Hadith 151

Sahih Bukhari

Book 56: Fighting for the Cause of Allah (Jihaad)

Chapter 101

(What is said regarding the invitation of the Jews and Christians (to Islam), and for what Muslims should declare war against them and what the Prophet ﷺ wrote to Khusrau and Caesar

باب دَعْوَةِ الْيَهُودِيِّ وَالنَّصْرَانِيِّ، وَعَلَى مَا يُقَاتَلُونَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَا كَتَبَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى كِسْرَى وَقَيْصَرَ

The invitation to Islam is essential before declaring war.
وَالدَّعْوَةِ قَبْلَ الْقِتَالِ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2938
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.‏
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".

Chain of Narrators

companion
1

Anas bin Malik

أنس بن مالك بن النضر

2,476 narrations

follower
2

Qatada

قتادة

1,382 narrations

successor
3

Shu'bah bin al-Hajjaj

شعبة بن الحجاج

2,461 narrations

successor
4

'Ali bin al-J'ad al-Jauhri

علي بن الجعد بن عبيد الجوهري

16 narrations