History Learner
Well-known member
While doing some reading on early Islam, I found out Muhammad had actually sent out letters to the various polities that surrounded Arabia (and some within) seeking to convert them to Islam. Of particular interest to me was the letters sent to Emperor Heraclius of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the associated Islamic story of his response:
Wikipedia alleges the following, but I've been able to find any corroborating evidence:
So, taking this as accurate, what if the coming Arab expansion had been targeted at Sassanid Iran, leaving aside the Eastern Romans? It could be justified both based on this interaction as well as the fact the ERE is Christian (People of the Book), while the Sassanids are "Pagan Fire Worshippers".
In contrast to Khosrau II, who had been sent a similar letter earlier, the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius kept the letter and sought to find confirmation concerning what it contained. This is quite different to the treatment accorded to his letter to Khosrau II of the Sassinid Empire. According to Abdullah ibn Abbas, the latter was sent with Abdullah ibn Hudhafa al-Sahmi by way of the Governor of Bahrain.
“So, when Khosrau read the letter he tore it up. Saeed ibn al-Musaiyab said, ‘The Prophet then invoked God to destroy and disperse Khosrau and his followers fully and with severity”. (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
The Sassinid Empire was to utterly dissolve almost immediately, first through the defeat by the Romans, and then by the onslaught of the new Muslim nation. The Byzantine Empire, too, while still under Heraclius, dissolved in Egypt, Palestine and Syria. However, unlike the Sassinid Empire, the Byzantine Empire continued on in various forms for another 800 years until Constantinople finally fell, and this may be because of the contrast in the way each of the letters was received.
Wikipedia alleges the following, but I've been able to find any corroborating evidence:
According to Muslim tradition, the letter was sent through Abdullah as-Sahmi[a][10] and after reading it Khosrow II tore the document,[14] saying, "A pitiful slave among my subjects dares to write his name before mine"[11] and commanded Badhan, his vassal ruler of Yemen, to dispatch two valiant men to identify, seize and bring this man from Hejaz (Muhammad) to him. When Abdullah ibn Hudhafah as-Sahmi told Muhammad how Khosrow had torn his letter to pieces, Muhammad is said to have stated, "May God [likewise] tear apart his kingdom," while reacting to the Caesar's behavior saying, "May God preserve his kingdom."[15][10]
So, taking this as accurate, what if the coming Arab expansion had been targeted at Sassanid Iran, leaving aside the Eastern Romans? It could be justified both based on this interaction as well as the fact the ERE is Christian (People of the Book), while the Sassanids are "Pagan Fire Worshippers".