LETTER TO THE VICEGERENT OF EGYPT
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
From Muhammad Servant of Allah and His Prophet
To Muqawqis, Vicegerent of Egypt
Peace be on him who has taken the right course. Thereafter, I
invite you to accept Islam. Therefore, if you want security, accept Islam. If
you accept Islam, Allah, the Sublime, shall reward you doubly. But if you
refuse to do so, responsibility for the transgression of the entire nation
shall be yours.
0 people of the Book! leaving aside all matters of difference and
dispute, agree on a matter which is equally consistent between you and us and
it is that we should not worship anyone except Allah and that we should neither
associate anyone with Him, nor make anyone else as our god.
If you refuse it, you must know that we, in all circumstances,
believe in Oneness of Allah.
Seal: Allah's Prophet Muhammad
Note: Muqawqis who was appointed as vicegerent of Egypt by the
Roman Empire. He was a great scholar of his religion. Egypt had always been a
great centre of civilisation and made great advances in various branches of art
and astrology. It was also a commercial link between East and West. But like
Iran, Egypt had also become morally depraved.
Muqawqis was highly affected by the sincerity of the letter and he
remarked that it was the time that the awaited Prophet appeared, but that he
was under the impression that he would be born in Syria. He further observed
that from Torah and Bible, he had come to know that the Prophet would not eat
of charity, but would accept presents and that the poor and indigent would be
his companions. He ordered that the Holy letter should be placed in an ivory
casket which should be preserved safely in the government treasury. He sent the
following reply to the Holy Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam).
TO MUHAMMAD SON OF ABDULLAH
From Muqawqis
"I read your letter and understood what you have written. I
know that the coming of a Prophet is still due. But I thought, he would be born
in Syria -- I have treated your messenger with respect and honour. I am sending
two maids for you as presents. These maids belong to a very respectable family
amongst us. In addition I send for you clothes and a duldul (steed) for riding.
May Allah bestow security on you.'"
Note: Just as Caesar could not benefit from the light of Islam;
power and lust pulled him back from availing himself of the blessings of Islam.
The gifts sent by Muqawqis were accepted by the Holy Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe
Wasallam).
The letter which was placed in an ivory casket by Muqawqis, found
its way into the Christian monastery of Akheem in Egypt. There a recluse pasted
it on his Bible. The letter was written on a parchment. From there a French
orientalist obtained it and sold it to Sultan Abdul Majeed Khan of Turkey, for
a consideration of 300 Pounds. The Sultan had the Holy letter fixed in a golden
frame and had it preserved in the treasury of the royal palace, along with
other sacred relics.
High Muslim scholars have affirmed that the Holy letter was
written by as high and sacred a personality as Abu Bakr Siddiq (Raziallah
AnhoA.).
Muqawqis, like Caesar, too had a dialogue with Mugheera bin
Sh'oba, an exalted companion of the Holy Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam).
Mugheera (Raziallah AnhoA.) said: "Once I went to the court of Muqawqis, who enquired of me, about the family of the Holy Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam). I informed him that he belonged to a high and noble family. Muqawqis remarked that Prophets always belong to noble families.
Then he asked if I had an experience of the truthfulness of the Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam).
I told that he always spoke the truth. Therefore, in spite of our opposition to him, we call him Ameen (truthworthy).
Muqawqis observed that a man who did not speak lies to men, how could he speak a lie about Allah? Then he enquired what sort of people were his followers and what did the Jews think of him.
I replied that his followers were mostly poor, but the Jews were his bitter enemies.
Muqawqis stated that the followers of the Prophets in the beginning are usually poor, and that he must be a, Prophet of Allah. He further stated that the Jews opposed him out of envy and jealousy, otherwise they must have been certain of his, truthfulness and that they too awaited a Prophet. The Messiah (A.S.) also preached that following and submitting to the Holy Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam) was essential and that whatever qualities of his had been mentioned, the same were the qualities of the earlier Prophets.
Mugheera (Raziallah AnhoA.) said: "Once I went to the court of Muqawqis, who enquired of me, about the family of the Holy Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam). I informed him that he belonged to a high and noble family. Muqawqis remarked that Prophets always belong to noble families.
Then he asked if I had an experience of the truthfulness of the Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam).
I told that he always spoke the truth. Therefore, in spite of our opposition to him, we call him Ameen (truthworthy).
Muqawqis observed that a man who did not speak lies to men, how could he speak a lie about Allah? Then he enquired what sort of people were his followers and what did the Jews think of him.
I replied that his followers were mostly poor, but the Jews were his bitter enemies.
Muqawqis stated that the followers of the Prophets in the beginning are usually poor, and that he must be a, Prophet of Allah. He further stated that the Jews opposed him out of envy and jealousy, otherwise they must have been certain of his, truthfulness and that they too awaited a Prophet. The Messiah (A.S.) also preached that following and submitting to the Holy Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam) was essential and that whatever qualities of his had been mentioned, the same were the qualities of the earlier Prophets.
Mugheera (Raziallah AnhoA.) was highly impressed by the dialogue.
On his return from Egypt, he happened to meet a great Christian scholar, from
whom he enquired if he awaited a Prophet, and if so, what qualities of his were
mentioned in Torah and Bible? The Christian scholar informed him in detail that
indeed they awaited a Prophet, and he would be the last Prophet. Messiah (A.S.)
preached to them that when that Prophet appeared, they would follow him. He
further preached that the Prophet would be illiterate and an Arab and his name
would be Ahmad and his features and characteristics would be as follows:
"Middling height; big eyes with red capillaries showing in
them, his complexion would be red and white. He would use coarse clothes and
eat ordinary food. He would not be afraid of the greatest power; whoever would
fight against him, he would face him. His companions would be prepared to
sacrifice their lives at his slightest indication, and would regard him dearer
than their own offsprings, mothers, fathers and brothers. From one harem he
would stay in another Harem whose land would be rocky and where date-palms
would be growing in abundance. His faith would be that of Ibrahim (A.S.)! He
shall not adopt the way of the arrogant. His Prophethood shall be for all. The
entire earth shall be his prayer Carpet".
Mugheera was so moved by talks that he went to the Holy Prophet
(Sal Allaho Alehe Wasallam) and accepted Islam.
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