Munzir ibn Sa'wah was the governor of Bahrain, who worked under the Sassanian Empire. He wasn't just the governor of Bahrain, he also ruled what is now present-day Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Bahrain was basically his capital city and the location of his headquarters. Munzir was an adherent of Zoroastrianism. His people practiced idolatry, but some of them were Nestorian Christians. Munzir was also a member of the tribe of Banu Tamim.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ wrote a letter to Munzir ibn Sa'wah, inviting him to join Islam. Munzir felt convinced enough, and he accepted Islam. Then, he wrote back to the Prophet ﷺ, confirming his acceptance of Islam. Then, the Prophet ﷺ sent another letter back to him. This letter read;
I am glad at your acceptance of Islam. Your duty is to obey the delegates and messengers whom I send to you. Whoever obeys them, obeys me. The messenger who took my letter to you praised you to me and assured me of the sincerity of your belief. I have prayed to God for your people. Try, therefore, to teach them the ways and practices of Islam. Protect their property. The sins of the past are forgiven. As long as you are good and virtuous you will continue to rule over your people. As for the Jews and Magians, they have only to pay a tax. Do not, therefore, make any other demands on them. As for the general population, those who do not have land enough to maintain them should have four dirhams each, and some cloth to wear.
The letters were sent back and forth by Al-Ala'a al-Hadhrami, a companion of the Prophet ﷺ who later became a Jizyah collector.
Munzir sent his two sons to Madinah to be educated, where they also became Muslims. Munzir then spread Islam throughout the territories he ruled and governed. This resulted in most of the Arabian Peninsula converting to Islam, with only a few Jews, Christians and Magians remaining there. After the passing of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Munzir was regarded as one of the Tabi'een, and hence, he was one of the few rulers who was also part of the Salaf.
أنت تقرأ
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Contemporary Rulers
غير روائيA short book, written to document the interactions of the Prophet ﷺ with the various rulers (i.e. Kings and Princes) who lived at the same time as Him. Included within this book are the stories of some kings who converted to Islam or accepted the fa...
