Letters to the Kings

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) climbed the minbar, and after praising Allah (ʿazza wa jall) he said: I wish to send some of you forth to foreign kings; do not dispute among yourselves about me as the Banū Isrāʾīl did about ʿĪsā, son of Maryam. The Muhājirūn said: O Messenger of Allah, we will never disagree about you over anything; order us to go forth.

Now, does it strike the reader here: how is it that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would tell them, do not dispute among yourselves about me, when he is just sending letters to foreign kings? This affair of the letters is a major issue, a serious affair. This is a challenge to the international politics and sovereignty of the day. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would be writing to the kings of the world, telling them to follow him — telling them to hand over the rule of creation over creation, to ruling with the law of Allah (ʿazza wa jall). So it was a major step and an important event, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) wanted to warn the Muslims that this affair should not cause a dispute among them, as the Banū Isrāʾīl disputed about ʿĪsā, son of Maryam.

Because the Banū Isrāʾīl in the time of ʿĪsā were living under kings. They were not living the semi-autonomous and independent life the Arabs were living; they were living under tyrants, under the strict rule of kings. And Christianity was changed because of kings; and ʿĪsā (peace be upon him) — they attempted to kill him because of kings; and the disputes that arose among the Banū Isrāʾīl and the different sects were because of the interference and the involvement of kings. And now the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would be writing to these kings, who were not very different from the kings of before. So the Muhājirūn said: O Messenger of Allah, we will never disagree about you over anything; order us to go forth. And it was a very risky business: it was a risky thing for a Ṣaḥābī to go alone, enter the territory of these kingdoms, and deliver a letter to the king telling him to follow Muḥammad (peace be upon him). It is not an easy thing. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was giving the Companions a warning.