout 1,400 years ago

Approximate date

Heraclius questions Abu Sufyan

Heraclius, in Jerusalem after his victory, questions Abu Sufyan about the Prophet ﷺ. Each answer convinces him, but his court rages and he keeps his throne.

How it touches Islam Abu Sufyan, still an enemy, could not lie before his own men, so a Roman emperor heard the truth about Islam from its opponent.

HeracliusAbu Sufyan

Say, "O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you - that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah." But if they turn away, then say, "Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him]."

Quran 3:64

Sahih al-Bukhari 7

Source: Bukhari ·

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Borders come from Cliopatria, the open map of the Seshat Global History Databank (CC BY 4.0), and are approximate. Dates before 1000 BCE are estimates, and for the earliest prophets the Quran gives the order of events but not their years. Sources: the Quran, Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Seerah of Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Kathir's al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya, and standard histories. See also the villains of Islamic history, from Iblis to the Dajjal, and the library of people, nations, empires and places.

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