رسالة رسول الله لأمير دمشق The Messenger of God's letter to the Prince of Damascus

اسم أمير دمشق في تلك الآونة

الحارث بن أبي شمر: الغساني

 وهو أحد أمراء غسان في أطراف الشام. كان مسكنه غوطة دمشق

نبذة رسول رسول الله

شُجاع بن وهب 

كان من السابقين إلى الإسلام، هاجر مع أخيه عقبة رضي الله عنه إلى الحبشة، ثم عاد إلى مكة، ثم هاجر إلى المدينة، آخى النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم بينه وبين أوس بن خولي رضي الله عنه، شهد المشاهد كلها، وأرسله النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم رسولًا إلى ملك الغساسنة بكتابٍ يدعوه فيه إلى الإسلام، وبعثه إلى المُنْذِرِ بن الحارث بن أبي شَمَر الغَسَّانِي، وأرسله في سريةٍ على رأس أربعة وعشرين رجلًا إلى بني عامرٍ في ربيع الأول سنة ثمان للهجرة.

لمحة عن أهل دمشق آنذاك

الغسانيون فرع من قبيلة الأزد سكنوا اليمن قديمًا، وكانت أراضيهم تروى من سد مأرب. فلما انهار ذلك السد، اضطروا لمغادرة اليمن، ونزلوا في بلاد الشام، واستولوا على جزء من أراضيها، وحكموا فيها، وانتهى بهم الأمر بتشكيل دولة الغساسنة، التي حكمت تلك البلاد تحت نفوذ وسيادة قيصر الروم. ولما جاء الإسلام، أزال نظامهم، وانتهى حكمهم، بعد أن حكم اثنان وثلاثون ملكًا في مناطق الجولان واليرموك ودمشق.

نص الرسالة

"بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم، من محمد رسول الله إلى الحارث بن أبي شمر، السلام على من اتبع الهدى وآمن بالله وصدق. أدعوكم إلى الإيمان بالله وحده لا شريك له، ويبقى لكم الملك. وآمنوا بالله وصدقوا. أدعوكم إلى الإيمان بالله وحده لا شريك له، ويبقى لكم الملك (محمد رسول الله)  وفي بعض الروايات، كانت الرسالة خالية من البسملة، ومن رسول الله إلى الحارث بن أبي شمر، بدلًا من "بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم"، من محمد رسول الله إلى الحارث بن أبي شمر. في حوار بين شجاع (رسول رسول الله) والحارث (أمير دمشق).

شهادة شجاع بن وهب (رسول رسول الله) علي رد فعل امير دمشق 

 قال شجاع: أتيته وهو بغوطة دمشق، فلما دنا منه دخلت على حاجبها، فوجدته يومئذ مشغولاً يُهيئ لقيصر مسكناً وضيافة، فجاء من حمص إلى إيليا، فأقمت على بابه يومين أو ثلاثة، وقلت لحاجبه: أنا رسول رسول الله إليك، فقال: لا تصل إليه حتى يخرج يوم كذا وكذا، فسألني حاجبها - وكان رومياً اسمه مريم - عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ماذا يدعو إليه، فأُكلِّمه، فيرق قلبه حتى تذرف عيناه الدمع، ويقول: قرأت الإنجيل، فأجد خلق هذا النبي 

ثم خرج الحارث يوماً فوضع التاج على رأسه، فأذن لي

 فناولته كتاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم. الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فقرأه، فانزعج الحارث مما قرأه في آخر الكتاب، فألقاه جانبًا، ثم قال: من ينزع ملكي مني؟ أنا ذاهب إليه، ولو كان باليمن لجئته ولقيت الناس. فظل جالسًا يتباهى حتى الليل، وأمر بنعل الخيل، وأمر الجيش بالاستعداد فورًا ليُظهر قوته العسكرية أمام سفير النبي، ويخيفه ويرهبه، وليُظهر نفسه مدافعًا عن مُلك قيصر، وبادر بكتابة رسالة إلى قيصر يُخبره بنيته غزو رسول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ثم قال: أخبر صاحبك بما ترى، وصلت رسالة الأمير الغساني إلى قيصر في الوقت الذي كان فيه دحية الكلبي سفير النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى الروم في مجلس قيصر، وكان قيصر يستجوبه ويسأله عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم في خلقه ودينه، فانزعج قيصر من تسرع الحاكم الغساني وكتب إليه يمنعه من الذهاب إلى رسول الإسلام، طالباً منه مقابلته في مدينة إيلياء، قال: عاد الكتاب وأنا مقيم، فناداني وقال: متى تريد الخروج إلى صاحبك؟ قلت: غداً. غيّر موقف قيصر الإيجابي، هذا الموقف كله الحكم الغساسني السلبي، متبعًا المثل القائل بأن الناس على دين ملوكهم، فسارع على الفور إلى تكريمي، فأمر لي بمئة مثقال من الذهب، وأعطاني حاجب الروم سرًا مصروفًا وكساءً، وقال: اقرأ على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سلامي، وأخبره أنني على دينه. قال شجاع، فأتيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وأخبرته، فقال: "هلك ملكه".

