Hadith 9096

Chapter 101

باب 101

(101) باب دَعْوَةِ الْيَهُودِيِّ وَالنَّصْرَانِيِّ، وَعَلَى مَا يُقَاتَلُونَ عَلَيْهِ

(101) Chapter: The invitation to Islam is essential before declaring war (DE)
151
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْجَعْدِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسًا ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ لَمَّا أَرَادَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يَكْتُبَ إِلَى الرُّومِ، قِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَقْرَءُونَ كِتَابًا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَخْتُومًا. فَاتَّخَذَ خَاتَمًا مِنْ فِضَّةٍ، فَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى بَيَاضِهِ فِي يَدِهِ، وَنَقَشَ فِيهِ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ.

Narrated Anas:
When the Prophet (ﷺ) intended to write a letter to the ruler of the Byzantines, he was told that those people did not read any letter unless it was stamped with a seal. So, the Prophet (ﷺ) got a silver ring-- as if I were just looking at its white glitter on his hand ---- and stamped on it the expression "Muhammad, Apostle of Allah". (DE)

Reference (DE): Sahih al-Bukhari 2938 (DE)

In-book reference (DE): Book 56, Hadith 151 (DE)

USC-MSA web (English) reference(deprecated numbering scheme): Vol. 4, Book 52, Hadith 189 (DE)