Question: How accurate is the story of the king of “Malabar” in India (Jaqrani Farmas) when he saw the splitting of the moon in the era of the Prophet (peace be upon him), then he went to the Prophet afterwards, embraced Islam at the hands of the Prophet, became a companion, and died on his way back in Dhofar, Oman, and was named Serbank by the Arabs?
Answer: Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and companions.
Shaikh Abdul Majeed Az-Zindani mentioned in his book “The Evidences and Miracles of the Prophet (peace be upon him)” [Bayyinaat Ar-Rasool wa-Mujazaatihi] this incident.
He said: The history of India recorded the name of one of their kings, Jaqrani Farmas, and that he witnessed the incident of the splitting of the moon. One of the historical Indian manuscripts recorded the following: “The king of Malabar in India, Jaqrani Farmas, witnessed the splitting of the moon, which occurred to Muhammad. When he inquired about the splitting of the moon, he learned about the prophecy of the coming of a messenger from the Arabian Peninsula. He then appointed his son as his successor and set out to meet him. He embraced Islam at the hands of the Prophet. Upon his return to his homeland, based on the Prophet’s guidance, he died at the port of Dhofar.”
“The Indian manuscript is located in the Library of the India Office in London, reference number: Arabic 2807, 152 to 173, and it was cited by Hamidullah in his book ‘Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.'”
It is mentioned in the books of hadith about the Indian king who reached the Prophet (peace be upon him). In Al-Hakim’s Mustadrak: Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The king of India gifted the Prophet (peace be upon him) a jar containing ginger, and the Prophet distributed pieces of it to his companions, and I ate a piece from it. Al-Hakim said: I did not find any mention of the Prophet (peace be upon him) eating ginger other than this. End of quote.
As for the story of his witnessing the splitting of the moon, it is possible that it is proven. We did not come across this manuscript, nor its documentation from a historical perspective, but it is not far-fetched that it is proven.
As for the hadith of his coming to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and gifting ginger, it is considered weak as stated by Ar-Razi and Abu Zur’ah.
Al-Haythami said in Majmua’ Az-Zawa’id: It was narrated by At-Tabarani in Al-Awsat, and it includes Amr bin Hakam, who was accused of (being unreliable in transmitting) this hadith, and he is weak. End of quote.
Moreover, in the narration of At-Tabarani, it mentioned that it was the king of Rome, not the king of India.
As for the proof of his companionship, it was denied by the scholars.
Ibn Al-Athir said in “Usud Al-Ghabah”: Serbatak the Indian. Makki bin Ahmad Al-Bardai narrated from Ishaq bin Ibrahim At-Tusi, who said: He told me, and he was ninety-seven years old, that he saw Serbatak, the king of India, in a town called Kannauj, and I asked him how many years have passed over him, he said: Nine hundred and twenty-five years, and he was a Muslim. He claimed that the Prophet (peace be upon him) sent to him ten of his companions, including Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman, Amr bin Al-As, Usama bin Zaid, Abu Musa Al-Ashari, Suhayb, Safeenah, and others inviting him to Islam, and he responded and embraced Islam, and accepted the Prophet’s letter. Abu Musa mentioned it.
Indeed, Ibn Mandah and others omitted it, as omitting it is better than affirming it. Were it not for our condition of not omitting any biography mentioned by them or one of them, we would have omitted this and its likes. End of quote.
Ash-Shawkani said in “Al-Fawaid Al-Majmu’ah” in the discussion about those who falsely claimed companionship: Among them is Serbatak the king of India in Kanauj, who claimed to be seven hundred years old, and that the Prophet (peace be upon him) sent Hudhayfah, Usama, and Suhayb to him inviting him to Islam, and he responded and embraced Islam. Adh-Dhahabi said: This is clear falsehood. End of quote.
And Allah knows best.
(Translated by Mohammed bin Thajammul Hussain Manna.)
Saheehus-Seerah 