Malik said, "It is the generally agreed on way of doing things
among us that the meat of camels, cattle, sheep and so on is not to be
bartered one for one, except like for like, weight for weight, from
hand to hand. There is no harm in that. If it is not weighed, then it
is estimated to be like for like from hand to hand."
Malik
said, "There is no harm in bartering the meat of fish for the meat of
camels, cattle, and sheep and so on two or more for one, from hand to
hand. If delayed terms enter the transaction however, there is no good
in it."
Malik said, "I think that poultry is different from
the meat of cattle and fish. I see no harm in selling some of it for
something different, more of one than another, from hand to hand. None
of that is to be sold on delayed terms."
Muwatta Malik Book 31, Hadith 67
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) wrote to Caesar and invited him to Islam and sent him his letter with Dihya Al-Kalbi
whom Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered to hand it over to the Governor of Busra who would forward it to
Caesar. Caesar as a sign of gratitude to Allah, had walked from Hims to Ilya (i.e. Jerusalem) when
Allah had granted Him victory over the Persian forces. So, when the letter of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) reached
Caesar, he said after reading it, 'Seek for me any one of his people! (Arabs of Quraish tribe) if present
here, in order to ask him about Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). At that time Abu Sufyan bin Harb was in Sham with
some men from Quraish who had come (to Sham) as merchants during the truce that had been
concluded between Allah's Messenger (ﷺ); and the infidels of Quraish.
Abu Sufyan said, Caesar's messenger found us somewhere in Sham so he took me and my
companions to Ilya and we were admitted into Ceasar's court to find him sitting in his royal court
wearing a crown and surrounded by the senior dignitaries of the Byzantine. He said to his translator.
'Ask them who amongst them is a close relation to the man who claims to be a prophet." Abu Sufyan
added, "I replied, 'I am the nearest relative to him.' He asked, 'What degree of relationship do you have
with him?' I replied, 'He is my cousin,' and there was none of Bani Abu Manaf in the caravan except
myself. Caesar said, 'Let him come nearer.' He then ordered that my companions stand behind me near
my shoulder and said to his translator, 'Tell his companions that I am going to ask this man about the
man who claims to be a prophet. If he tells a lie, they should contradict him immediately." Abu
Sufyan added, "By Allah! Had it not been shameful that my companions label me a liar, I would not
have spoken the truth about him when he asked me. But I considered it shameful to be called a liar by
my companions. So I told the truth.
He then said to his translator, 'Ask him what kind of family does he belong to.' I replied, 'He belongs
to a noble family amongst us.' He said, 'Have anybody else amongst you ever claimed the same before
him? 'I replied, 'No.' He said, 'Had you ever blamed him for telling lies before he claimed what he
claimed? ' I replied, 'No.' He said, 'Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?' I replied, 'No.' He
said, "Do the noble or the poor follow him?' I replied, 'It is the poor who follow him.' He said, 'Are
they increasing or decreasing (day by day)?' I replied,' They are increasing.' He said, 'Does anybody
amongst those who embrace his (the Prophet's) Religion become displeased and then discard his
Religion?'. I replied, 'No. ' He said, 'Does he break his promises? I replied, 'No, but we are now at
truce with him and we are afraid that he may betray us." Abu Sufyan added, "Other than the last
sentence, I could not say anything against him. Caesar then asked, 'Have you ever had a war with
him?' I replied, 'Yes.' He said, 'What was the outcome of your battles with him?' I replied, 'The result
was unstable; sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we.' He said, 'What does he order you to
do?' I said, 'He tells us to worship Allah alone, and not to worship others along with Him, and to leave
all that our fore-fathers used to worship. He orders us to pray, give in charity, be chaste, keep
promises and return what is entrusted to us.'
When I had said that, Caesar said to his translator, 'Say to him: I ask you about his lineage and your
reply was that he belonged to a noble family. In fact, all the apostles came from the noblest lineage of
their nations. Then I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you had claimed such a thing, and
your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that
this man was following a claim that had been said before him. When I asked you whether he was ever
blamed for telling lies, your reply was in the negative, so I took it for granted that a person who did
not tell a lie about (others) the people could never tell a lie about Allah. Then I asked you whether any
of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in the affirmative, I
would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom. When I asked you
whether the rich or the poor people followed him, you replied that it was the poor who followed him.
In fact, such are the followers of the apostles. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing
or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing. In fact, this is the result of true faith till it is
complete (in all respects).
I asked you whether there was anybody who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and
discarded his religion; your reply was in the negative. In fact, this is the sign of true faith, for when its
cheerfulness enters and mixes in the hearts completely, nobody will be displeased with it. I asked you
whether he had ever broken his promise. You replied in the negative. And such are the apostles; they
never break their promises. When I asked you whether you fought with him and he fought with you,
you replied that he did, and that sometimes he was victorious and sometimes you. Indeed, such are the
apostles; they are put to trials and the final victory is always theirs.
Then I asked you what he ordered you. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah alone and
not to worship others along with Him, to leave all that your fore-fathers used to worship, to offer
prayers, to speak the truth, to be chaste, to keep promises, and to return what is entrusted to you.
These are really the qualities of a prophet who, I knew (from the previous Scriptures) would appear,
but I did not know that he would be from amongst you. If what you say should be true, he will very
soon occupy the earth under my feet, and if I knew that I would reach him definitely, I would go
immediately to meet Him; and were I with him, then I would certainly wash his feet.' " Abu Sufyan
added, "Caesar then asked for the letter of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and it was read. Its contents were:
"In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad, the
slave of Allah, and His Apostle, to Heraculius, the Ruler of the Byzantine. Peace be upon the
followers of guidance. Now then, I invite you to Islam (i.e. surrender to Allah), embrace Islam and
you will be safe; embrace Islam and Allah will bestow on you a double reward. But if you reject this
invitation of Islam, you shall be responsible for misguiding the tillers (i.e. your nation). O people of
the Scriptures! Come to a word common to you and us and you, that we worship. None but Allah, and
that we associate nothing in worship with Him; and that none of us shall take others as Lords besides
Allah. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are (they who have surrendered (unto
Him)..(3.64)
Abu Sufyan added, "When Heraclius had finished his speech, there was a great hue and cry caused by
the Byzantine Royalties surrounding him, and there was so much noise that I did not understand what
they said. So, we were turned out of the court. When I went out with my companions and we were
alone, I said to them, 'Verily, Ibn Abi Kabsha's (i.e. the Prophet's) affair has gained power. This is the
King of Bani Al-Asfar fearing him." Abu Sufyan added, "By Allah, I remained low and was sure that
his religion would be victorious till Allah converted me to Islam, though I disliked it."
Sahih al-Bukhari Book 56, Hadith 153
No, By Allah, the Prophet (ﷺ) did not tell that Jesus was of red complexion but said, "While I was asleep
circumambulating the Ka`ba (in my dream), suddenly I saw a man of brown complexion and lank hair
walking between two men, and water was dropping from his head. I asked, 'Who is this?' The people
said, 'He is the son of Mary.' Then I looked behind and I saw a red-complexioned, fat, curly-haired
man, blind in the right eye which looked like a bulging out grape. I asked, 'Who is this?' They replied,
'He is Ad-Dajjal.' The one who resembled to him among the people, was Ibn Qatar." (Az-Zuhri said,
"He (i.e. Ibn Qatan) was a man from the tribe Khuza`a who died in the pre-lslamic period.")
Sahih al-Bukhari Book 60, Hadith 111