He is Abul Qasim (father or Al- Qasim) Muhammad, the son of Abdullah, the son of Abdul Mutalib. His lineage traces back to the tribe of Adnan, the son of Ishmael (the prophet of God, the son of Ibraheem (Abraham) may God praise them all. His mother is Aminah, the daughter of Wahb.

The prophet (SAW) said:
“Indeed God chose the tribe of Kinanah over other tribes from the children of Ishmael; He chose Quraish over other tribes of Kinanah; He chose Banu Hashim over the other families of the Quraish; and He chose me from Banu Hashim.” (Muslim #2276)

Thus, the prophet (SAW) has the noblest lineage on earth. Even his enemies attested to this fact, as did Abu Sufyan, the arch enemy of Islam before he became Muslim, in front of Heraclius, the Emperor of Rome.

Abdullah B Abbas, the nephew of the prophet, reported that the messenger of God (SAW) wrote to Heraclius and invited him to Islam through a letter he sent with a companion of his named Dihya Al- Kalbi. Dihya handed this letter to the Governor of Bustra who then forwarded it to Heraclius.

Heraclius, as a sign of gratitude to God, had walked from Hims to IIya (i.e. Jerusalem) when God had granted him victory over the Persian forces. When the letter of the messenger of God reached Heraclius, he said after reading it, “seek for me anyone of his people, (Arabs of the Quraish tribe) if present here, in order to ask him about the messenger of God!” At that time Abu Sufyan Bin Harb was in Shaam (the Greater Syria Area) with some men from Quraish who had come as merchants during the truce that had been concluded between the messenger of Gof and the pagans of Quraish.

Abu Sufyan said:
“Heraclius messenger found us somewhere in the Greater Syria Area, so he took me and my companions to IIya and we were admitted into Heraclius presence we found him sitting in his royal court wearing a crown, surrounded by the senior Byzantine dignitaries. He said to his translator, “ask them whom amongst them is a close relation to the man who claims to be a prophet,”

Abu Sufyan added:
“I replied I am the nearest relative to him, he asked, what degree of relationship do you have with him? I replied he is my cousin, and there was none from the tribe of Abd manaf in the caravan except myself. Heraclius said let him come nearer. He then ordered that my companions stand behind me near my shoulder and said to his translator, tell his companions that I am going to ask this man about the one who claims to be a prophet. If he tell a lie, they should contradid him immediately.”

Abu Sufyan added:
“By God! Had it not been for shame that my companions brand me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about him when he asked me. But I considered it shameful to be called a liar by my companions, so I told the truth.”

“He then said to his translator, “ask him what kind of family he belongs to, I replied he belongs to a noble family amongst us. He said has anybody else among you ever claimed the same before him? I replied no. He said have you ever blamed him for telling lies before he claimed what he claimed? I replied no. He said have you ever blamed him for telling lies. Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king? I replied no.

He said do the noble or the poor follow him? I replied it is the poor who follow him. He said are they increasing or decreasing (daily). I replied they are increasing. He said does anybody amongst those who embrace his religion become displeased and then diseard his religion? I replied no. He said does he break his promises? I replied no but we are now at truce with him and we are afraid that he may betray us.”

Abu Sufyan added:
“other than the last sentence, I would not say anything against him.”
“Heraclius then asked have you ever had a war with him? I replied yes. He said what was the outcome of your battles with him? I replied sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we. He said what does he order you to do? I said he tells us to worship God alone and not to worship others along with Him, and to leave all that our fore-fathers used to worship. He orders us to pray, give in charity, be chaste, keep promises and return what is entrusted to us.”

“When I had said that, Heraclius said to his translator, I say to him I asked you about his lineage and you reply was that he belonged to a noble family. In fact, all the messengers came from the noblest lineage of their nations. Then I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you had claimed such a thing and your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following a claim that he had been said before him. when I asked you whether he was ever blamed for telling lies, your reply was in the negative, so I took it for granted that a person who did not tell a lie to people could never tell a lie about God.

Then I asked you whether any of his ancestors was a king, your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom. When I asked you whether the rich or the poor people followed him, you replied that it was the poor who followed him. In fact, such are the followers of the messengers. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing, you replied that they were increasing.

In fact this is the result of true faith till it is complete (in all respects). I asked you whether there was anybody who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded his religion, your replied was in the negative. In fact this is the sign of true faith, for when its pleasure enters and mixes in the hearts completely; nobody will be displeased with it. I asked you whether he had ever broken his promises, you replied in the negative, and such are the messengers; they are put to trials and the final victory is always theirs.

Then I asked you what he ordered you, you replied that he ordered you to worship God alone and not to worship others along with him, to leave all that your forefathers used to worship, to offer prayers, to speak the truth, to be chaste, to keep promises and to return what is entrusted to you. These are really the qualities of a prophet who, I knew (from the previous scriptures) would appear but I did not know that he would be from amongst you. If what you say is true, he will very soon occupy the earth under my feet and if I know that I would reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet him; and were I with him, then I would certainly wash his feet.”