Surah Ar-Room (30) — Ayah 1

(Ayah 1 to 5) ➊ For {الٓمّٓ (1) غُلِبَتِ الرُّوْمُ (2) فِيْۤ اَدْنَى الْاَرْضِ … : ’’ الٓمّٓ‘‘}, see the beginning of Surah Al-Baqarah. In these opening verses of Surah Ar-Rum, two such prophecies have been made which are a tremendous proof of the truth of Islam and the Prophethood of the Prophet of Islam. The first prophecy among them was that if today Rome has been defeated, then within a few years Rome will again prevail over Iran, and the second prophecy was that if today the Muslims are oppressed and subdued at the hands of the polytheists of Makkah, then they too will gain dominance over the polytheists of Makkah on the same day when Rome prevails over Iran. The detail of this is that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was granted Prophethood, there were two great powers around Arabia at that time. One was the Christian government of Rome, which was close to the Muslims in two respects. First, both were People of the Book, and second, both believed in the Hereafter, so the sympathies of the Muslims were with them. Another reason for the Muslims’ sympathy with the Christian government was that at that time the Muslims had migrated to Abyssinia, and despite the efforts of the Quraysh to bring the Muslims back, the Christian king of Abyssinia gave refuge to the Muslims and the embassy of the Quraysh failed miserably and had to return empty-handed. The second great power was Iran, which was close to the polytheists of Makkah for two reasons. First, the Iranians believed in two gods and were fire-worshippers, and the polytheists were idol-worshippers, and second, both denied the Hereafter. For these reasons, the sympathies of the polytheists of Makkah were with Iran.

There was a gap of six hundred years between the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and Jesus (peace be upon him). [ دیکھیے بخاري، مناقب الأنصار، باب إسلام سلمان الفارسی رضی اللہ عنہ : ۳۹۴۸ ] When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was granted Prophethood, war had started between Rome and Iran, and news of it kept reaching Makkah. When news of Iran’s victory came, the polytheists of Makkah would rejoice and consider it a good omen for themselves and say that just as Iran crushed Rome, so too will we crush the Muslims at some point. In this war, the Iranians inflicted a decisive defeat on the Romans, as a result of which Roman rule in the regions adjoining Arabia was completely ended. This news was very pleasing for the polytheists and a great shock for the Muslims. The polytheists began to taunt them by saying that just as Iran finished off Rome, so too will we wipe you out. In such circumstances, these verses were revealed. Although apparently there were no signs of the Romans’ victory, the Muslims had complete faith in the verses of Allah. On the basis of this certainty, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) even made a bet with the polytheists, as will be mentioned ahead. The commentator Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has narrated many traditions regarding the details of this incident, most of which have weak chains. Only two narrations have good chains, which are quoted here.

The first narration is that Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said regarding the statement of Allah, {’’ الٓمّٓ (1) غُلِبَتِ الرُّوْمُ (2) فِيْۤ اَدْنَى الْاَرْضِ ‘‘}: [ غُلِبَتْ وَ غَلَبَتْ ] “The Romans have been defeated and (then) they became victorious.” And he said, the polytheists liked that the Persians should prevail over the Romans, because both the polytheists and the Persians were idol-worshippers, and the Muslims liked that the Romans should prevail over the Persians, because they (the Romans) were People of the Book. People mentioned this to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), so Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he said: [ أَمَا إِنَّهُمْ سَيَغْلِبُوْنَ ] “Listen! Surely they (the Romans) will be victorious.” Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) told this to the polytheists, so they said: “Set a term between us and you. If we prevail, we will get such and such, and if you prevail, you will get such and such.” So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) set a term of five years. But the Romans did not prevail, so Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he said: “Why did you not set the term less than ten?” Abu Sa’id said, the word {’’اَلْبِضْعُ‘‘} is used for less than ten. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said, then later the Romans prevailed, and this is what is meant by the statement of Allah: «{ الٓمّٓ (1) غُلِبَتِ الرُّوْمُ (2) فِيْۤ اَدْنَى الْاَرْضِ وَ هُمْ مِّنْۢ بَعْدِ غَلَبِهِمْ سَيَغْلِبُوْنَ (3) فِيْ بِضْعِ سِنِيْنَ لِلّٰهِ الْاَمْرُ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ مِنْۢ بَعْدُ وَ يَوْمَىِٕذٍ يَّفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ (4) بِنَصْرِ اللّٰهِ يَنْصُرُ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ }» Sufyan said: “I have heard that they prevailed over them on the day of Badr.” [ ترمذي، تفسیر القرآن، باب و من سورۃ الروم : ۳۱۹۳، و قال حسن صحیح غریب ] Ahmad Shakir has declared it Sahih in his research of Musnad Ahmad (2495), and Shaykh al-Albani has also declared it Sahih.

