In the Name of Allah.

The Prophet (ﷺ) assembled his companions and addressed them, saying:

“I want to send some of you to the rulers of foreign lands but don’t dispute with me as the Israelites disputed with ‘Eesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam.”  “O Messenger of Allah, we shall carry out whatever you wish,” they responded. “Send us wherever you desire, they added.”

Then, the Prophet (ﷺ) commissioned six of his companions (RadiyaLlahu ‘Anhum) to deliver his letters to Arab and foreign rulers. Going to distant lands with whom there was no agreement nor treaty. They did not know the languages of those lands nor anything about the ways and temperaments of their rulers. They were to invite them to give up their “false religions” and forsake their power and glory, and enter the religion of a people who shortly before were almost their subjects.

‘AbduLlah Ibn Hudhafah As-Sahmi (RadiyaLlahu ‘Anhu) was one of the couriers of the Prophet’s letter (ﷺ) to those rulers. Indeed, history would have by-passed him as it had for thousands of Arabs before him. He, like them, would have had no claim to attention or fame. The greatness of Islam, however, allowed him to meet a world potentate of that time; Khusraw Parvez (the King of Persia), who tore the Prophet’s letter (ﷺ) when it got to him. Consequently, Allah destroyed him by death through his son (named Shirwaih) who took over his seat.

More so, during the reign of ‘Umar (RadiyaLlahu ‘Anhu), ‘AbduLlah was also sent to Heraclius (the Byzantine emperor). Indeed, ‘AbduLlah is best known in Islam for his imprisonment and torture by Heraclius. But, he refused to recant Islam in the face of bribe and torture? He preferred death over forsaking his faith. Therefore, he was later freed together with some other Muslim captives.

I beseech Allah to be Especially Merciful to ‘AbduLlah Ibn Hudhafah. (Aameen)