Hawzah ibn Ali was the king of Al-Yamamah, a city and town located in what is now present-day Najd. It is possible he was an Aksumite or Himyarite governor. Hawzah was an adherent of Christianity.
Salit ibn Amr, one of the companions of the Prophet ﷺ, delivered the letter of invitation of Islam of the Prophet ﷺ to the court of Hawzah. Hawzah them asked someone to read the letter, and the letter read;
From Muhammad the Messenger of God to Hawzah ibn Ali:
Peace be upon those who are on the right path.
You should know it very well that my religion will soon glitter on the farthest horizons. Therefore, Oh Hawzah, become a Muslim so that you will reach salvation. Then, I will let you rule your country.
Hawzah stated that he would not accept this invitation kindly. So, Salit informed him that such an action was wrong. But Hawzah was stubborn and refused to convert. Hawzah then told his advisor, “I am the king of my nation. If I obeyed him, I could not rule my nation any longer.”
Hawzah then wrote a reply letter to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and provided some gifts as well. This letter was written in a rather rude manner, which said;
From Hawzah ibn Ali, the King of Al-Yamamah, to Muhammad ibn Abdullah.
What you invite me to is very good and nice. But, I am the orator and the poet of my nation. The Arabs are afraid of my nation. Give me some authority of your affair, so that I will obey you.
When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ heard this letter, he cursed Hawzah, saying “May Allah destroy everything that is in his hands!” He added that he would not give him even a raw date on the ground.
Hawzah died a year later, and Jibreel informed the Prophet ﷺ that he had died as an unbeliever.
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Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and Contemporary Rulers
Non-FictionA 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...
