|  17 June 2009
Ultimatum of Omar bin el-Kattab, Caliph of Islam to Yazdgird III, Emperor of Iran
In the name of Allah the compassionate, the merciful
To the King of the Persians
I do not foresee a good future for you and your nation save your acceptance of my terms and your submission to me. There was a time when your country ruled half the world, but see how now your sun has set? On all fronts your armies have been defeated and your nation is condemned to extinction. I point out to you the path whereby you might escape this fate. Namely, that you begin worshipping the one god, the unique deity, the only god who created all that is. I bring you his message. Order your nation to cease the false worship of fire and to join us, that they may join the truth.
 Worship Allah the creator of the world. Worship Allah-u-Akbar and accept Islam as the path of salvation. End now your polytheistic ways and become Muslims that you may accept Allah-u-Akbar as your saviour. This is the only way of securing your own survival and the peace of your Persians. You will do this if you know what is good for you and for your Persians. Submission is your only option
Allah-u-Akbar
Caliph of the Muslims, Omar bin el--Khattab
Reply from Yazdgird III, Emperor of Iran
In the Name of Ahuramazda the Creator of Life and Wisdom.
Rostam Farrokhzad, Iranian general who commanded at the Battle of Qadisiyya in AD 636. He was slain by Saad bin Abi Waqqas, paving the way for the Arabs to overrun Iran and beyond |
From the King of Iran and Beyond, King of many Kingdoms, King of the Aryans and non-Aryans, King of Kings of the Empire of Persia, Yazdgird III of the House of Sasan.
To Omar bin el-Khattab the Caliph of the Arabs.
In your letter you summoned us Iranians to your god whom you call "Allah-u-Akbar"; and because of your barbarity and ignorance, without knowing who we are and Whom we worship, you demanded that we seek out your god and become worshippers of "Allah-u-Akbar".
How strange that you occupy the seat of the Arab caliph but are as ignorant as any desert-roaming Arab! You admonish me to become monotheistic in faith. Ignorant little man! For thousands of years we Iranians have, in this land of culture and art, been monotheistic and five times a day have we offered prayers to God's Throne of Oneness. While we laid the foundations of philanthropy and righteousness and kindness in this world and held high the ensign of "Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds", you and your ancestors were desert wanderers who ate snakes and lizards and buried your innocent daughters alive.
You Arabs have no regard for God's creatures. You behead God's children, even the prisoners of war, rape women, bury your daughters alive, attack the caravans, mass murder, kidnap people's wives and steal their property! Your hearts are made of stone, we condemn all this evil that you do. How can you teach us godly ways when you commit these crimes?
You tell me to cease the worship of fire and to worship God instead! To us Iranians the light of fire is reminiscent of the Light of God. The radiance and the sun-like warmth of fire exuberates our hearts, and the pleasant warmth of it brings our hearts and spirits closer together, that we may be philanthropic, kind and considerate, that gentleness and forgiveness may become our way of life, and that the Light of God may keep shining in our hearts.
The Persians had an ancient and proud civilisation. In 538 BC, the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great issued the world's first human rights charter, written on a clay cylinder. This document was remarkably similar to the modern Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In it Cyrus declared: "I announce that I will respect the traditions, customs and religions of the nations of my empire and never let any of my governors and subordinates look down on or insult them as long as I shall live. From now on, while Ahura-Mazda lets me rule, I will impose my monarchy on no nation. Each is free to accept it, and if any one of them rejects it, I shall never resolve on war to reign....... Today, I announce that everyone is free to choose a religion"
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Our God is the Great Ahuramazda. Strange is this that you too have now decided to give Him a name, and you call Him by the name of "Allah-u-Akbar".
But we are nothing like you. We, in the name of Ahuramazda, practise compassion and love and goodness and righteousness and forgiveness, and care for the dispossessed and the unfortunate. You, on the other hand, in the name of your "Allah-u-Akbar", commit murder, create misery and subject others to suffering! Tell me truly who is to blame for your misdeeds? Your god who orders genocide, plunder and destruction, or you who do these things in his name? Or both?
You who have risen from heat of the deserts and burnt out infertile lands with no resources, want to teach people the love of God by your military campaigns and the power of your swords? You are savages, yet you want to teach urban people like us who have lived in the cities for thousands of years, the love of God! We have thousands of years of culture behind us, a powerful tool indeed! Tell us! With all your military campaigns, barbarianism, murder and pillage in the name of your Allah-u-Akbar, what have you taught this Muslim army?
A 21st century Iranian rape victim after being flogged for adultery |
What have you, in the name of your "Allah-u-Akbar", taught these armies of Islam besides destruction, pillage and murder that you now presume to forcibly summon others to your god?
Today, my people's fortunes have changed. Their armies, who were subjects of Ahuramazada, have now been defeated by the Arab armies of "Allah-u-Akbar". And they are being forced, at the point of the sword, to convert to the god by the name of "Allah-u-Akbar". And are forced to offer him prayers five times a day but now in Arabic; since your "Allah-u-Akbar" only understands Arabic.
I advise you to return to your lizard infested deserts. Do not let loose upon our cities your cruel barbaric Arabs who are like rabid animals. Refrain from the murder of my people. Refrain from pillaging my people. Refrain from kidnapping our daughters in the name of your "Allah-u-Akbar". Refrain from these crimes and evils.
We Iranians are a forgiving people, a kind and well-meaning people. Wherever we go, we sow the seeds of goodness, amity and righteousness. And this is why we have the capacity to overlook the crimes and the misdeeds of your Arabs.
Stay in your desert with your "Allah-u-Akbar", and do not approach our cities; for horrid is your belief and brutish is your conduct.
King of Kings, Yazdgird Sasan
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