The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Who will take this letter of mine to Caesar and earn Paradise?"A man from the gathering asked, "Even if I am not killed?"He replied, "Even if you are not killed."So the man set out with it and met Caesar as he was traveling to Bayt al-Maqdis. A carpet had been laid out for him on which no one else was permitted to walk. The man tossed the letter onto the carpet and stepped aside. When Caesar came upon the letter, he picked it up, then summoned the chief bishop and had him read it. The bishop said, "My knowledge of this letter is no greater than yours."Caesar then called out, "Where is the bearer of this letter? He is granted safe-conduct."The man came forward, and Caesar said to him, "When I arrive, come to me." When Caesar arrived, the man came to him. Caesar then ordered the gates of his palace to be shut, and commanded a herald to announce, "Caesar has followed Muhammad ﷺ and abandoned Christianity."His troops advanced fully armed and surrounded his palace. Caesar said to the messenger of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, "You can see that I fear for my kingdom." Then he ordered a herald to announce, "Caesar is in fact pleased with you. He only tested you to see how steadfast you would be in your religion. So return."They dispersed, and Caesar wrote to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, "I am a Muslim," and sent him some gold dinars. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ read the letter, he said, "The enemy of Allah has lied. He is not a Muslim. He still follows Christianity." And he distributed the dinars.
قال رسول الله ﷺ: من ينطلق بصحيفتي هذه إلى قيصر وله الجنة؟ فقال رجل من القوم: وإن لم أقتل؟ قال: وإن لم تقتل، فانطلق الرجل به فوافق قيصر وهو يأتي بيت المقدس قد جعل له بساط لا يمشى عليه غيره، فرمى بالكتاب على البساط وتنحى، فلما انتهى قيصر إلى الكتاب أخذه، ثم دعا رأس الجاثليق، فأقرأه، فقال: ما علمي في هذا الكتاب إلا كعلمك، فنادى قيصر: من صاحب الكتاب؟ فهو آمن فجاء الرجل، فقال: إذا أنا قدمت فأتني، فلما قدم أتاه فأمر قيصر بأبواب قصره فغلقت، ثم أمر مناديا ينادي: ألا إن قيصر قد اتبع محمدا ﷺ وترك النصرانية، فأقبل جنده وقد تسلحوا حتى أطافوا بقصره، فقال لرسول رسول الله ﷺ: قد ترى أني خائف على مملكتي، ثم أمر مناديا فنادى: ألا إن قيصر قد رضي عنكم وإنما خبركم لينظر كيف صبركم على دينكم فارجعوا، فانصرفوا، وكتب قيصر إلى رسول الله ﷺ: إني مسلم وبعث إليه بدنانير، فقال رسول الله ﷺ حين قرأ الكتاب: كذب عدو الله ليس بمسلم، وهو على النصرانية، وقسم الدنانير.
No references are available.
Ibn Hibban (4504) narrated it from Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Ibrahim, the freed slave of Thaqif, who said, "Abu Yahya Muhammad bin Abdul-Rahim Saiqah narrated to us, who said, Ali bin Bahr narrated to us, who said, Marwan bin Muawiya Fazari narrated to us, who said, Humayd narrated to us, from Anas bin Malik," and he mentioned it. Its chain of transmission is sahih.