Epistle of the Prophet: "Your Kingdom Remains Yours"

 بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

Salutations and peace upon you, my master, Apostle of Allah

The Holy Prophet Muhammad صلي الله عليه وسلم had several epistles delivered to the various rulers of the world, inviting them to Islam. Among them was the chieftain of Yamama:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللهِ إِلَى هَوْذَةَ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ سَلَامٌ عَلَى مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْهُدَي وَاعْلَمْ اَنَّ دِينِي سَيَظْهَرُ إِلَى مُنْتَهَى الْخُفِّ وَالْحَافِرِ أَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ وَأَجْعَلُ لَكَ مَا تَحْتَ يَدَيْكَ

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful. From Muhammad, Apostle of Allah, to Hawdhah bin Ali. Peace be upon the one following the guidance. Know that my Religion shall prevail into the furthest reach of the leather footwear and the hoof. Accept Islam and be safe and I will make for you what is under your hand (Zad al-Ma'ad, v.3, p.607)

In his epistle to the chieftain of the Ghassan, al-Harith bin Abi Shimr, the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said:

وَإِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ إِلَى أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللهِ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ يَبْقَى لَكَ مُلْكُكَ

Verily, I invite you to believe in Allah, alone, without any partner for Him, and your kingdom will remain yours (ibid, p.609)

Similarly, in his epistle to the chieftains of Oman, the two brothers Jaifar and Abd sons of al-Julandi, the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said:

وَإِنَّكُمَا إِنْ أَقْرَرْتُمَا بِالْاِسْلَامِ وَلَّيْتُكُمَا وَإِنْ أَبَيْتُمَا أَنْ تُقِرَّا بِالْإِسْلَامِ فَإِنَّ مُلْكَكُمَا زَائِلٌ عَنْكُمَا وَخَيْلِي تَحُلُّ بِسَاحَتِكُمَا وَتَظْهَرُ نُبُوَّتِي عَلَى مُلْكِكُمَا

If you confess Islam I will give you authority, but if you refuse to confess Islam then your kingdom shall be taken from you and my cavalry shall appropriate your land and my Prophethood shall prevail over your kingdom (ibid, p.605)

Amru bin al-As رضي الله عنه was given the duty of delivering this epistle to the chieftains of Oman. When he met Abd bin al-Julandi and delivered the Prophet's invitation to accept Islam, the latter said: "How excellent is this that he calls to! If only my brother would follow me in it, we would ride until we believed in Muhammad and accepted him.

وَ لَكِنْ أَخِي أَضَنُّ بِمُلْكِهِ مِنْ أَنْ يَدَعَهُ يَصِيرَ ذَنَبًا

But my brother is too attached to his kingdom to relinquish it and become a tail."

But Amru bin al-As informed him:

إِنَّهُ إِنْ أَسْلَمَ مَلَّكَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلى قَوْمِهِ

"If he embraces Islam the Apostle of Allah صلي الله عليه وسلم will confirm him as king over his people." (Ibid, p.606)

These blessed epistles make clear that if these chieftains were to accept Islam and believe in the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم they would remain sovereign over their respective polities. The Holy Prophet Muhammad was first and foremost a Prophet and Messenger of God. His prophetic duty was to convey the Message and invite mankind to Islam. He was never obligated by Allah to conquer the world and establish an empire. There is nothing in the sacred Shari'ah that prohibits multiple Islamic kingdoms and states in the world that are independent of each other. And Allah and His Apostle know best!