This portion of Al-Kitab takes its name from the person to whom it was originally written—Philemon. Philemon was well-known among the followers of ‘ISA AL-MASIH during that time. He was a member of the local congregation of believers in the city of Colossae (in modern-day Turkey). He had a slave whose name was Onesimus. Onesimus ran away from Philemon and somehow met up with the Apostle Paul in a Roman jail. Through Apostle Paul, Onesimus heard the message of the Injil and came to believe in ‘ISA AL-MASIH. Then the two of them together decided that Onesimus should return to Philemon and make right his previous wrongs to Philemon. Onesimus also hand-carried this letter to Philemon from Apostle Paul. The letter asks Philemon to be merciful to Onesimus, and to welcome him back, not just as a slave, but now as a fellow follower of ‘ISA AL-MASIH.