The second narration is that Niyar ibn Mukarram al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when these verses were revealed: «{ الٓمّٓ (1) غُلِبَتِ الرُّوْمُ (2) فِيْۤ اَدْنَى الْاَرْضِ وَ هُمْ مِّنْۢ بَعْدِ غَلَبِهِمْ سَيَغْلِبُوْنَ (3) فِيْ بِضْعِ سِنِيْنَ }» at that time the Persians had completely prevailed over the Romans, but the Muslims liked the Romans’ victory over them, because the Romans and the Muslims were People of the Book, and this is what is meant by the statement of Allah: «{ وَ يَوْمَىِٕذٍ يَّفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ (4) بِنَصْرِ اللّٰهِ يَنْصُرُ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ وَ هُوَ الْعَزِيْزُ الرَّحِيْمُ }» while the Quraysh liked the Persians’ victory, because neither the polytheists nor the Persians were People of the Book. When Allah revealed these verses, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) went out and began loudly reciting these verses at the outskirts of Makkah: «{ الٓمّٓ (1) غُلِبَتِ الرُّوْمُ (2) فِيْۤ اَدْنَى الْاَرْضِ وَ هُمْ مِّنْۢ بَعْدِ غَلَبِهِمْ سَيَغْلِبُوْنَ (3) فِيْ بِضْعِ سِنِيْنَ }» Some of the Quraysh said to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), “It has been settled between us and you, your companion claims that Rome will prevail over Persia within {’’ بِضْعِ سِنِيْنَ ‘‘} (a few years), so shall we not make a bet with you on this?” Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Why not!” And this was before betting was forbidden. So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and the polytheists made a bet and fixed the amount. They said to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), “Tell us, how long do you set the term?” {’’بِضْعٌ‘‘} is from three to nine years, so set an average term between us and you where the term will be fulfilled, so they set a term of six years. Then it happened that six years passed before the Romans prevailed, so the polytheists took the agreed amount from Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). But when the seventh year began, the Romans prevailed over the Persians, so the Muslims considered it Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) fault for setting six years, because Allah had said the word {’’ فِيْ بِضْعِ سِنِيْنَ ‘‘}, which is used for up to nine (9) years, and at that time many people became Muslim. [ ترمذي، تفسیر القرآن، باب و من سورۃ الروم : ۳۱۹۴، و قال حدیث حسن صحیح غریب وقال الألباني حسن ]

From these two authentic hadiths, several things are known. First, that when these verses were revealed, the Romans were so badly defeated that in the eyes of all people, it was not possible for them to prevail within a few years. Second, that Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) faith in the verses of Allah was so strong that despite all apparent causes being against it, he made a bet with the polytheists on their truth. Third, that even the greatest person of the Ummah can make a mistake in ijtihad. There is no greater personality in the Muslim Ummah than Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), but here he made a mistake in determining the term, yet even after his ijtihad was proven wrong, his faith in the verses of Allah did not decrease at all. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) has said at one place that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was granted such correct opinion by Allah that it was very difficult to catch him in error, but even he could make mistakes. Then he gave as an example of his mistake the narration of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) from Sahih Bukhari, that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: “Last night I saw a canopy in a dream, from which ghee and honey were dripping, and I saw people collecting it in their palms, some taking more and some less. Then suddenly a rope came down from the sky to the earth, and I saw you holding it and climbing up. Then another man held it and climbed up with it, then another man held it and climbed up, then it broke, then it was joined again.” Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “O Messenger of Allah! May my father be sacrificed for you, by Allah, allow me to interpret it.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Interpret it.” He said: “The canopy is Islam, and the honey and ghee dripping is the sweetness of the Qur’an, which is dripping. Some people will get more from the Qur’an, some less. As for the rope that reached from the sky to the earth, it is the truth upon which you are established, you will hold it and Allah will raise you, then after you another man will hold it and be raised with it, then another man will hold it and be raised with it, then another man will hold it and it will break with him, then it will be joined for him and he will be raised with it. O Messenger of Allah! May my father be sacrificed for you, tell me! Did I say right or make a mistake?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “You have said some right and some wrong.” He said: “By Allah, you must tell me what I got wrong.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do not swear.” [ بخاري، التعبیر، باب من لم یر الرؤیا الأوّل عابر إذا لم یصب : ۷۰۴۶ ]

