He undertook these two missions simultaneously so much so...

He undertook these two missions simultaneously so much so that Muslims would listen to his words, perform the congregational prayers, and be so absorbed by his spiritual charisma that they would rub the water of his ritual ablution on their faces, participate in the military campaigns, slay the enemies, ready themselves to martyrdom, be appointed by him as governors of provinces, and carry out negotiations on his behalf with his political opponents.

After his demise, it was not enough for his successor to be a political leader; rather, he had to perform the political leadership together with religious leadership so that he would be able to fill the Holy Prophet's empty place on the strength of his thorough awareness of the Islamic knowledge. [^1] Muhammad al-Ghazzali, the Trial of Goldziher the Zionist, pp. 79-80. [^2] Ibn Sa`d, al-tabaqat al-Kubra 1:258-262. [^3] Miyanji, Makatib al-Rasul 1:31.

Ibn Husham, in al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 4:254, states that the Holy Prophet sent ten letters to the rulers and kings of the world. According to Tarikh al-Ya`qubi 2:66-67, the Holy Prophet’s letters were thirteen. Mas`udi, in al-Tanbih wa’l-Ishraf pp. 236-237, states that they were six. A contemporary researchers, namely Ahmad sabiri Hamadani, in his book of Muhammad wa-Zimamdaran, the Holy Prophet’s letters were only two or three!

[^4] al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi 2:434; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 4:360. [^5] al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 637-703. Al-Ya`qubi states that the number of these letters was twenty thousand (2:46). [^6] al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 637. [^7] According to Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 4:266, the name was Yusayr ibn Rizam. [^8] Ibn Sa`d, al-tabaqat al-Kubra 2:91-92. [^9] Ibn Husham, op cit, 4:266-267. [^10] Muhammad Hasanayn Haykal, Hayat Muhammad, pp. 386. [^11] al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 634.

[^12] Al-Waqidi, op cit, pp. 646. [^13] tabari, Tarikh al-Umam wa’l-Muluk 3:93; Ibn Husham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah 4:349; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa’l-Nihayah 4:186. [^14] The Holy Prophet’s statement and Imam `Ali’s mission were reported with some differences in the following reference books: sahih al-Bukhari 1:5; sahih Muslim 15:76-177; Ibn Sa`d, Al-tabaqat al-Kubra 2:110-111; Shaykh al-saduq, Kitab al-Irshad, pp.