The story of Cyrus of Alexandria

 Cyrus of Alexandria, also known as Muqawqis, was the Coptic governor of Alexandria, Egypt, who worked for the Byzantines under their head ruler in Rome, Heraclius. Cyrus was formerly a Christian cleric and a Bishop as well, but later he was promoted to the role of Patriarch of Alexandria. During his rule, Cyrus managed to unite the Myaphisite and Chalcedonian sects of Christianity under a single sect known as Monothelithism. For at least ten years, Cyrus harshly persecuted the Egyptians in his territory as the majority of the Egyptian people did not recognize him as their patriarch.

In the month of Muharram, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wrote letters to various rulers and governors to convert to Islam, one of this being Cyrus. The letter was transported by the Sahabi, Hatib ibn Abi Baltah, to the palace of Cyrus. This letter, read: “Bismillahirrahmanirrahim!

From Muhammad, the slave and Messenger of God to Muqawqis (what the Arabs called Cyrus), the leader of Copts!

Peace be upon those who follow the right path! After this prayer, I invite you to Islam. Embrace Islam so that you will attain salvation. Embrace Islam so that God will reward you twice. If you refuse my invitation, may you be responsible for the sins of Copts!

Say: ‘O people of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but God; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not from among ourselves Lords and patrons other than God.’ If then they turn back, say: ye! ‘Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to God's will).”

Cyrus read the letter, and he was pleased for some reason. He then folded up the letter and placed it in a special box made of ivory. “May it be good for all!” he exclaimed after he read the letter. He made sure that no one except his trusted translator had seen him read the letter.

Later that night, Hatib was getting ready to leave for Madinah. Then, an envoy of Cyrus summoned him and brought him to Cyrus himself. Cyrus looked Hatib in the eyes, saying, “I knew that a prophet would come but I thought he was going to appear in Damascus. For most of the previous prophets appeared in Damascus. In fact, I also saw in the books that the last prophet would emerge in Arabia, the land of hardness, scarcity and poverty. This time is just the time of the prophet whose characteristics are written in the book of God.” Cyrus then, in a sad tone, said, “However, Copts will not obey me if I become a Muslim. I cannot leave my sovereignty. This prophet will be sovereign in many countries; after him, his Companions will come and settle in our land; then, they will defeat those people over there.” Cyrus had accepted the fact that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was a true Prophet, but he did not become a Muslim out of fear that he would lose his authority in Alexandria.

Cyrus of Alexandria, however, decided to give Prophet Muhammad ﷺ some gifts as a token of apology that he could not become a Muslim. He wrote a reply to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, saying,

“From Muqawqis, the leader of Copts to Muhammad b. Abdullah!

Peace be upon you!

After greeting, I want to say this;

I received your letter and read it. I understood what you mentioned in your letter and what you invited me to do. I knew that a prophet would come but I thought he was going to appear in Damascus!

I entertained your envoy. I sent you two female slaves respected by Copts and clothes; I also sent a mule for you to ride.

Peace be upon you!”

Cyrus then gave Hatib the letter, and he also sent some cavalry to deliver the presents to the Prophet ﷺ, the gifts were; a white mule, a thousand kilograms of gold, a crystal glass, a set of twenty Egyptian-made clothes, a jar of honey, several perfumes and two slave girls. 

When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ read the letter sent by Hatib from Cyrus, he said, “Miserable man! He loved his sovereignty so much, but this sovereignty he loved will not remain forever!” The slave girls were named Maria and Shirin, both became Muslims later on under the guidance of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Maria married the Prophet ﷺ while Shirin married one of his companions. As for the white mule, it was named “Duldul”.

Years later, Cyrus reluctantly participated in battles against the Muslims. But he did not fight in the battles, he was rather just the person whom tried making peace with the Muslims. This made his superiors angry with him, and he was harshly scolded by them. Cyrus eventually surrendered the city of Alexandria to the Muslims in the eighth year of Hijrah, and died one year later.

In later years after his death, the Christians of Constantinople condemned Cyrus and labelled him as a heretic disbeliever in their religion. As for the letter, it was discovered in an old Christian monastery, where it was retrieved by Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid and placed in the Topkapi Palace museum.

Source:

Historical Dictionary of Ancient Egypt by Morris Bierbrier (about Cyrus of Alexandria)

The Arab Conquest of Egypt and the Last Thirty Years under Roman Dominion by Albert J. Butler (about Cyrus' rule)

Al-Tabari's Tarikh (about the letter)

Tabaqat al-Kubra by Ibn Sa'd, volume 1, pages 260-261 and 485 (about the Muslim encounter with Cyrus)

Enchiridion symbolorum et definitionum by Denzinger (about the excommunication of Cyrus by the later Christians)