The Emperor of China’s Words on the Companions (radiallah’anhum)
The magnificence of the Muslims was beautifully summarised by the Emperor of China even though he had neither seen them or met them.  The Persian emperor Yasdgird had witnessed the dazzling brilliance of the Muslims, who had spread justice and equity in neighbouring lands.  Despite massively outnumbering the Muslims, and sensing the inevitable outcome, Yazdgird wrote to the Emperor of China to seek reinforcements. 

Addressing the Persian envoy and recognising that the Muslims were small in number the Chinese Emperor sought further information on his potential adversary and added, “people as few as them cannot overpower an adversary as many as you unless there is tremendous good in them and rot within you.”  The following interesting conversation then ensued:

The Emperor: “Do they fulfil their promises?”. 
The Envoy: “Yes”.

The Emperor: “What do they say to you before they engage in combat?”
The Envoy: “They invite us to three options.  The first is the acceptance of their religion, the second is the payment of Jizya and thus the affording of their protection and third is to face them on the battlefield.”

The Emperor: “How obedient are they to their leaders?”
The Envoy: “They are the most obedient of all the people towards their leaders”.

Emperor: “What do they regard as lawful and what do they regard as unlawful?”
Envoy: [Details the laws of Islam]

Emperor: “And do they forbid what they have lawful and make lawful what has been forbidden?”
Envoy: “This they do not do.”

The Emperor then went on to say, “Such a nation will never be destroyed as long as they regard what is lawful as lawful and what is unlawful as unlawful.”  After a detailed discussion concerning the clothing of the Sahabah radhiallah’anhum and their modes of transport, the Chinese Emperor wrote back to Yazdgird stating:

“It is not the ignorance of my duty that prevents me from sending to your aid an army so large that while the first of it is in the Persian city of Marw, the last is still here in China.   However, the description of these people whom your envoy have described to me tells me that if they had to come up against a mountain, they would certainly shatter it.  If they are left to advance and retain their qualities, they will soon remove me from my kingship. Enter into a treaty with them and be content to abide by the clauses of the treaty.  You should however never attack them as long as they do not attack you.”