In the verse under commentary, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) also made a mistake in determining {’’ بِضْعِ ‘‘}. When the greatest person of the Ummah can make a mistake, then why can’t those Imams make mistakes in whose following people have made four sects in Islam, who are not even equal to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), let alone being a Companion or a Tabi’i, and whose many ijtihadi mistakes have been mentioned by their own students, and who did not possess the honor of revelation that their mistakes could be corrected through revelation. Therefore, it is obligatory upon Muslims to adhere only to the Book and Sunnah, which are from Allah and free from error, instead of considering the ijtihads and opinions of the followers as religion. Allah said: «{ اِتَّبِعُوْا مَاۤ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْكُمْ مِّنْ رَّبِّكُمْ وَ لَا تَتَّبِعُوْا مِنْ دُوْنِهٖۤ اَوْلِيَآءَ }» [ الأعراف : ۳ ] “Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord, and do not follow other friends besides Him.” The fourth point is that in one of these two narrations, it is mentioned that a term of five years was set, and in the other, six years. Despite this, the Imams of hadith have declared both to be Sahih and have not considered this difference as a cause of weakness in the narrations, because the main point of both is the same, that the term set by Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was less than the real intent of {’’ بِضْعِ ‘‘}.

➋ Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has narrated two reports from Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir, in which it is mentioned that when the Romans did not prevail within the term set by Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and the polytheists took the bet amount from him, then at the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that {’’بِضْعٌ‘‘} means up to nine (9) years, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) again made a bet with the polytheists, in which he increased the term and the amount. Thus, before the completion of nine years, the Romans prevailed over the Persians and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) took the bet amount from them. It is possible that this happened, because there is no contradiction between the authentic narrations and these, but in terms of chain, these narrations do not reach the level of proof. At this point, Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) has mentioned further details of the Romans’ victory over the Persians, but has called it the most strange. Some of our Urdu commentators have mentioned lengthy details from some English historians, but none of these details have any solid chain or reliable source. For the commentary of the Qur’an, what is established from the Qur’an and authentic narrations is sufficient. And it is no small wonder that the thing which was considered impossible by people, Allah foretold it beforehand, and despite there being no apparent cause, those Romans who were badly defeated became victorious again within a few years.

➌ { فِيْۤ اَدْنَى الْاَرْضِ :} “The nearest land” refers to the land nearest to the Arabian Peninsula. This is the region between “Adhri’at” and “Busra,” which is on the border of Syria, adjoining the Hijaz, near Makkah.

➍ { فِيْ بِضْعِ سِنِيْنَ :} Here is a question: What is the wisdom in using the word {’’ بِضْعِ ‘‘} instead of specifying a definite time? The answer is that surely Allah knew the year, the month, and the time in which Rome would prevail over Persia, but at that time, news did not reach other places as quickly as it does today. If Allah had specified the exact time, and then news was delayed in reaching some place, people there could have found an opportunity to criticize the Book of Allah. Therefore, Allah used such a word for determining the period that there remained no such possibility, and everyone was convinced of the truth of the Qur’an’s prophecy. Besides, keeping the time somewhat hidden had the wisdom that in waiting for this victory, the morale of the Muslims would remain high, thinking that now the victory has happened, now it has happened. If the exact time had been specified, their morale would have remained low for that period.

➎ { لِلّٰهِ الْاَمْرُ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ مِنْۢ بَعْدُ : ’’ الْاَمْرُ ‘‘} refers to Allah’s creative command, i.e., His saying {’’كُنْ‘‘}, by which every matter is accomplished. That is, even before the Romans were defeated, every matter was only in Allah’s control, and after the Romans prevailed within a few years, every matter is still in His control. In this, there is also a lesson that no one should think that victory happened because of someone’s planning, or defeat happened because of someone’s shortcoming. No! That planning or shortcoming was also decreed by Him. Similarly, no one should think that it happened due to the movement of the heavens or the effect of the sun, moon, or any star. No! Whatever happened, happened by Allah’s command before, and will happen by His command after. The sun, moon, stars, or the movement of the heavens have nothing to do with any event, as when the sun was eclipsed on the day of the death of the Messenger of Allah’s (peace and blessings be upon him) son Ibrahim (may Allah be pleased with him), some people said that the eclipse happened because of Ibrahim’s death. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ اَلشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ لاَ يَنْكَسِفَانِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَلاَ لِحَيَاتِهِ ، وَلٰكِنَّهُمَا آيَتَانِ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللّٰهِ، فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوْهُمَا فَصَلُّوْا ] [ بخاري، الکسوف، باب لا تنکسف الشمس لموت أحد ولا لحیاتہ : ۱۰۵۷ ] “The sun and the moon are not eclipsed because of anyone’s death or life, but they are two signs among the signs of Allah, so when you see them, pray.”