نستفيد مما سبق 

1- إن لكل انسان من اسمه نصيب (شجاع بن وهب) رضي الله عنه، فهو شجاع، فالقاء الأمير الغساسني لكتاب رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم جانباً لا يُنبأ بخير، وأن القادم ليس بجيد، لكن استجابة لمطلب رسول الله "الذهاب للملوك" ثَبُت في مكانه لم يخاف حتي مع نشر الأمير الغساسني لقوات جيشه لإرهاب رسول رسول الله ، وإخبار رسول الله بما شاهد، بل العكس كان هو الصحيح . 

2 - الناس بالفعل علي دين ملوكهم، فكان الأمير الغساسني (أمير دمشق آنذاك: الحارث بن اب شمر) تابعاً لقيصر الروم، فقد غير موقف شديد إلي موقف مغاير تماما لرسول رسول الله مما يوحي أن التبعية لا تمنحه فرصة للقرار

3 -  الصحابي الجليل (شجاع بن وهب) كان كمثل من قال الله تعالي فيهم ( ( الذين قال لهم الناس إن الناس قد جمعوا لكم فاخشوهم فزادهم إيمانا وقالوا حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل فانقلبوا بنعمة من الله وفضل لم يمسسهم سوء واتبعوا رضوان الله والله ذو فضل عظيم ) فانقلبت نقمة الأمير عليه إلي نعمة ومنحه وأعطاه بدلاً من قتله ومحاربة الرسول صلي الله عليه وسلم 

4- كما يقولون (بالشَّجاعةِ تُنالُ المَكرُماتُ وتُدفَعُ المكارِهُ) لا قطعت رزق ولا قطعت أجل لم يحن. 

The name of the Emir of Damascus at that time

Al-Harith ibn Abi Shammar: Al-Ghassani

He was one of the Ghassanid emirs on the outskirts of the Levant. He resided in the Ghouta of Damascus

A Brief History of the Messenger of God

Shuja' ibn Wahb

He was among the first to embrace Islam. He migrated with his brother Uqba (may God be pleased with him) to Abyssinia, then returned to Mecca, and then migrated to Medina. The Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family) established a brotherhood between him and Aws ibn Khuli (may God be pleased with him). He witnessed all the battles, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family) sent him as a messenger to the king of Ghassanids with a letter inviting him to Islam. He then sent him to Al-Mundhir ibn Al-Harith ibn Abi Shammar Al-Ghassani, and sent him on a secret expedition at the head of twenty-four men to Banu Amir in Rabi' al-Awwal of the eighth year of the Hijra.

A Glimpse of the People of Damascus at the Time

The Ghassanids, a branch of the Azd tribe, inhabited ancient Yemen. Their lands were irrigated by the Ma'rib Dam. When that dam collapsed, they were forced to leave Yemen and settle in the Levant, where they seized control of part of its territory and ruled it. They eventually formed the Ghassanid state, which ruled that region under the influence and sovereignty of the Byzantine emperor. When Islam came, their regime was abolished, and their rule ended, after thirty-two kings had ruled the regions of the Golan Heights, Yarmouk, and Damascus.

A Glimpse of the People of Damascus at the Time

The Ghassanids, a branch of the Azd tribe, inhabited ancient Yemen. Their lands were irrigated by the Ma'rib Dam. When that dam collapsed, they were forced to leave Yemen and settle in the Levant, where they seized control of part of its territory and ruled it. They eventually formed the Ghassanid state, which ruled that region under the influence and sovereignty of the Byzantine emperor. When Islam came, their regime was abolished, and their rule ended, after thirty-two kings had ruled the regions of the Golan Heights, Yarmouk, and Damascus.

The text of the message

"In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, from Muhammad, the Messenger of God, to Al-Harith ibn Abi Shammar. Peace be upon him who follows the guidance, believes in God, and is sincere. I invite you to believe in God alone, with no partner, and the kingdom will remain yours. And believe in God and be sincere. I invite you to believe in God alone, with no partner, and the kingdom will remain yours (Muhammad, the Messenger of God). In some versions, the message was devoid of the Basmala, and from the Messenger of God to Al-Harith ibn Abi Shammar, instead of "In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful," from Muhammad, the Messenger of God to Al-Harith ibn Abi Shammar. In a dialogue between Shuja' (the Messenger of God) and Al-Harith (the Emir of Damascus).

The testimony of Shuja' ibn Wahb (the Messenger of God) regarding the reaction of the Emir of Damascus

Shuja' said: "I came to him while he was in the Ghouta of Damascus. When I approached him, I entered upon its chamberlain. I found him busy that day preparing a residence and hospitality for Caesar. He came from Homs to Aelia, and I stayed at his door for two or three days. I said to his chamberlain: 'I am the messenger of God's Messenger to you.' He said: 'Do not reach him until he leaves on such and such a day.' Her chamberlain—a Roman named Maryam—asked me about the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, and what he was calling for. I spoke to him, and his heart softened until tears welled up in his eyes, and he said: 'I have read the Gospel, and I find the character of this Prophet.

Then one day, al-Harith came out and placed the crown on his head. He gave me permission

I handed him the letter of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, and he read it. Al-Harith was disturbed by what he read at the end of the letter, so he threw it aside and said: 'Who will take my kingdom from me?' I am going to him, even if he were in Yemen, I would have come and met the people. So he remained sitting boasting until nightfall. He ordered the horses to be shod, and ordered the army to prepare immediately to demonstrate his military strength before the Prophet’s ambassador, to frighten and intimidate him, and to present himself as a defender of Caesar’s kingdom. He hastened to write a letter to Caesar informing him of his intention to invade the messenger of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace. Then he said: Tell your master what you see. The letter from the Ghassanid prince reached Caesar at the time when Dihya al-Kalbi, the Prophet’s ambassador to the Romans, was in Caesar’s court. Caesar was interrogating him and asking him about the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his family and grant them peace, his character and religion. Caesar was annoyed by the Ghassanid ruler’s haste and wrote to him preventing him from going to the Messenger of Islam, asking him to meet him in the city of Aelia. He said: The letter returned while I was still there, and he called me and said: When do you want to go out to your master? I said: Tomorrow. Caesar's positive attitude changed the entire negative Ghassanid rule, following the proverb that people follow the religion of their kings. He immediately hastened to honor me, ordering me to be given one hundred mithqals of gold, and the Roman chamberlain gave me a secret allowance and a cloak, and said: Give my greetings to the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, and tell him that I follow his religion. Shuja' said, "So I went to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and informed him. He said: 'His kingdom is lost.'"

We learn from the above

1- Every person has a share of his name (Shuja' ibn Wahb), may God be pleased with him. He was brave. The Ghassanid prince's dismissal of the Messenger of God's letter, may God bless him and grant him peace, did not bode well, and that what was to come was not good. However, in response to the Messenger of God's request to "go to the kings," he remained steadfast in his position. He was not afraid, even when the Ghassanid prince deployed his army to terrorize the Messenger of God's messenger and inform the Messenger of God of what he had witnessed. In fact, the opposite was true.

2 - People were already following the religion of their kings. The Ghassanid prince (the Emir of Damascus at the time, Al-Harith ibn Abi Shammar) was a follower of the Byzantine Caesar. He changed his stance from a severe one to a stance completely different from that of the Messenger of God, which suggests that his subservience did not allow him the opportunity to make a decision.

3 - The noble Companion (Shuja' ibn Wahb) was like those about whom God Almighty said: (Those to whom the people said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them." But it only increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is God, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs." So they returned with favor and bounty from God. No harm had touched them, and they pursued the pleasure of God, and God is the possessor of great bounty.) So the prince's wrath against him turned into a blessing, and he granted him favor and gave him a gift instead of killing him and fighting the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace.

4 - As they say, "By courage, honors are attained and hardships are warded off." Neither livelihood was cut off nor a lifespan was cut off when it had not yet arrived.