Some of her relations went after her and demanded her return. The Prophetsa

127 128 Life of Muhammadsa explained that the agreement had laid down an exception about men, not about women; so he refused to return this woman. PROPHET'Ssa LETTERS TO VARIOUS KINGS After settling down in Medina on return from Hudaibiya, the Prophetsa instituted another plan for the spread of his Message. When he mentioned this to the Companions, some of them who were acquainted with the customs and forms observed in the courts of kings told the Prophetsa that kings did not entertain letters which did not bear the seals of the senders. Accordingly the Prophetsa had a seal made on which were engraved the words, Muhammad Rasulullahsa. Out of reverence, Allah was put at the top, beneath it Rasul and lastly Muhammadsa.

In Muharram 628, envoys went to different capitals, each with a letter from the Prophetsa, inviting the rulers to accept Islam. Envoys went to Heraclius, the Roman Emperor, the Kings of Iran, Egypt (the King of Egypt was then a vassal of the Kaiser) and Abyssinia. They went to other kings and rulers also. The letter addressed to the Kaiser was taken by Dihya Kalbira who was instructed to call first on the Governor of Busra. When Dihyara saw the Governor, the great Kaiser himself was in Syria on a tour of the Empire. The Governor readily passed Dihyara on to the Kaiser. When Dihyara entered the court, he was told that whoever was received in audience by the Kaiser must prostrate himself before him. Dihyara refused to do this, saying that Muslims did not bow before any human being. Dihyara, therefore, sat before the Kaiser without making the prescribed obeisances. The Kaiser had the letter read by an interpreter and asked if an Arab caravan was in the town. He said he desired to interrog

It so happened that Abu Sufyanra was in the town