➏ { وَ يَوْمَىِٕذٍ يَّفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ (4) بِنَصْرِ اللّٰهِ :} Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “When the day of Badr came, the Romans prevailed over the Persians, and the Muslims were pleased with this, and these verses were revealed: «{ الٓمّٓ (1) غُلِبَتِ الرُّوْمُ (2) فِيْۤ اَدْنَى الْاَرْضِ وَ هُمْ مِّنْۢ بَعْدِ غَلَبِهِمْ سَيَغْلِبُوْنَ (3) فِيْ بِضْعِ سِنِيْنَ لِلّٰهِ الْاَمْرُ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ مِنْۢ بَعْدُ وَ يَوْمَىِٕذٍ يَّفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ (4) بِنَصْرِ اللّٰهِ }» (Abu Sa’id said:) ‘So the Muslims were pleased with the Romans’ victory over the Persians.’” [ ترمذي، تفسیر القرآن، باب ومن سورۃ الروم : ۳۱۹۲، و قال حسن غریب و قال الألباني صحیح لغیرہ ] According to this narration of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), and the statement of Sufyan al-Thawri and many scholars, the Romans gained this victory over the Persians on the day the Muslims were victorious over the polytheists at Badr. The commentator Razi said that by Allah’s statement {’’ وَ يَوْمَىِٕذٍ يَّفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ (4) بِنَصْرِ اللّٰهِ ‘‘} (and on that day the believers will rejoice at Allah’s help), it may mean that on that day the believers will rejoice at the news of Rome’s victory over Persia, and it may also mean that on that day the believers will rejoice at Allah’s help and the victory at Badr against the polytheists. But the preferred view is that it means that on the day the Romans prevail over the Persians, the Muslims will rejoice at their victory over the polytheists and Allah’s help, because on the day of Badr the Muslims rejoiced at their victory, and there is no narration mentioning that the news of Rome’s victory arrived exactly on the day of Badr. Thus, in this verse there are two glad tidings: one, that Rome would prevail over Persia within a few years, and the other, that on that day the Muslims would rejoice at their victory over the polytheists, and everyone knows that both glad tidings were fulfilled.

Some of the Tabi’in think that the Romans’ victory over the Iranians happened after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Their evidence is the incident that Caesar of Rome had vowed that when he was victorious, he would walk from Homs to Aelia (Jerusalem) on foot. So when he came to Aelia, and had not yet returned, he received the letter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) through Dihyah ibn Khalifah (may Allah be pleased with him), which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had written to him after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. After that, he called Abu Sufyan (who had not yet become Muslim and had come to Syria for trade) and asked him various questions about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as is mentioned in detail in Sahih Bukhari. This incident shows that the Romans’ victory over the Iranians also happened that year, but the answer to this is that the Romans’ first victory was on the day of Badr, but after the complete clearing of the enemy’s armies and the full arrangement of all regions, the time for fulfilling the vow came four years later, in the year of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. (And Allah knows best)

➐ { يَنْصُرُ مَنْ يَّشَآءُ :} He helps whomever He wills among the fighting disbelievers, and in the battle between Muslims and disbelievers, He helps whomever He wills. Neither granting victory is proof of His pleasure, nor is defeat proof of His displeasure. In both cases, He tests man, as He said: «{ وَ تِلْكَ الْاَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَ لِيَعْلَمَ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَ يَتَّخِذَ مِنْكُمْ شُهَدَآءَ }» [ آل عمران : ۱۴۰ ] “And these are the days We alternate among the people, and so that Allah may know those who believe and take martyrs from among you.” And He said: «{ قُلِ اللّٰهُمَّ مٰلِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَنْ تَشَآءُ وَ تَنْزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّنْ تَشَآءُ وَ تُعِزُّ مَنْ تَشَآءُ وَ تُذِلُّ مَنْ تَشَآءُ بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ اِنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ }» [ آل عمران : ۲۶ ] “Say: O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty! You give sovereignty to whom You will and take sovereignty from whom You will, and You honor whom You will and humble whom You will. In Your hand is all good. Surely, You have power over all things.”

➑ { وَ هُوَ الْعَزِيْزُ الرَّحِيْمُ:} And He is the Mighty (over all), whomsoever He grants victory, no one can overcome him, but His dominance is not merciless, rather He is Merciful (most merciful), when He wills, He grants victory to the subdued and defeated people again.