AR-RUUM — Ayat 1

Tafsir Ibnu Katsir

1. Alif Lam Mim. 2. The Romans have been defeated. 3. In the nearest land, and they, after their defeat, will be victorious. 4. In Bid`i years. The decision of the matter, before and after is only with Allah. And on that day, the believers will rejoice 5. With the help of Allah. He helps whom He wills, and He is the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful. 6. A promise from Allah, and Allah fails not in His promise, but most men know not. 7. They know only the outer appearance of the life of the world, and they are heedless of the Hereafter. These Ayat were revealed about the victory of Sabur, the king of Persia, over Ash-Sham (Greater Syria), the adjoining partisan states of the Arabian Peninsula, and the outlying regions of the land of the Romans. Heraclius, the emperor of the Romans, was forced to flee to Constantinople where he was besieged for a lengthy period. Then Heraclius regained the upper hand. Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, commented on this Ayah: