Tanto [[Eginhardo]] quanto [[Notker, o Gago]] fazem referência a enviados viajando entre as cortes de Harune e [[Carlos Magno]], tratando principalmente do acesso dos cristãos à [[Terra Santa]] e trocando presentes. Notker menciona que Carlos Magno teria enviado a Harune cavalos espanhóis, belas roupas coloridas da [[Frísia]] e grandes cachorros de caça. Em 802, Harune enviou [[seda]], candelabros de [[latão]], perfumes, [[bálsamo de Meca]], peças de xadrez em [[marfim]], uma tenda colossal com muitas cortinas coloridas, um elefante chamado {{ilc|Abul Abas||Abul-Abbas}} e um [[relógio de água]] que marcava as horas derrubando bolas de bronze numa bacia conforme cavaleiros mecânicos - um pra cada hora - emergiam de portinholas que se fechavam atrás de si. Os presentes eram sem precedentes na Europa Ocidental e influenciaram a [[arte carolíngia]].
Harun também enviou embaixadas aos chineses da [[Dinastia Tang]] e estabeleceu boas relações com eles<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/?id=QivwtVwq8ykC&pg=PA214&dq=arab+mercenaries+china&q=arab%20mercenaries%20china|title=The Chinese Machiavelli: 3000 years of Chinese statecraft|author=Dennis Bloodworth, Ching Ping Bloodworth|year=2004|publisher=Transaction Publishers|location=|page=214|isbn=0-7658-0568-5|pages=214,346|accessdate=2010-06-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=drPQaUGOJQIC&pg=PA138&dq=abu+giafar+chinese&hl=en&ei=LPTmToPPEsHj0QHPm4nWCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CE4Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=harun%20raschid%20less%20obtrusive&f=false|title=Confucianism and its rivals|author=Herbert Allen Giles|accessdate=2011-12-14 |edition=|series= |volume= |date= |year=1926 |month= |publisher=Forgotten Books |location= |language= |isbn=1-60680-248-8|page=139 |pages=}}</ref> He was called "A-lun" in the Chinese T'ang Annals.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ObcNAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA25&dq=Several+embassies+from+the+Abbaside+Caliphs+to+the+Chinese+Court+are+recorded+in+the+T'ang+Annals,+the+most+important+of+these+being+those+of+(A-bo-lo-ba)+Abul+Abbas,+the+founder+of+the+new+dynasty,+that+of+(Ap'u-cKa-fo)+Abu+Giafar&hl=en&ei=TvXmTtW1I8Lo0QGz4rHvCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Several%20embassies%20from%20the%20Abbaside%20Caliphs%20to%20the%20Chinese%20Court%20are%20recorded%20in%20the%20T'ang%20Annals%2C%20the%20most%20important%20of%20these%20being%20those%20of%20(A-bo-lo-ba)%20Abul%20Abbas%2C%20the%20founder%20of%20the%20new%20dynasty%2C%20that%20of%20(Ap'u-cKa-fo)%20Abu%20Giafar&f=false|title=Islam in China: a neglected problem|author=Marshall Broomhall|accessdate=2011-12-14 |edition=|series= |volume= |date= |year=1910 |month= |publisher=Morgan & Scott, ltd. |location=LONDON 12 PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS, E.C. |language= |isbn=|page=25 |pages=25, 26}}</ref>.
